Public sector employment, UK: June 2022

13th September 2022

Total public sector employment increased in June 2022 compared with the previous quarter and the previous year; the increase from a year ago is largely because of the ongoing response of the NHS and the Civil Service to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

There were an estimated 5.74 million employees in the public sector for June 2022, which was 6,000 (0.1%) more than for March 2022 and 66,000 (1.2%) more than for June 2021.

Employment in central government was an estimated 3.55 million for June 2022, a rise of 6,000 (0.2%) compared with March 2022 and 75,000 (2.2%) compared with June 2021; the main contributors to this increase were the NHS, the Civil Service and local authority schools becoming academies.

The NHS employed an estimated 1.88 million people in June 2022, an increase of 4,000 (0.2%) compared with March 2022 and an increase of 36,000 (2.0%) compared with June 2021; the ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic has driven the increase on the previous year.

There were 512,000 employees in the Civil Service for June 2022, unchanged compared with March 2022 and 14,000 (2.8%) more than for June 2021; employment in the Civil Service remains above its June 2016 level of 416,000.

Employment in local government was unchanged compared with March 2022 at an estimated 2.00 million, and 3,000 (0.1%) lower than for June 2021.

Private sector employment was at an estimated 27.01 million for June 2022, an increase of 33,000 (0.1%) compared with March 2022 and an increase of 271,000 (1.0%) compared with June 2021.

Read the full report HERE