UK weekly hours worked: all industries
UK weekly hours worked: all industries stood at 34.92 hours per week in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOSTAT). It is one of the indicators in the Labour force, ILO annual table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 1992 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Labour force, ILO annual table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly hours worked, Both sexes | |||||||||||
| All industries | 34.92 | 35.08 | 34.98 | 35.19 | 35.61 | 35.19 | 35.51 | 35.46 | 35.63 | 35.71 | |
| Agriculture | 43.59 | 45.69 | 43.44 | 44.14 | 43.72 | 45.7 | 45.82 | 45.86 | 46.61 | 45.88 |
Understanding UK weekly hours worked: all industries
Measuring the average number of hours actually worked per week by all employed individuals across every economic sector in the United Kingdom, this indicator captures the true volume of labour input independent of headcounts. The calculation accounts for usual hours plus paid and unpaid overtime worked during the reference week, while subtracting hours lost due to sickness, holiday, maternity leave, or industrial disputes. Excluded from the average are individuals who had a job but did not work any hours at all during the reference period. This series differs from sibling sectoral measures by providing an economy-wide average that blends manufacturing, services, agriculture, and construction.
Reading this metric requires accounting for seasonal holiday periods and public holidays that fall within the survey reference weeks, which can depress average hours. Revisions to early estimates occur as complete survey responses are processed and weighted. When comparing this measure with employment headcounts, analysts should note that hours worked often fluctuate faster than staffing levels during economic cycles. Year-on-year comparisons help mitigate seasonal distortions, though long-term trends must be interpreted alongside shifts in the proportion of part-time workers.
Frequently asked questions
- Are hours lost due to annual leave included in this average?
- No, hours not worked because of holidays, sickness, or parental leave are subtracted when calculating the average hours actually worked.
- How does this aggregate series differ from manufacturing-specific hours?
- This measure covers all industries across the entire economy, whereas manufacturing series isolate factory and industrial production workers.
- Why might average weekly hours change while total employment remains steady?
- Employers frequently adjust overtime schedules or shift lengths in response to demand changes before hiring or laying off staff.