GeraJobs / Gera Employment Index / South East
South East — Employment & Unemployment Rate
South East's labour market in real ONS figures, ranked #1 of 12 UK regions by the Gera Employment Index (104.6, UK = 100).
What is the unemployment rate in South East, and how does it compare to the UK?
As of December 2025 to February 2026 (ONS, published 21 April 2026), South East has an employment rate of 78.6%, an unemployment rate of 3.9% and an economic inactivity rate of 18.1% — a Gera Employment Index of 104.6 (UK = 100), above the UK. Real ONS rates under OGL v3.0; GeraJobs re-dates monthly.
Gera Employment Index
South East's labour-market health vs the UK (rank #1 of 12). Above the UK average.
How this is calculatedSouth East labour-market indicators vs the UK
| Indicator | South East | UK | vs UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate (16–64) | 78.6% | 75.0% | +3.6pp |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.9% | 4.9% | −1.0pp |
| Economic inactivity (16–64) | 18.1% | 21.0% | −2.9pp |
ONS, seasonally adjusted, December 2025 to February 2026. Gera Employment Index = 100 + employment surplus (+3.6pp) − unemployment gap (−1.0pp).
Compare any UK region's labour market
Pick a region to see its real ONS employment, unemployment and economic inactivity rates against the UK average, with its Gera Employment Index.
| Indicator | South East | UK | vs UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate (16–64) | 78.6% | 75.0% | +3.6pp |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.9% | 4.9% | −1.0pp |
| Economic inactivity (16–64) | 18.1% | 21.0% | −2.9pp |
The Gera Employment Index for South East is 104.6 (UK = 100) — a stronger-than-UK labour market. That is 100 +3.6pp employment surplus minus −1.0pp unemployment gap.
Browse live jobs in South EastSouth East labour market — FAQ
- What is the unemployment rate in South East?
- The unemployment rate in South East is 3.9% (aged 16+, seasonally adjusted), compared to the UK average of 4.9% — a gap of −1.0pp. This is a real ONS figure for December 2025 to February 2026, not an estimate.
- What is the employment rate in South East?
- The employment rate in South East is 78.6% (aged 16–64, seasonally adjusted), against a UK average of 75.0% — +3.6pp versus the UK. The economic inactivity rate is 18.1%.
- What is the Gera Employment Index for South East?
- The Gera Employment Index for South East is 104.6 (UK = 100), meaning its labour market is above the UK. It is computed as 100 plus the employment surplus (+3.6pp) minus the unemployment gap (−1.0pp), both real ONS percentage points.
- Is the South East labour-market figure real ONS data?
- Yes. The South East rates are taken directly from the ONS "Labour market in the regions of the UK: April 2026" bulletin (Table 1, seasonally adjusted, December 2025 to February 2026, OGL v3.0). No figure is modelled or interpolated.
How the Gera Employment Index is calculated
The index starts at 100 (the UK average), adds South East's employment-rate advantage over the UK (+3.6pp) and subtracts its unemployment-rate disadvantage (−1.0pp), giving 104.6 (UK = 100). Every input is a real published ONS estimate (Table 1 — headline Labour Force Survey indicators (seasonally adjusted), December 2025 to February 2026); nothing is modelled or interpolated. See all UK regions ranked.
Get South East labour-market updates
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Related on GeraJobs
Source: ONS Labour market in the regions of the UK: April 2026, Table 1 — headline Labour Force Survey indicators (seasonally adjusted). Figures are seasonally adjusted, December 2025 to February 2026 reference period, released 21 April 2026. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). The Gera Employment Index is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.