As of the first quarter of 2024, approximately 30.1 percent of people who were economically inactive in the United Kingdom were on long-term sick leave, with a further 26.7 percent of economically inactive people being students.
Percentage of economically inactive people in the United Kingdom from 2nd quarter 1993 to 1st quarter 2024, by reason
Percentage of economically inactive people
Student
Looking after family
Temp sick
Long-term sick
Discouraged workers
Retired
Other
Q1 2024
26.7%
17.7%
2.2%
30.1%
0.3%
11.8%
11.2%
Q4 2023
27%
17.8%
1.7%
30.2%
0.3%
11.7%
11.3%
Q3 2023
26.6%
18.2%
2.1%
29.6%
0.2%
11.7%
11.7%
Q2 2023
25.9%
18.4%
2.2%
29.8%
0.3%
11.9%
11.6%
Q1 2023
25.2%
19.1%
2.2%
29.9%
0.3%
11.8%
11.5%
Q4 2022
25.8%
19.4%
2.3%
28.2%
0.4%
11.9%
12%
Q3 2022
26.5%
19.4%
1.8%
28.4%
0.2%
12.4%
11.3%
Q2 2022
26.3%
19.3%
2.3%
26.8%
0.2%
13.5%
11.6%
Q1 2022
26.1%
19.6%
2.3%
26.1%
0.2%
13.3%
12.3%
Q4 2021
26%
18.9%
2.1%
26.4%
0.3%
13.3%
13%
Q3 2021
26.8%
18.8%
2.3%
26%
0.4%
13.5%
12.1%
Q2 2021
28.2%
18.2%
2.1%
24.9%
0.7%
13.6%
12.3%
Q1 2021
28.2%
18%
2%
25%
0.9%
12.9%
12.8%
Q4 2020
27.3%
18.8%
2.2%
25.5%
0.8%
12.4%
13%
Q3 2020
27.2%
18.9%
1.8%
25.4%
0.7%
13%
13.1%
Q2 2020
24.5%
20.7%
1.8%
24.5%
0.7%
12.8%
14.9%
Q1 2020
25.4%
21.6%
2.1%
25.2%
0.4%
13.6%
11.7%
Q4 2019
26.6%
22.2%
1.9%
24.5%
0.4%
13.2%
11.2%
Q3 2019
26.6%
22.9%
2%
23.8%
0.4%
13%
11.3%
Q2 2019
26.1%
23.5%
1.9%
23.7%
0.4%
12.9%
11.5%
Q1 2019
26.1%
23.6%
2.1%
23.3%
0.4%
13%
11.6%
Q4 2018
26.3%
23.5%
2.1%
23.2%
0.4%
13%
11.5%
Q3 2018
27.2%
23.3%
2%
22.9%
0.4%
12.8%
11.4%
Q2 2018
26.7%
23.3%
2%
23.4%
0.3%
13%
11.3%
Q1 2018
26.6%
23.6%
2%
22.8%
0.4%
13.4%
11.2%
Q4 2017
26.8%
23.8%
2.3%
22.7%
0.4%
13.2%
10.7%
Q3 2017
26.8%
23.3%
2.1%
23.1%
0.4%
13.4%
10.8%
Q2 2017
26.3%
24.3%
1.8%
22.6%
0.3%
13.9%
10.8%
Q1 2017
26.1%
24.9%
2%
22.5%
0.4%
13.3%
10.8%
Q4 2016
26.1%
24.8%
1.8%
22%
0.4%
13.4%
11.5%
Q3 2016
25.9%
25.2%
1.9%
22.6%
0.3%
12.9%
11.1%
Q2 2016
25.9%
24.9%
2%
23%
0.4%
13%
10.8%
Q1 2016
25.3%
25.2%
2.1%
23.5%
0.3%
13%
10.6%
Q4 2015
25.7%
25.1%
2.2%
23.2%
0.4%
13.1%
10.4%
Q3 2015
25.6%
24.9%
2.2%
23.5%
0.4%
13.5%
9.8%
Q2 2015
25.5%
25.2%
2.3%
23.1%
0.4%
13.8%
9.6%
Q1 2015
25.8%
25.2%
2.3%
22.4%
0.5%
14.2%
9.6%
Q4 2014
25.9%
25.4%
2%
22.5%
0.5%
14.2%
9.4%
Q3 2014
25.8%
25.4%
2%
22.4%
0.5%
14.5%
9.4%
Q2 2014
25.9%
25.7%
2.1%
22.1%
0.4%
14.7%
9%
Q1 2014
25.9%
25.4%
2.1%
22.2%
0.5%
14.8%
9.2%
Q4 2013
25.7%
25.5%
2.2%
22.6%
0.5%
14.8%
8.7%
Q3 2013
25.7%
25.8%
2.2%
22%
0.6%
15%
8.8%
Q2 2013
25.9%
24.9%
1.9%
22.6%
0.6%
15.1%
9%
Q1 2013
25.3%
25.2%
2%
22.6%
0.8%
15.2%
8.8%
Q4 2012
25%
25.8%
2.2%
22.6%
0.7%
15.4%
8.3%
Q3 2012
24.6%
25.6%
2%
22.5%
0.8%
15.6%
