Unemployment rates in London for men and women (Mar 1993 - Mar 2024)
Last updated: June 2024
Next estimated update: September 2024
What does this indicator show?
This indicator shows the proportion of Londoners that are unemployed, split by sex.
What does it tell us?
The unemployment rate in London more than halved since its post-financial crisis peak in 2011 (10.1%) to 4.6% in March 2024. 2021 saw it increase substantially to 7%, reaching levels not seen since 2015. This increase is likely the result of the slowdown of the economy caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Other factors, such as those put on furlough and the change in inactivity within the labour market, should also be considered. Unemployment rates have decreased since, to 4.6 in 2024 (March).
Women in London have a slightly higher unemployment rate than men - 4.7% compared to 4.5%. Over the past three decades, this gender split has become more even overall. In 1993 the unemployment rate was more than 40% higher amongst men compared to women, but by the early 2010s the numbers were broadly similar for both genders.
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on unemployment appears to have been larger for women than for men, as the percentage of unemployed women in 2021 jumped to a peak of 7.5% in 2021. By early 2024, levels of unemployment dropped for both genders but with the gap that grew with the pandemic still present.
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