• The UK employment rate of working-age men fell from 92 per cent in 1971, to 79 per cent in spring 2005, having reached a low of 75 per cent in 1993, while the rate for working-age women rose from 56 per cent to 70 per cent. (Figure 4.3) Latest information on employment and earnings
• Between spring 1971 and spring 2005, the number of economically active people in the United Kingdom increased by around 4.5 million to over 30 million. (Figure 4.1)
• In spring 2005, around 16 per cent of working-age households in the United Kingdom were workless – where no one of working age is in employment. (Figure 4.2) Latest information on work and worklessness
• In spring 2005, 88 per cent of working-age people with a degree or equivalent in the United Kingdom were in employment compared with only 48 per cent of those with no qualification. (Table 4.5)
• Between spring 1994 and spring 2004, employment rates for lone parents in the United Kingdom increased by 12 percentage points from 42 per cent to 54 per cent. (Figure 4.7)
• In spring 2005, nearly one in five full-time employees in the United Kingdom usually worked over 48 hours a week, with a higher proportion of male employees (23 per cent) than female (11 per cent) usually working these longer hours. (Table 4.16) More information on hours worked
• The UK male working-age inactivity rate rose from 5 per cent in spring 1971 to 17 per cent in spring 2005; although the female rate is higher, it fell from 41 per cent to 27 per cent. (Figure 4.24) More information on economic inactivity
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