8.8%
Q2 2012
24.2%
25.3%
1.9%
23.2%
0.8%
15.9%
8.7%
Q1 2012
24.8%
25.1%
2%
23%
1%
15.8%
8.4%
Q4 2011
24.7%
24.7%
1.8%
22.7%
0.7%
16.4%
8.8%
Q3 2011
24.6%
24.8%
1.8%
23.1%
0.8%
16.6%
8.4%
Q2 2011
24.3%
24.8%
1.8%
23.1%
0.8%
16.6%
8.5%
Q1 2011
24.5%
24.7%
1.8%
23.2%
0.9%
16.4%
8.6%
Q4 2010
23.7%
24.4%
1.8%
23.5%
0.9%
16.7%
9.1%
Q3 2010
23.9%
24.7%
1.9%
23.7%
0.8%
16.4%
8.6%
Q2 2010
24.2%
24.8%
2%
23.8%
0.7%
15.9%
8.6%
Q1 2010
24.5%
25%
1.9%
23.2%
0.7%
16.2%
8.4%
Q4 2009
24.4%
24.9%
1.9%
23.2%
0.9%
16.5%
8.1%
Q3 2009
23.7%
25.3%
1.8%
23.5%
0.9%
16.4%
8.4%
Q2 2009
23.3%
25.7%
2%
23.2%
0.7%
16.4%
8.8%
Q1 2009
22.9%
25.8%
2%
23.7%
0.7%
16.6%
8.5%
Q4 2008
22.6%
25.9%
1.9%
23.5%
0.6%
16.8%
8.6%
Q3 2008
21.8%
25.7%
2%
24.3%
0.5%
16.8%
8.9%
Q2 2008
21.7%
26.2%
2%
23.8%
0.4%
16.6%
9.2%
Q1 2008
21.3%
26%
2%
24.4%
0.5%
16.3%
9.5%
Q4 2007
21.3%
26%
2.2%
24.3%
0.4%
16.3%
9.5%
Q3 2007
21%
26.3%
2.3%
24%
0.5%
16.2%
9.7%
Q2 2007
20.9%
26.7%
2.2%
24.1%
0.4%
16.1%
9.5%
Q1 2007
20.5%
26.6%
2.3%
24.5%
0.5%
15.9%
9.6%
Q4 2006
20.3%
26.7%
2.3%
24.7%
0.5%
15.8%
9.7%
Q3 2006
20.1%
27.5%
2.1%
24.4%
0.5%
15.6%
9.7%
Q2 2006
20.3%
26.9%
2.2%
25.1%
0.4%
15.6%
9.6%
Q1 2006
20.5%
27%
2.2%
24.8%
0.4%
15.6%
9.5%
Q4 2005
20.6%
27.1%
2.3%
24.8%
0.5%
15.2%
9.5%
Q3 2005
20.8%
26.6%
2.2%
24.9%
0.4%
15.8%
9.4%
Q2 2005
19.8%
26.9%
2.1%
25.3%
0.4%
15.8%
9.7%
Q1 2005
19.5%
27%
2%
25.4%
0.5%
15.4%
10.2%
Q4 2004
19.3%
27%
2.1%
25.7%
0.4%
15.6%
10%
Q3 2004
19.1%
27.1%
2.3%
25.9%
0.4%
15.3%
9.9%
Q2 2004
19.1%
27%
2.2%
25.8%
0.4%
15.5%
10.1%
Q1 2004
18.8%
27.5%
2.2%
25.6%
0.5%
15.4%
10.1%
Q4 2003
18.8%
27.5%
2.2%
25.7%
0.4%
15.4%
10%
Q3 2003
18.8%
27.9%
2.1%
25.5%
0.4%
15.4%
9.8%
Q2 2003
18.7%
28.1%
2.2%
25.5%
0.5%
15.3%
9.6%
Q1 2003
18%
28%
2.2%
26.1%
0.5%
15.7%
9.6%
Q4 2002
17.7%
28.3%
2.3%
26%
0.5%
15.5%
9.6%
Q3 2002
17.7%
28.1%
2.3%
26.1%
0.4%
15.4%
9.9%
Q2 2002
17.3%
28.1%
2%
26.8%
0.5%
15.5%
9.9%
Q1 2002
17.3%
28%
2.1%
26.8%
0.6%
15.5%
9.7%
Q4 2001
17%
28.2%
2.2%
27.1%
0.5%
15.4%
9.7%
Q3 2001
17.2%
28.1%
2.2%
26.8%
0.4%
15.5%
9.7%
Q2 2001
17.3%
28.2%
2.2%
26.6%
0.4%
15.6%
9.7%
Q1 2001
17.1%
28.2%
2.1%
26.7%
0.6%
15.2%
10.1%
Q4 2000
17%
28%
2.3%
26.7%
0.6%
15.1%
10.4%
Q3 2000
16.6%
28.1%
2.2%
26.6%
0.7%
15.2%
10.5%
Q2 2000
16.7%
28.5%
2.2%
26.4%
1%
15.1%
10.1%
Q1 2000
16.2%
28.7%
2.3%
26.7%
0.9%
15.1%
10.2%
Q4 1999
16.2%
29%
2.3%
26.5%
0.9%
15.4%
9.7%
Q3 1999
16.4%
29.2%
1.9%
27%
0.9%
15.1%
9.4%
Q2 1999
16.8%
29.4%
2%
27.1%
0.9%
14.5%
9.4%
Q1 1999
16.6%
29.3%
2.2%
27%
1%
14.6%
9.2%
Q4 1998
16.8%
29.6%
2.1%
27%
0.9%
14.5%
9%
Q3 1998
16.1%
30.4%
2.2%
27.2%
0.9%
14.6%
8.8%
Q2 1998
16.2%
30.3%
2.3%
26.9%
1%
14.3%
9.1%
Q1 1998
16.4%
30.4%
2.5%
27%
1.1%
