Collection

Trade union statistics

This series brings together all documents relating to trade union statistics.

From:
Department for Business and Trade and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
Published
29 May 2013
Last updated
29 May 2024 — See all updates

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is responsible, with the Office for National Statistics (ONS), for publishing the annual statistics on trade union membership.

These statistics are primarily produced from the Labour Force Survey. Therefore, they have been re-accredited as Official Statistics in Development in line with the ONS headline labour market statistics from the Labour Force Survey. This is because reduced achieved sample sizes for the Labour Force Survey, particularly in the second half of 2023, have led to an increased volatility in Labour Force Survey estimates.

Estimates are presented for the proportion of employees and people in employment who are trade union members in both the UK and Great Britain, and employee jobs where pay is set with reference to a collective agreement. We also provide trade union densities by age, sex, ethnicity, income, full and part-time employment, sector, nation and region.

Earlier trade union membership publications are available from The National Archives, but can also be obtained from the DBT team responsible for producing these statistics.

Statistical release timetable

The report is an annual publication and its timing is predetermined and pre-announced in accordance with the arrangements for releasing Official Statistics and National Statistics.

Information on National Statistics, the labour market as well as relevant data can be obtained from the ONS website.

Annual reports

Additional analysis

Published 29 May 2013
Last updated 29 May 2024 + show all updates

  1. Collection page updated to link to Trade union statistics 2023. Text has also been added describing why the status of the publication has been changed in the latest published edition to Official Statistics in Development.

  2. The collection page has been updated to include the latest edition of the publication.

  3. Trade union statistics 2021 added.

  4. linking collection page to 2020 report

  5. We have added trade union statistics for 2019.

  6. Trade union statistics 2018 added.

  7. Trade union statistics for 2017 added.

  8. Trade union statistics for 2016 added.

  9. Trade union statistics for 2015 added.

  10. Trade union statistics for 2014 added.

  11. 2013 report added

  12. First published.

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