Table of contents
- Main points
- Things you need to know about this release
- Public sector employment continues to fall
- Employment rose in central government and fell in local government and public corporations
- “Other public sector” shows largest quarterly employment level fall
- Private sector employment continues to rise
- Civil Service employment increases over the quarter
- Links to related statistics
- What’s changed in this release?
- Quality and methodology
1. Main points
- Total UK public sector employment in March 2017 was 5.424 million, down 7,000 on the previous quarter and 20,000 on the previous year.
- Local government employment was down 25,000 at 2.123 million, the lowest since comparable records began in 1999.
- Central government employment was up 20,000 on the previous quarter at 2.995 million, the highest since comparable records began in 1999.
- Civil Service employment was up 3,000 on the previous quarter at 419,000.
- Private sector employment was up 115,000 on the previous quarter at 26.530 million, the highest since comparable records began in 1999.
- Of all people in work, 17.0% were employed in the public sector, the lowest percentage since comparable records began in 1999.
2. Things you need to know about this release
This bulletin presents the latest quarterly estimates of UK public sector employment. The public sector comprises central government, local government and public corporations as defined for the UK National Accounts.
These statistics are used mainly to monitor changes in the number of people employed in the UK public and private sector and to inform policy making across government. They are the official measure of UK public sector employment (PSE).
Estimates of PSE are presented by sector classification, industry and region. Civil Service employment is shown by government department and agency. Employment in executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) is aggregated by sponsoring department.
Whilst this bulletin focuses on headcount estimates of PSE, full-time equivalent estimates (based on the number of hours worked divided by the standard full-time hours) are available in the accompanying datasets.
The PSE estimates are point-in-time employment estimates and relate to a specific day in the published month.
The main source of PSE is the Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey, which aims to obtain complete coverage of local authorities and the Civil Service, and coverage of all public bodies with 20 or more employees. It is difficult to achieve complete coverage for local and central government, for example, in the education sector. Further information can be found in the Quality and Methodology Information report.
All time series in this release, except for the regional series, are seasonally adjusted to aid interpretation. Relationships that hold in the unadjusted series do not necessarily hold for the seasonally adjusted series. For example, total public sector employment equals the sum total of all public sector industry estimates before seasonal adjustment, but this is not necessarily true after seasonal adjustment.
Comparisons of public and private sector employment over time are complicated by a number of major reclassifications, where bodies employing large numbers of people have moved between the public and private sectors. We produce estimates of public and private sector employment excluding the effects of major reclassifications to help you understand underlying trends in employment. We publish these alongside estimates of total public and private sector employment in Tables 5, 6a and 7a of the PSE datasets.
Consistent with the revisions policy for public sector employment statistics, the statistics are subject to revisions. Revisions can be made for a variety of reasons, the most common include:
- to account for late information from respondents
- to account for recent classifications to the public sector
- to update seasonal factors (updated quarterly and reviewed annually)
Tables 1R to 5R in the public sector employment dataset illustrate the size of the revisions in each category.
The UK Statistics Authority has designated these statistics as National Statistics, in accordance with the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 and signifying compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
Back to table of contents3. Public sector employment continues to fall
In March 2017, total UK public sector employment (PSE) decreased compared with the previous quarter and the previous year. There were 5.424 million employees in the public sector, down 7,000 (0.1%) on December 2016 and 20,000 (0.4%) on March 2016.
Of all people in work, 17.0% were employed in the public sector, a fall of 0.1 percentage points on the previous quarter and the lowest percentage since comparable records began in 1999.
Looking longer-term, PSE has been generally falling for the last 7 years, as shown in Figure 1. There are now around 1 million fewer employees in the public sector compared with the peak level of 6.440 million in September 2009.
Figure 1: Total UK public sector employment, March 1999 to March 2017, seasonally adjusted
Source: Office for National Statistics
Notes:
- Sep 2008: Housing associations in England reclassified to public sector.
- Dec 2008: Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland moved to public sector.
- Jun 2012: English colleges moved to private sector.
- Dec 2013: Royal Mail plc moved to private sector.
- Mar 2014: Lloyds Banking Group moved back to the private sector.
Download this chart Figure 1: Total UK public sector employment, March 1999 to March 2017, seasonally adjusted
Image .csv .xls4. Employment rose in central government and fell in local government and public corporations
Central government employment continued to rise in March 2017, as shown in Figure 2. At 2.995 million, it was up 20,000 (0.7%) on the quarter and 83,000 (2.9%) on the year. An increase in employment in academies and the NHS contributed to the rise. The latest level is the highest shown since comparable records began in 1999.