14%
8.5%
Q4 1997
16.2%
30.4%
2.6%
26.8%
1%
13.8%
9.2%
Q3 1997
16.5%
30.2%
2.5%
26.8%
0.9%
13.5%
9.5%
Q2 1997
16.1%
30.8%
2.6%
26.5%
1.2%
13.6%
9.2%
Q1 1997
16.2%
31.2%
2.4%
26.8%
1.2%
13.2%
8.9%
Q4 1996
16.4%
31.3%
2.4%
26.6%
1.3%
13.4%
8.7%
Q3 1996
16.5%
31.7%
2.5%
26%
1.2%
13%
9%
Q2 1996
16.2%
32.3%
2.6%
25.3%
1.4%
13.3%
8.9%
Q1 1996
16.4%
32.9%
2.7%
24.9%
1.4%
13%
8.7%
Q4 1995
16.6%
33.1%
2.6%
24.9%
1.3%
12.8%
8.6%
Q3 1995
16.5%
33.3%
2.7%
24.7%
1.5%
12.8%
8.7%
Q2 1995
17%
33.3%
2.6%
24.3%
1.5%
12.6%
8.8%
Q1 1995
17.1%
33.1%
2.6%
23.8%
1.5%
13%
8.8%
Q4 1994
17.3%
33.6%
2.6%
23.2%
1.7%
12.8%
8.8%
Q3 1994
17.1%
34.5%
2.5%
22.8%
1.8%
12.9%
8.4%
Q2 1994
17.2%
34.7%
2.5%
22.6%
1.7%
12.6%
8.7%
Q1 1994
16.7%
34.9%
2.5%
22.3%
2%
12.7%
8.9%
Q4 1993
16.6%
34.8%
2.4%
22.5%
1.9%
12.7%
9.1%
Q3 1993
16.9%
34.7%
2.3%
22%
1.9%
12.8%
9.3%
Q2 1993
16.8%
35.2%
2.3%
21.4%
1.9%
12.8%
9.4%
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Office for National Statistics (UK). (May 16, 2024). Percentage of economically inactive people in the United Kingdom from 2nd quarter 1993 to 1st quarter 2024, by reason [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/280292/uk-economic-inactivity-by-reason/
Office for National Statistics (UK). "Percentage of economically inactive people in the United Kingdom from 2nd quarter 1993 to 1st quarter 2024, by reason." Chart. May 16, 2024. Statista. Accessed July 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/280292/uk-economic-inactivity-by-reason/
Office for National Statistics (UK). (2024). Percentage of economically inactive people in the United Kingdom from 2nd quarter 1993 to 1st quarter 2024, by reason. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: July 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/280292/uk-economic-inactivity-by-reason/
Office for National Statistics (UK). "Percentage of Economically Inactive People in The United Kingdom from 2nd Quarter 1993 to 1st Quarter 2024, by Reason." Statista, Statista Inc., 16 May 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/280292/uk-economic-inactivity-by-reason/
Office for National Statistics (UK), Percentage of economically inactive people in the United Kingdom from 2nd quarter 1993 to 1st quarter 2024, by reason Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/280292/uk-economic-inactivity-by-reason/ (last visited July 22, 2024)
Percentage of economically inactive people in the United Kingdom from 2nd quarter 1993 to 1st quarter 2024, by reason [Graph], Office for National Statistics (UK), May 16, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/280292/uk-economic-inactivity-by-reason/