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Economy & jobs
Statistics · Region
Employment rate in South East England
1995 – 2024 · 30 data points
1 of 12 · Regions of United Kingdom
Updated 21 Oct 2026
Source: OECD Regional Database, 1995 – 2024
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Latest value · 2024
78.3%
−1.0 pp
since 2023
Regions of United Kingdom · 2024
1 of 12
Place 1 is the highest value.
since 2014
+2.5 pp
vs United Kingdom
+3.1 pp
United Kingdom: 75.2% · 2024
Employment rate, 1995 – 2024 percent · South East England · United Kingdom
+2.5 pp since 2014
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
1995
2005
2010
2015
2024
South East England
United Kingdom
Source: OECD Regional Database, 1995 – 2024
Compared with Employment rate · percent
South East England
78.3%
United Kingdom
75.2%
Source: OECD Regional Database
The series at a glance South East England · 1995 – 2024
Latest value
78.3% · 2024
First value
74.8% · 1995
Highest
79.5% · 2019
Lowest
74.2% · 2011
Data points
30
By year
All years · 1995 – 2024
| Year | South East England | Change | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 78.3% | −1.0 pp | 75.2% |
| 2023 | 79.3% | +1.2 pp | 75.7% |
| 2022 | 78.1% | +0.4 pp | 75.5% |
| 2021 | 77.7% | −0.5 pp | 74.7% |
| 2020 | 78.2% | −1.3 pp | 75.1% |
| 2019 | 79.5% | +1.5 pp | 75.6% |
| 2018 | 78.0% | −0.8 pp | 75.0% |
| 2017 | 78.8% | +1.2 pp | 74.7% |
| 2016 | 77.6% | +0.8 pp | 73.8% |
| 2015 | 76.8% | +1.0 pp | 73.4% |
| 2014 | 75.8% | +0.4 pp | 72.3% |
| 2013 | 75.4% | +0.7 pp | 71.2% |
| 2012 | 74.7% | +0.5 pp | 70.5% |
| 2011 | 74.2% | −0.4 pp | 69.8% |
| 2010 | 74.6% | −0.5 pp | 70.1% |
| 2009 | 75.1% | −1.5 pp | 70.6% |
| 2008 | 76.6% | −0.1 pp | 72.1% |
| 2007 | 76.7% | −0.1 pp | 72.4% |
| 2006 | 76.8% | −0.6 pp | 72.4% |
| 2005 | 77.4% | +0.2 pp | 72.5% |
| 2004 | 77.2% | −0.2 pp | 72.5% |
| 2003 | 77.4% | −0.6 pp | 72.8% |
| 2002 | 78.0% | −0.3 pp | 72.6% |
| 2001 | 78.3% | −0.1 pp | 72.6% |
| 2000 | 78.4% | +0.5 pp | 72.5% |
| 1999 | 77.9% | +0.4 pp | 72.0% |
| 1998 | 77.5% | +1.0 pp | 71.5% |
| 1997 | 76.5% | +0.7 pp | 71.0% |
| 1996 | 75.8% | +1.0 pp | 70.0% |
| 1995 | 74.8% | 69.6% |
Source: OECD Regional Database, 1995 – 2024
Ranking · Regions of United Kingdom
2024 · Place 1 is the highest value.
| # | Territory | Employment rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | North East England | 70.4% | |
| 11 | Wales | 72.7% | |
| 10 | North West England | 73.1% | |
| 9 | Yorkshire and The Humber | 73.2% | |
| 8 | West Midlands | 73.9% | |
| 7 | Scotland | 74.1% | |
| 6 | Northern Ireland | 74.3% | |
| 5 | East Midlands | 75.3% | |
| 4 | Greater London | 75.6% | |
| 3 | East of England | 77.3% | |
| 2 | South West England | 78.2% | |
| 1 | South East England | 78.3% |
Source: OECD Regional Database, 2024
What it means
The share of working-age people who have a job.
How it is calculated
Employed people of working age (usually 20–64 or 15–64) divided by the population of the same age.
Economy & jobs
South East England in numbers
GDP per person
£41,319
2023
GDP per person (PPP)
US$61,909
2023
Gross domestic product
US$4T
2025 · United Kingdom
Economic growth
1.4%
2025 · United Kingdom
Inflation
3.9%
2025 · United Kingdom
Unemployment rate
2.9%
2023
Youth unemployment
14.6%
2025 · United Kingdom
Labour force participation
61.4%
2025 · United Kingdom
Household income per person
US$41,843
2023
Income inequality (Gini)
32.4
2021 · United Kingdom