Public sector personnel

People employed in central and local government, and public corporations, including second jobs in the public sector. Includes Civil Service employment with regional and diversity analyses.

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Public Sector Employment by Sector; Central Gov; UK; HC; SA; Thousands

4,000 000's

2024 Q4

Release date:
20 March 2025
Next release:
10 June 2025
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Public sector employment, UK: December 2024

What's in the bulletin?

  • Employment in the public sector was estimated at 6.14 million in December 2024, an increase of 19,000 (0.3%) compared with September 2024, and an increase of 53,000 (0.9%) compared with December 2023.
  • Employment in central government was a record high, at an estimated 4.00 million in December 2024, an increase of 23,000 (0.6%) compared with September 2024 and an increase of 105,000 (2.7%) compared with December 2023; the main contributors to this increase were the NHS, some local authority schools becoming academies, and the Civil Service.
  • The NHS employed an estimated record high of 2.05 million people in December 2024, an increase of 11,000 (0.5%) compared with September 2024 and an increase of 48,000 (2.4%) compared with December.
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Datasets related to Public sector personnel

  • Public sector employment

    Quarterly estimates of UK and regional public sector employment, made up of central government, local government, and public corporations.

  • Civil Service statistics

    Annual data on Civil Service employment in the UK, including gender, ethnicity, disability status, earnings and location of the Civil Service workforce. This dataset has now been transferred to the Cabinet Office.

  • Civil Service statistics data summary tool

    An interactive tool allowing users to compare government departments and the Civil Service average, including the split between men and women, full-time and part-time employees, permanent and temporary appointments and regional analysis.

  • Public sector employment time series

    Seasonally adjusted and non-seasonally adjusted quarterly time series of UK public sector employment, containing the latest estimates.

  • Civil Service statistics

    Annual data on Civil Service employment in the UK, including gender, ethnicity, disability status, earnings and location of the Civil Service workforce. This dataset has now been transferred to the Cabinet Office.

  • Civil Service statistics data summary tool

    An interactive tool allowing users to compare government departments and the Civil Service average, including the split between men and women, full-time and part-time employees, permanent and temporary appointments and regional analysis.

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Publications related to Public sector personnel

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Methodology related to Public sector personnel

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