Unemployment Rate Evolution in United Kingdom from 1990 to 2019

The UK’s unemployment rate rose sharply in the early 1990s due to a recession, reaching a peak of 10.3% in 1993. However, economic recovery saw a gradual decline, and by the 2000s, unemployment dropped to 4.6% in 2004, reflecting stable economic growth. The 2008 global financial crisis led to another peak at 8.0% in 2011, after which the rate decreased as the economy rebounded.

The unemployment rate continued to decline in the following years, reaching a low of 3.7% by 2019. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a temporary increase in 2020. The UK labor market has shown resilience, with policy interventions and job support schemes playing a role in keeping the rate low.

For a broader context, visit other statistics on United Kingdom’s fertility rate trends, UK’s net lending/borrowing as a share of GDP, United Kingdom’s export value.