United Kingdom vs United States: Inactivity rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13)
Inactivity rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) over time
- United Kingdom
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 37.58 against 37.16 in United Kingdom, a difference of 0.42.
The two have swapped places 5 times across 17 shared years of data; in 2009 it was United Kingdom ahead.
United Kingdom ranks 34th and United States ranks 33rd of 57 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, United Kingdom averaged higher in 2 and United States in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | United Kingdom | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 37.63 | 34.63 | 3 | United Kingdom |
| 2010s | 37.61 | 36.71 | 0.8995 | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 37.61 | 37.79 | 0.1835 | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher inactivity rate, United Kingdom or United States?
- United States, at 37.58 against 37.16 in United Kingdom as of 2025.
- What is the difference in inactivity rate between United Kingdom and United States?
- 0.42, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for United Kingdom and United States?
- 17 years are reported by both, from 2009 to 2025.
- How do United Kingdom and United States rank globally for inactivity rate?
- United Kingdom ranks 34th and United States ranks 33rd of 57 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Labour Organization, published as Inactivity rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. This indicator conveys the number of persons of working age outside the labour force (that is, not employed or unemployed) expressed as a percentage of the working-age population. The term disability, as defined in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), is used as an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. For measurement purposes, a person with disability is defined as a person who is limited in the kind or amount of activities that he or she can do because of ongoing difficulties due to a long-term physical condition, mental condition or health problem. For more information, refer to the Disability Labour Market Indicators (DLMI) database description.