UK workforce jobs: all industries
UK workforce jobs: all industries stood at 36,734 thousands in Q2 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Jobs by industry and sector table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q2 1959 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Jobs by industry and sector table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workforce jobs by industry | |||||||||||
| All industries | 36,734 | 36,782 | 36,578 | 36,530 | 36,673 | 36,931 | 36,829 | 36,672 | 36,635 | 36,711 | |
| Q Human health and social work | 5,028 | 5,095 | 5,029 | 5,018 | 5,048 | 5,066 | 5,001 | 4,987 | 5,002 | 4,939 |
Understanding UK workforce jobs: all industries
This aggregate sums every employee job and self-employed position located within the geographic boundaries of the United Kingdom, drawn from employer surveys rather than household interviews. Because it counts positions rather than individual workers, a person holding two distinct jobs appears twice in the total. HM Forces personnel and agricultural smallholders are omitted from this establishment-based framework.
Reading this macro indicator requires awareness of regular seasonal troughs and peaks, particularly around the winter holiday period and summer academic terms, making twelve-month comparisons more reliable than quarter-on-quarter changes. Early survey returns are subject to routine revisions as late establishment responses arrive, meaning initial estimates should be treated as provisional. A common pitfall is comparing this job total directly with household employment surveys, which measure people rather than filled posts.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does this differ from household survey employment counts?
- This series counts total filled positions reported by employers, so individuals with multiple jobs are counted multiple times.
- Are members of the armed forces included here?
- No, HM Forces personnel are excluded from the standard workforce jobs industry breakdown.
- How soon are initial estimates revised?
- Provisional figures undergo successive revisions as more comprehensive business survey returns are processed in later quarters.