GeraJobs / Gera Employment Index / South West
South West — Employment & Unemployment Rate
South West's labour market in real ONS figures, ranked #2 of 12 UK regions by the Gera Employment Index (104.5, UK = 100).
What is the unemployment rate in South West, and how does it compare to the UK?
As of December 2025 to February 2026 (ONS, published 21 April 2026), South West has an employment rate of 78.5%, an unemployment rate of 3.9% and an economic inactivity rate of 18.3% — a Gera Employment Index of 104.5 (UK = 100), above the UK. Real ONS rates under OGL v3.0; GeraJobs re-dates monthly.
Gera Employment Index
South West's labour-market health vs the UK (rank #2 of 12). Above the UK average.
How this is calculatedSouth West labour-market indicators vs the UK
| Indicator | South West | UK | vs UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate (16–64) | 78.5% | 75.0% | +3.5pp |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.9% | 4.9% | −1.0pp |
| Economic inactivity (16–64) | 18.3% | 21.0% | −2.7pp |
ONS, seasonally adjusted, December 2025 to February 2026. Gera Employment Index = 100 + employment surplus (+3.5pp) − 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 West | UK | vs UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate (16–64) | 78.5% | 75.0% | +3.5pp |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.9% | 4.9% | −1.0pp |
| Economic inactivity (16–64) | 18.3% | 21.0% | −2.7pp |
The Gera Employment Index for South West is 104.5 (UK = 100) — a stronger-than-UK labour market. That is 100 +3.5pp employment surplus minus −1.0pp unemployment gap.
Browse live jobs in South WestSouth West labour market — FAQ
- What is the unemployment rate in South West?
- The unemployment rate in South West 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 West?
- The employment rate in South West is 78.5% (aged 16–64, seasonally adjusted), against a UK average of 75.0% — +3.5pp versus the UK. The economic inactivity rate is 18.3%.
- What is the Gera Employment Index for South West?
- The Gera Employment Index for South West is 104.5 (UK = 100), meaning its labour market is above the UK. It is computed as 100 plus the employment surplus (+3.5pp) minus the unemployment gap (−1.0pp), both real ONS percentage points.
- Is the South West labour-market figure real ONS data?
- Yes. The South West 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 West's employment-rate advantage over the UK (+3.5pp) and subtracts its unemployment-rate disadvantage (−1.0pp), giving 104.5 (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 West 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.