Public sector employment UK - June 2025

17th September 2025

Employment in the public sector was estimated at 6.17 million in June 2025, an increase of 17,000 (0.3%) compared with March 2025, and an increase of 75,000 (1.2%) compared with June 2024.

Employment in central government was a record high at an estimated 4.04 million in June 2025, an increase of 21,000 (0.5%) compared with March 2025 and an increase of 95,000 (2.4%) compared with June 2024; the main contributors to this increase were the NHS, some local authority schools becoming academies, and the Civil Service.

Employment in the NHS was a record high at an estimated 2.07 million in June 2025, an increase of 9,000 (0.4%) compared with March 2025 and an increase of 42,000 (2.1%) compared with June 2024.

Employment in local government was a record low at an estimated 1.97 million in June 2025, a decrease of 4,000 (0.2%) compared with March 2025 and a decrease of 21,000 (1.1%) compared with June 2024; some local authority schools becoming academies contributed to this decrease.

The estimated employment changes between local government and central government because of academy conversions in June 2025 were 8,000 (1.1%) on the quarter and 33,000 (4.7%) on the year; this conversion is contributing toward the gains and losses in these sectors.

Employment in public corporations was an estimated 154,000 in June 2025, the same as in March 2025 and an increase of 1,000 (0.7%) compared with June 2024.

The Civil Service employed 551,000 people in June 2025, an increase of 1,000 (0.2%) compared with March 2025 and an increase of 5,000 (0.9%) compared with June 2024.

Read the full ONS report HERE