LFS estimates were updated on 22nd Feb 2024 to incorporate updated population estimates for the period 2016 Q3 to 2023 Q3, based on the results of Census 2022. LFS results are updated in this way following each Census of Population. For further information see Background Notes.
The data in this publication does not reflect these updates. Please refer to the relevant tables on LFS Px-stat for updated LFS estimates.
Using standard International Labour Organisation (ILO) criteria, an estimated 2,554,600 persons were in employment in Q2 2022, up 8.7% (+205,500) from 2,349,100 in Q2 2021.
The increase of 205,500 (+8.7%) in employment is composed of increases of 97,000 (+7.7%) for males and 108,500 (+10.0%) for females in the year to Q2 2022. See Tables 9.1 and 9.7.
The number of people who were in employment but were absent from work during the reference week (i.e. temporarily absent from work for reasons such as holidays, sick leave or family leave) was 187,200 or 7.3% of those employed, compared to 220,900 or 9.4% of those employed in Q2 2021.
This resulted in an increase of 9.4% or 7.1 million hours worked per week from 75.9 million hours in Q2 2021 to 83.0 million hours in Q2 2022.
Comparing figures from now to two years ago, there has been an increase of 19.5% or +416,500 in the number of persons in employment since Q2 2020 when there were 2,138,100 persons in employment. At that time there were 468,500 employed persons (21.9% of those employed) who were absent from work during the reference week so the number of employed persons who were working in the reference week stood at 1,669,600. The increase in employment together with the decrease in the number of absences from work in the reference week since Q2 2020 has led to an increase in the total number of hours worked per week from 61.0 million hours in Q2 2020 to 83.0 million hours in Q2 2022 (+36.1%). See Table 7.3.
The employment rate for those aged 15-64 was 73.5% in Q2 2022 compared to 68.6% in Q2 2021 and 63.2% in Q2 2020. In Q2 2022, the employment rate for males aged 15-64 years was 78.4% compared to 68.8% for females. Looking at the rates by age group, the employment rate was lowest among those aged 15-19 years (29.3%) and highest among those aged 35-44 years (84.3%). The rate of youth employment, of those aged 15-24 stood at 48.8%; slightly higher for females (49.1%) than for males (48.5%). See Tables 9.1 and 9.8.
The number of persons in employment increased across most economic sectors in the year to Q2 2022, most notably in the:
There were small decreases in the number of persons in employment in the year to Q2 2022, in:
All economic sectors had greater numbers in employment in Q2 2022 when compared to pre-pandemic levels in Q2 2019 with the exception of the Accommodation and Food Service Activity sector, which remains 6.9% lower than in Q2 2019; Administrative and support service activities sector, which is 3.4% lower than in Q2 2019; and the Other NACE Activities category, which is 9.3% lower. See Table 9.2.
The number of employees increased by 171,200 (+8.5%) in the year to Q2 2022 to 2,192,000, while the number of self-employed increased by 34,400 (+11.2%) to 341,000. See Table 9.5.
Employment increased by 205,500 in the year to Q2 2022, with 138,000 (+7.4%) more persons in full-time employment and 67,500 (+14.2%) more persons in part-time employment. See Table 9.1.
Employment increased over the year in all eight NUTS 3 regions with the Midland region enjoying the largest percentage increase at 11.2% compared to the West region with the lowest at 6.2%. See Table 9.9.
