19th March 2026
Employment in the public sector was estimated at 6.19 million in December 2025, an increase of 6,000 (0.1%) compared with September 2025, and an increase of 43,000 (0.7%) compared with December 2024.
Employment in central government was a record high at an estimated 4.06 million in December 2025, an increase of 13,000 (0.3%) compared with September 2025 and an increase of 61,000 (1.5%) compared with December 2024; the main contributors to the increase since the previous year were some local authority schools becoming academies, the NHS, and the Civil Service.
Employment in the NHS was an estimated record high of 2.07 million in December 2025; this was an increase of 1,000 (0.0%) compared with September 2025 and an increase of 17,000 (0.8%) compared with December 2024.
Employment in local government was a record low at an estimated 1.97 million in December 2025; this was a decrease of 6,000 (0.3%) compared with September 2025 and a decrease of 21,000 (1.1%) compared with December 2024.
The estimated transfer of employment from local government to central government because of academy conversions in December 2025 was 3,000 on the quarter, and 28,000 on the year.
Employment in public corporations was an estimated 160,000 in December 2025, a decrease of 1,000 (0.6%) compared with September 2025 but an increase of 3,000 (1.9%) compared with December 2024; part of the annual increase is affected by a minor reclassification between March 2025 and June 2025.
The Civil Service employed 555,000 people in December 2025, an increase of 1,000 (0.2%) compared with September 2025, and an increase of 7,000 (1.3%) compared with December 2024.
Read the full ONS report HERE