Local government employment fell for the 14th consecutive quarter. It decreased by 25,000 (1.2%) on the quarter and 90,000 (4.1%) on the year to reach 2.123 million. Academy conversions account for some of the decrease. Since June 2010, local government employment has been falling and at March 2017 is the lowest since comparable records began in 1999.
Employment in public corporations fell to the lowest level since the series began in 1999. At 306,000, it was down 2,000 (0.6%) on the quarter and 13,000 (4.1%) on the year.
The academies impact
For the last 5 years, the composition of the public sector has been changing; central government employment has been rising whilst local government employment has been falling. Academy conversions in England are the main factor behind this – employees move from local to central government when local authority schools become academies.
In March 2017, academy conversions accounted for around 12,000 employees over the quarter and 56,000 over the year moving from local to central government.
Figure 2: UK public sector employment in local and central government, March 1999 to March 2017, seasonally adjusted
Source: Office for National Statistics
Notes:
- Jul 2010: Academies Act 2010 passed.
- Jun 2012: English colleges moved to the private sector.
Download this chart Figure 2: UK public sector employment in local and central government, March 1999 to March 2017, seasonally adjusted
Image .csv .xls5. “Other public sector” shows largest quarterly employment level fall
Looking at public sector employment (PSE) by industry for March 2017, the largest quarterly change in employment level was seen in “other public sector”, a fall of 6,000 (1.0%). It fell by 27,000 (4.3%) on the year to reach 597,000, the lowest since the start of the series.
The other industries showed small quarterly changes.
The largest annual changes in employment level were in the NHS, “other public sector” and “other health and social work”. Figure 3 shows the change on year by industry.
NHS employment has increased every quarter since June 2013. In March 2017, it increased by 1,000 (0.1%) on the previous quarter and 31,000 (2.0%) on the previous year to reach 1.604 million.
Employment in “other health and social work” has fallen every quarter for 5 years. At 261,000, it was down 1,000 (0.4%) on the quarter and 17,000 (6.1%) on the previous year.
Figure 3: Change in public sector employment, by industry, March 2016 to March 2017, seasonally adjusted, UK
Source: Office for National Statistics
Download this chart Figure 3: Change in public sector employment, by industry, March 2016 to March 2017, seasonally adjusted, UK
Image .csv .xls6. Private sector employment continues to rise
Private sector employment reached a record high level in March 2017. At 26.530 million, it was up 115,000 (0.4%) on the quarter and 391,000 (1.5%) on the year. Private sector employment has been increasing strongly for nearly 7 years, as shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4: Private sector employment, March 1999 to March 2017, seasonally adjusted, UK
Source: Office for National Statistics
Download this chart Figure 4: Private sector employment, March 1999 to March 2017, seasonally adjusted, UK
Image .csv .xls7. Civil Service employment increases over the quarter
In March 2017, employment in the Home Civil Service was 419,000, up 3,000 (0.7%) on the previous quarter but unchanged on the previous year.
Civil Service employment last peaked at 566,000 in June 2005. Since then it has been generally falling and more recently the rate of decrease has lessened, as shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5: Employment in the Home Civil Service, March 1999 to March 2017, seasonally adjusted, UK
Source: Office for National Statistics
Download this chart Figure 5: Employment in the Home Civil Service, March 1999 to March 2017, seasonally adjusted, UK
Image .csv .xlsMachinery of government changes in the period since 1 April 2016 are listed in Table 1.
