Labor force with basic education in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Labor force with basic education was 56.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force with basic education in United Kingdom, 1992–2025
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total working-age population with basic education.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force with basic education in United Kingdom is 56.5%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 17.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force with basic education in United Kingdom peaked at 78.5% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 56.5%, in 2025.
United Kingdom ranks 43rd of 123 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 69.6% | 68.8% | 71.4% | 7 |
| 2000s | 72.0% | 67.4% | 78.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.0% | 68.5% | 70.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.2% | 56.5% | 67.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More work & labour data for United Kingdom
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 87.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 57.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 76.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 73.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 52.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 65.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 52.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 52.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 61.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force with basic education in United Kingdom?
- Labor force with basic education in United Kingdom was 56.5% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force with basic education recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 78.5% in 2006.
- What is the lowest labor force with basic education recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.5% in 2025.
- How does United Kingdom rank for labor force with basic education?
- United Kingdom ranks 43rd out of 123 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force with basic education rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The ratio of the labor force with basic education to the working-age population with basic education. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).