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

4,020 000's

2025 Q1

Release date:
10 June 2025
Next release:
16 September 2025
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Public sector employment, UK: March 2025

What's in the bulletin?

  • Employment in the public sector was estimated at 6.15 million in March 2025, an increase of 7,000 (0.1%) compared with December 2024, and an increase of 35,000 (0.6%) compared with March 2024.
  • Employment in central government was a record high at an estimated 4.02 million in March 2025, an increase of 19,000 (0.5%) compared with December 2024, and an increase of 93,000 (2.4%) compared with March 2024; 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 2.06 million people in March 2025, an increase of 9,000 (0.4%) compared with December 2024, and an increase of 44,000 (2.2%) compared with March 2024.
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Time series related to Public sector personnel

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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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