How is the UK economy doing?
The UK unemployment rate was 4.9% in the three months to July 2026, and 75.1% of people aged 16 to 64 were in work. The economy grew 0.4% in Q2 2026 and 1.4% over the year.
Three months to July 2026. ↑ Up 0.2 points on a year earlier.
People aged 16 to 64 in paid work. ↓ Down 0.1 points on a year earlier.
Q2 2026, on the previous quarter, after allowing for prices. 1.4% on a year earlier.
The detail
Each page has the figure, the trend, a table and the questions people ask.
The survey rate, employment, inactivity, redundancies and the claimant count, by area.
See unemployment →How much more the economy produced than in the previous quarter and a year ago.
See growth →Output in the latest quarter, with price changes taken out.
See GDP →Inflation, growth, borrowing, debt and unemployment, ranked against the others.
Compare countries →Pay and the claimant count for each constituency, next to the UK.
Find your area →Every series on the site as a chart, a table and a CSV file.
See all trends →Work and growth over time
What’s this?
People without a job who are looking for one and could start, as a share of everyone in work or looking for work. A survey estimate, as a three-month average.
What it cannot tell you: It is a survey estimate with a margin of error, and it does not count people who have stopped looking for work.
What’s this?
The share of people aged 16 to 64 who are in paid work. A survey estimate, as a three-month average.
What it cannot tell you: It counts a job of any kind and says nothing about hours, pay or security.
What’s this?
How much more the UK economy produced in the quarter than in the same quarter a year earlier, after allowing for rising prices.
What it cannot tell you: It smooths out single quarters but is slow to show a turning point.
What’s this?
People claiming Jobseeker's Allowance or Universal Credit while looking for work, as a share of everyone aged 16 to 64. It is one measure of people out of work.
What it cannot tell you: It counts people claiming a benefit, so it is not the same as unemployment measured by surveys. The rules for who can claim have changed over time.
Questions people ask
What is the unemployment rate?
4.9% in the three months to July 2026: people without a job who are looking for one, as a share of everyone in work or looking for work. A survey estimate.
How fast is the economy growing?
0.4% in Q2 2026 compared with the previous quarter, and 1.4% compared with the same quarter a year earlier, after allowing for rising prices.
What is the difference between unemployment and claimants?
The claimant count (3.9% in August 2026) counts people claiming benefits mainly for being unemployed. The survey rate counts everyone out of work and looking, whether or not they claim.
Sources: ONS Labour Force Survey, ONS GDP quarterly national accounts, ONS and DWP claimant count via Nomis. Updated every night.
See also: Prices and pay · UK wages · Government finances · Your area