The Datum Report

ITL1 region

South West (England)

What we think is happening

The job market in South West (England) has been going both ways.

mixed · tentative confidence · formed 31 August 2026 · how we reached this

By subject

Every figure published for South West (England). Open a subject to see them, each with its history and its source. Where a producer splits the area into many categories, those sit behind a further disclosure.

Labour market 11
11.2%
11.211.411.62025-12-31: 11.62026-03-31: 11.2 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 11.2 to 11.6 · axis starts at 11.2

ONS, Annual Population Survey - headline labour market rates, published 21 July 2026
±0.6, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

Employment rate - aged 16-64
Apr 2025-Mar 2026
79.0%
78.979.279.62025-12-31: 79.52026-03-31: 79 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 79 to 79.5 · axis starts at 78.9

ONS, Annual Population Survey - headline labour market rates, published 21 July 2026
±0.8, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

Unemployment rate - aged 16-64
Apr 2025-Mar 2026
3.4%
3.33.33.42025-12-31: 3.32026-03-31: 3.4 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 3.3 to 3.4 · axis starts at 3.3

ONS, Annual Population Survey - headline labour market rates, published 21 July 2026
±0.4, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

18.2%
17.81818.22025-12-31: 17.82026-03-31: 18.2 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 17.8 to 18.2 · axis starts at 17.8

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±0.8, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

Claimant count
August 2026
97,825
95k98k101k2026-01-31: 97k2026-02-28: 100k2026-03-31: 100k2026-04-30: 99k2026-05-31: 97k2026-06-30: 97k2026-07-31: 96k2026-08-31: 98k 2026-01 2026-08
8 monthly readings · 96k to 100k · axis starts at 95k

ONS / DWP, Claimant count by sex and age, published 15 September 2026
72 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

2.7%
2.72.82.82026-01-31: 2.72026-02-28: 2.82026-03-31: 2.82026-04-30: 2.82026-05-31: 2.72026-06-30: 2.72026-07-31: 2.72026-08-31: 2.7 2026-01 2026-08
8 monthly readings · 2.7 to 2.8 · axis starts at 2.7

ONS / DWP, Claimant count by sex and age, published 15 September 2026
72 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

% of economically inactive 5
0.3%
0.30.30.32025-12-31: 0.32026-03-31: 0.3 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · unchanged at 0.3 · axis starts at 0.3

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

27.9%
27.92828.12025-12-31: 28.12026-03-31: 27.9 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 27.9 to 28.1 · axis starts at 27.9

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±2.0, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

15.6%
15.315.415.62025-12-31: 15.32026-03-31: 15.6 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 15.3 to 15.6 · axis starts at 15.3

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±1.6, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

16.6%
16.517.117.62025-12-31: 17.52026-03-31: 16.6 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 16.6 to 17.5 · axis starts at 16.5

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±1.7, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

25.2%
24.224.825.32025-12-31: 24.32026-03-31: 25.2 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 24.3 to 25.2 · axis starts at 24.2

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±2.0, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

Pay 1
£25,924
9,18218k28k1997-12-31: 11k1998-12-31: 11k1999-12-31: 12k2000-12-31: 12k2001-12-31: 12k2002-12-31: 13k2003-12-31: 13k2004-12-31: 13k2005-12-31: 14k2006-12-31: 15k2007-12-31: 15k2008-12-31: 16k2009-12-31: 16k2010-12-31: 16k2011-12-31: 16k2012-12-31: 17k2013-12-31: 17k2014-12-31: 18k2015-12-31: 19k2016-12-31: 19k2017-12-31: 19k2018-12-31: 20k2019-12-31: 21k2020-12-31: 21k2021-12-31: 22k2022-12-31: 23k2023-12-31: 25k2024-12-31: 26k 1997-12 2024-12
28 annual readings · 11k to 26k · axis starts at 9,182

ONS, Gross disposable household income per head

Business 12
Businesses
2025
235,320

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

182,465

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

13,735

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

1,115
8991,0601,2212010-03-31: 9302011-03-31: 9402012-03-31: 1,0052013-03-31: 1,1002014-03-31: 1,0852015-03-31: 1,1152016-03-31: 1,1502017-03-31: 1,1652018-03-31: 1,1702019-03-31: 1,1902020-03-31: 1,1652021-03-31: 1,1302022-03-31: 1,1702023-03-31: 1,1852024-03-31: 1,1452025-03-31: 1,115 2010-03 2025-03
16 annual readings · 930 to 1,190 · axis starts at 899

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025

195
1611822042010-03-31: 1652011-03-31: 1802012-03-31: 1702013-03-31: 1802014-03-31: 1752015-03-31: 1802016-03-31: 1802017-03-31: 1802018-03-31: 1752019-03-31: 1802020-03-31: 1952021-03-31: 2002022-03-31: 1902023-03-31: 1952024-03-31: 1952025-03-31: 195 2010-03 2025-03
16 annual readings · 165 to 200 · axis starts at 161

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025

7,670

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

385
2583454322010-03-31: 2752011-03-31: 3002012-03-31: 3052013-03-31: 3152014-03-31: 3452015-03-31: 3552016-03-31: 3802017-03-31: 4002018-03-31: 4052019-03-31: 4152020-03-31: 4052021-03-31: 3952022-03-31: 3802023-03-31: 4002024-03-31: 3852025-03-31: 385 2010-03 2025-03
16 annual readings · 275 to 415 · axis starts at 258

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025

27,030

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

2,520

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

200
1221652082010-03-31: 1502011-03-31: 1302012-03-31: 1502013-03-31: 1402014-03-31: 1502015-03-31: 1452016-03-31: 1702017-03-31: 1602018-03-31: 1902019-03-31: 1852020-03-31: 1902021-03-31: 1702022-03-31: 1902023-03-31: 1902024-03-31: 1902025-03-31: 200 2010-03 2025-03
16 annual readings · 130 to 200 · axis starts at 122

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025

276,140

ONS, UK Business Counts - local units, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

185,952
53k127k200k1998-12-31: 67k1999-12-31: 70k2000-12-31: 74k2001-12-31: 78k2002-12-31: 81k2003-12-31: 85k2004-12-31: 90k2005-12-31: 94k2006-12-31: 99k2007-12-31: 102k2008-12-31: 107k2009-12-31: 106k2010-12-31: 109k2011-12-31: 111k2012-12-31: 114k2013-12-31: 117k2014-12-31: 123k2015-12-31: 126k2016-12-31: 131k2017-12-31: 137k2018-12-31: 141k2019-12-31: 147k2020-12-31: 141k2021-12-31: 157k2022-12-31: 171k2023-12-31: 186k 1998-12 2023-12
26 annual readings · 67k to 186k · axis starts at 53k

ONS, Gross value added, published 16 October 2025

Local authorities in South West (England)

Bath and North East Somerset · Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole · Bristol, City of · Cheltenham · Cornwall · Cotswold · Dorset · East Devon · Exeter · Forest of Dean · Gloucester · Isles of Scilly · Mid Devon · North Devon · North Somerset · Plymouth · Somerset · South Gloucestershire · South Hams · Stroud · Swindon · Teignbridge · Tewkesbury · Torbay · Torridge · West Devon · Wiltshire