UK Employment Rises Most in 10 Months

2026-07-21 06:32 By Kyrie Dichosa 1 min. read

The number of employed people in the United Kingdom rose by 148 thousand to 34.475 million in the three months to May 2026, exceeding expectations for a gain of 85 thousand and following a 99 thousand increase in the previous period.

This marked the largest increase since July 2025, driven by increases in both full-time and part-time employment.

Compared with a year earlier, employment increased by 340 thousand, reflecting gains in both full-time employees and part-time self-employed workers.

Despite the increase in employment, the employment rate for those aged 16 to 64 edged up to 75.1% from 75.0% in the previous quarter but remained 0.1 percentage point below a year earlier, extending the broadly stable trend seen since mid-2024.

Meanwhile, the number of people holding second jobs rose over the quarter to 1.278 million, accounting for 3.7% of total employment, though it remained below the level recorded a year earlier.



News Stream
UK Employment Records Smallest Gain in 4 Months
The number of employed people in the United Kingdom increased by 83 thousand to 34.469 million in the three months to June 2026, following a gain of 147 thousand in the previous period. The increase was the smallest since February, reflecting a decline in part-time employment that partly offset continued growth in full-time jobs. Compared with a year earlier, employment rose by 253 thousand, driven by increases in both full-time employees and part-time self-employed workers. The employment rate for people aged 16 to 64 stood at 75.1%, extending the broadly stable trend seen since mid-2024, while the rate for those aged 65 and over stood at 13.3%. By gender, the employment rate remained higher for men at 64.2%, compared with 57.4% for women. Meanwhile, the number of people holding second jobs increased over the quarter to 1.293 million, representing 3.7% of total employment.
2026-08-18
UK Employment Rises Most in 10 Months
The number of employed people in the United Kingdom rose by 148 thousand to 34.475 million in the three months to May 2026, exceeding expectations for a gain of 85 thousand and following a 99 thousand increase in the previous period. This marked the largest increase since July 2025, driven by increases in both full-time and part-time employment. Compared with a year earlier, employment increased by 340 thousand, reflecting gains in both full-time employees and part-time self-employed workers. Despite the increase in employment, the employment rate for those aged 16 to 64 edged up to 75.1% from 75.0% in the previous quarter but remained 0.1 percentage point below a year earlier, extending the broadly stable trend seen since mid-2024. Meanwhile, the number of people holding second jobs rose over the quarter to 1.278 million, accounting for 3.7% of total employment, though it remained below the level recorded a year earlier.
2026-07-21
UK Employment Rises Above Expectations
The number of employed people in the United Kingdom rose by 100 thousand to 34.410 million in the three months to April 2026, following a 148 thousand increase in the previous period and above forecasts of a 75 thousand gain. This was mainly driven by growth in full-time employment, while part-time work declined over the quarter. Compared with a year earlier, employment increased by 399 thousand, reflecting gains in both full-time and part-time workers, with the rise in full-time employment driven by employees and the increase in part-time work supported by self-employed workers. Despite this, the employment rate for those aged 16 to 64 remained unchanged at 75.0%, both over the quarter and compared with a year earlier, following a period of relative stability since mid-2024. Meanwhile, the number of people holding second jobs declined to 1.277 million, accounting for 3.7% of total employment.
2026-06-18