UK trade union membership 2021

As of 2021, there over 6.73 million people that were part of a trade union in the United Kingdom, compared with 6.66 million in the previous year. During the provided time period the late 1970s and early 1980s saw the highest levels of trade union membership in the UK, with over 13.2 million employees a member of a union in 1980.

Number of trade union members in the United Kingdom from 1892 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Characteristic	Number of members in thousands
2021	6,733
2020	6,666
2019	6,695
2018	6,768
2017	6,875
2016	6,865
2015	6,949
2014	7,011
2013	7,086
2012	7,197
2011	7,261
2010	7,329
2009	7,388
2008	7,656
2007	7,628
2006	7,603
2005	7,473
2004	7,559
2003	7,736
2002	7,751
2001	7,779
2000	7,898
1999	7,852
1998	7,801
1997	7,938
1996	8,031
1995	8,231
1994	8,666
1993	8,929
1992	9,489
1991	9,810
1990	10,044
1989	10,387
1988	10,480
1987	10,598
1986	10,819
1985	10,774
1984	11,300
1983	11,744
1982	12,311
1981	12,636
1980	13,212
1979	13,054
1978	12,719
1977	12,133
1976	11,656
1975	11,044
1974	11,755
1973	11,444
1972	11,350
1971	11,128
1970	11,179
1969	10,472
1968	10,193
1967	10,191
1966	10,259
1965	10,325
1964	10,218
1963	10,067
1962	10,014
1961	9,916
1960	9,835
1959	9,623
1958	9,639
1957	9,829
1956	9,778
1955	9,741
1954	9,566
1953	9,527
1952	9,588
1951	9,535
1950	9,289
1949	9,318
1948	9,362
1947	9,145
1946	8,803
1945	7,875
1944	8,087
1943	8,174
1942	7,867
1941	7,165
1940	6,613
1939	6,298
1938	6,053
1937	5,842
1936	5,295
1935	4,867
1934	4,590
1933	4,392
1932	4,444
1931	4,624
1930	4,842
1929	4,858
1928	4,806
1927	4,919
1926	5,219
1925	5,506
1924	5,544
1923	5,429
1922	5,625
1921	6,633
1920	8,348
1919	7,926
1918	6,533
1917	5,499
1916	4,644
1915	4,359
1914	4,145
1913	4,135
1912	3,416
1911	3,139
1910	2,565
1909	2,477
1908	2,485
1907	2,513
1906	2,210
1905	1,997
1904	1,967
1903	1,994
1902	2,013
1901	2,025
1900	2,022
1899	1,911
1898	1,752
1897	1,731
1896	1,608
1895	1,504
1894	1,530
1893	1,559
1892	1,576

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Release date

June 2024

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Region

United Kingdom

Survey time period

1892 to 2021

Supplementary notes

This statistic using original data from the Government Digital Service and includes copyright material licensed under © Crown, the Open Government License v3.0

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