UK employment: women aged 16+
UK employment: women aged 16+ stood at 16,733 thousands in Jun 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Labour market table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Feb 1971 to Jun 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Labour market table
| Indicator | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | 10-2025 | 09-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment and unemployment | |||||||||||
| Women in employment (16+) | 16,733 | 16,744 | 16,724 | 16,676 | 16,724 | 16,727 | 16,733 | 16,708 | 16,749 | 16,682 | |
| Total actual weekly hours worked | 1,102.6 | 1,105.2 | 1,101.3 | 1,094.3 | 1,087.6 | 1,089.2 | 1,089.9 | 1,092.2 | 1,089.7 | 1,089.4 |
Understanding UK employment: women aged 16+
Female employment captures every woman aged sixteen and over across the United Kingdom who undertook paid work, whether as an employee, self-employed person, unpaid family worker, or participant in government training schemes, during the survey reference period. This demographic breakdown contrasts with male-specific figures and broader total aggregates by isolating female participation trends within the labour market, distinguishing between full-time and part-time working patterns without imposing upper age limits. Unpaid domestic duties and full-time education remain excluded from this count unless accompanied by marginal paid employment.
Interpreting this metric requires attention to sample volatility inherent in household surveys and frequent adjustments stemming from population weighting updates. Analysts should evaluate period-on-period changes alongside economic inactivity and unemployment rates for the same gender cohort rather than relying solely on single-month movements, which are susceptible to weather and holiday distortions. Revisions often occur when population estimates are recalibrated against decadal census results, altering historical levels while preserving directional movement.
Frequently asked questions
- How does this series define female employment?
- It counts all women aged sixteen and above who performed any paid work or held a job during the reference period across the United Kingdom.
- Are students included in these figures?
- Students are counted only if they undertook paid work during the reference week; those exclusively in education without employment are excluded.
- Why might this series be revised after initial publication?
- Survey estimates undergo periodic sample weight adjustments and population benchmark updates that retroactively refine previously published figures.