Low pay rate in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Low pay rate was 16.34 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Low pay rate in United Kingdom, 1997–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 16.34 for low pay rate in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 29 years on record.
The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and down 26.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, low pay rate in United Kingdom peaked at 28.5 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 16.34, in 2025.
United Kingdom ranks 51st of 84 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Low pay rate in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 28.4 | — |
| 1998 | 28.5 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 28.5 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 28.4 | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 28.4 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 28.5 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 28.2 | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 28.2 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 20.78 | -26.3% |
| 2006 | 21.61 | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 22.15 | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 22.32 | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 21.61 | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 22.21 | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 22.88 | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 22.45 | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 22.44 | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 22.97 | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 22.16 | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 21.15 | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 20.73 | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 19.45 | -6.2% |
| 2019 | 26.5 | +36.2% |
| 2020 | 21.67 | -18.2% |
| 2021 | 21.71 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 19.63 | -9.6% |
| 2023 | 17.98 | -8.4% |
| 2024 | 16.59 | -7.7% |
| 2025 | 16.34 | -1.5% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 16.34 is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.03, 1.3× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 16.34 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.96, 1.3× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Low pay rate in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +36.2% | 19.45 | 26.5 |
| 2005 | -26.3% | 28.2 | 20.78 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 28.47 | 28.4 | 28.5 | 3 |
| 2000s | 25.02 | 20.78 | 28.5 | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.3 | 19.45 | 26.5 | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.99 | 16.34 | 21.71 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More gender data for United Kingdom
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 11,226 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.9161 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 60,060 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 60,060 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.7034 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 335,907 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 353,938 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 340,922 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 359,075 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 343,706 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is low pay rate in United Kingdom?
- Low pay rate in United Kingdom was 16.34 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest low pay rate recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 28.5 in 1998.
- What is the lowest low pay rate recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.34 in 2025.
- How does United Kingdom rank for low pay rate?
- United Kingdom ranks 51st out of 84 countries with data for 2025.
- Is low pay rate rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Low pay rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 29 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
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 measure of earnings dispersion refers to the proportion of employees whose hourly earnings at all jobs were less than two-thirds of median hourly earnings. For more information, refer to the Wages and Working Time Statistics (COND) database description.