Employment rate of 16-64 year olds by highest qualification level (2023)
Last updated: September 2024
Next estimated update: April 2025
What’s this indicator?
This indicator shows the percentage working-age adults in London that are employed, split by their highest qualification level. It shows the employment rate for people:
- With no qualifications
- Whose highest qualification is RQF1 (GCSE grades 3-1, or D to G)
- Whose highest qualification is RQF2 (GCSE grades 9-4 or A* to C)
- Whose highest qualification is RQF3 (A levels and equivalent)
- Whose highest qualification is RQF4+ (apprenticeships, degrees and above)
- With other qualifications (such as those from other countries)
What does it tell us?
Employment rates are, on average, higher amongst people with higher levels of qualifications. For example, in 2023 89% of Londoners aged 16-64 with qualifications higher than A-levels (such as university degrees) were employed compared to 42% for people with no qualifications.
Across all but the highest qualification level, employment rates are higher in the rest of England than they are in London. However, a much larger proportion of working-age people in London have qualifications higher than A-levels - 61% in London compared to 44% in the rest of England - meaning that overall employment rates are similar.
There are a number of reasons why people may not be employed, including that they are studying, retired, looking after the home, sick or unemployed. As such, it is not necessarily a bad thing for any one individual to not be employed. However, given the close links between unemployment and poverty, lacking employment is (on average) a key indicator of likely poverty outcomes.
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