Table 1: Machinery of government changes, 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017, UK
Organisation name | Details |
The Royal Parks | As of 16 March 2017, The Royal Parks agency transferred from being an executive agency under Department for Culture, Media and Sport and is no longer part of the Civil Service. |
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy | Around 300 staff transferred from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to the Department for Education between January and March 2017. |
Cabinet Office | Around 90 staff transferred from The Office for Civil Society, previously held under Cabinet Office, to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 1 January 2017. |
FCO Services | Around 90 staff transferred from FCO Services to the Ministry of Defence (excluding trading funds) on 1 January 2017. |
Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) | The Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) was formed in July 2016. DExEU employment has been reported separately for the first time in this release. The total DExEU headcount was approximately 350 as at 31 March 2017. As all DExEU employees are on loan, some still remain on home department records. To avoid double counting, DExEU has only reported the employees officially transferred as at 31 March 2017. |
Animal and Plant Health Agency | Around 90 staff transferred from the Animal and Plant Health Agency to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs between September and December 2016. |
Ministry of Justice | Around 50 staff transferred from the Ministry of Justice to the Government Internal Audit Agency between September and December 2016. |
Oil and Gas Authority | On 1 October 2016, the Oil and Gas Authority became a government owned company and ceased to be part of the Civil Service. |
Home Office | Around 90 staff transferred from the Home Office to the Cabinet Office between July and September 2016. |
Skills Funding Agency | In July 2016, the sponsoring department of the Skills Funding Agency changed from Business, Innovation and Skills (former) to the Department for Education. |
Department for International Trade | In July 2016, the Department for International Trade was formed by combining the former UK Trade and Investment elements of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the former Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Around 700 staff transferred in from BIS and around 200 staff transferred in from the FCO. |
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy | In July 2016, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy was formed by combining the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department of Energy and Climate Change. |
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills | Around 80 staff transferred from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to HM Treasury between April and June 2016. |
Department for Communities and Local Government | Around 50 staff transferred from the Department for Communities and Local Government to the Home Office between April and June 2016. |
Department for Work and Pensions | Around 100 staff transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions to the Cabinet Office on 1 June 2016. |
HM Treasury | On 1 April 2016, HM Treasury transferred around 70 staff to the Cabinet Office and around 20 staff to the Department for Work and Pensions. |
Home Office | On 1 April 2016, around 40 staff transferred from the Home Office to the Government Internal Audit Agency. |
National Measurement and Regulation Office (NMRO) | On 1 April 2016, NMRO was subsumed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, resulting in the transfer of around 90 staff. |
Department for Work and Pensions | On 1 April 2016, around 120 staff transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions to the Government Internal Audit Agency. |
Source: Office for National Statistics |
Download this table Table 1: Machinery of government changes, 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017, UK
.xls (30.2 kB)9. What’s changed in this release?
There have been revisions to estimates derived from the Labour Force Survey (affecting estimates of total employment and private sector employment) back to June 2012, resulting from taking on board the latest population estimates and a review of the seasonal adjustment process.
Back to table of contents10. Quality and methodology
The Public sector employment Quality and Methodology Information document contains important information on:
- the strengths and limitations of the data and how it compares with related data
- uses and users of the data
- how the output was created
- the quality of the output including the accuracy of the data
Response rates
The primary source of the PSE statistics is the Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey (QPSES) which comprises three separate data collections: local authorities in England and Wales, public corporations and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) in Great Britain and the home Civil Service. Our targets for response before the results are compiled are 90% for Local Authorities and Public Bodies QPSES and 100% for Civil Service QPSES. Response rates for the latest period are shown in Table 2.
Table 2: Response rates for sources of UK public sector employment, March 2017
Response (% of questionnaires returned) | Response (% of employment returned) | |
Local Authorities Survey | 95 | 96 |
Public Bodies Survey | 92 | 94 |
Civil Service Survey | 100 | 100 |
Other Sources (see below) | 100 | 100 |
Source: Office for National Statistics |
Download this table Table 2: Response rates for sources of UK public sector employment, March 2017
.xls (25.6 kB)So that estimates of total public sector employment can be made, it is necessary for further information to be gathered from external sources, listed in Table 3.
Table 3: External sources of data for UK public sector employment statistics, March 2017
Geographic coverage | Source | ||
Central government | |||
HM Forces | UK | Ministry of Defence: Defence Statistics | |
National Health Service | England | NHS Digital | |
Wales | NHS Wales Informatics Service | ||
Scotland | Scottish Government | ||
Northern Ireland | Department of Finance and Personnel | ||
Academies | England | School Workforce Census and list of all open academies (Department for Education) | |
Police (including civilians) | Scotland | Scottish Government | |
Police (British Transport Police) | England and Wales | Home Office | |
Other central government | Great Britain | Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey (ONS) | |
Northern Ireland | Department of Finance and Personnel | ||
Local government | |||
Local authorities | England and Wales | Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey (ONS) | |
Scotland | Joint Staffing Watch (Scottish Government) | ||
Northern Ireland | Department of Finance and Personnel | ||
Police (including civilians) | England and Wales | Home Office | |
Northern Ireland | Department of Finance and Personnel | ||
Public corporations | |||
Great Britain | Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey (ONS) | ||
Northern Ireland | Department of Finance and Personnel | ||
Housing associations | England | Homes and Communities Agency | |
Source: Office for National Statistics |