Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training was 14.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
14.2%
Change on year
down 1.8%
World rank
63rd
of 110 countries
All-time high
29.2%
in 2004
All-time low
13.7%
in 2019
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000–2024

01020302000201220242000: 27.7 %2001: 28.3 %2002: 28.8 %2003: 28.1 %2004: 29.2 %2005: 15.6 %2006: 15.4 %2007: 15.2 %2008: 15.3 %2009: 15.8 %2010: 15.8 %2011: 15.3 %2012: 15.2 %2013: 15.2 %2014: 15 %2015: 14.5 %2016: 14.2 %2017: 14 %2018: 13.8 %2019: 13.7 %2020: 14.2 %2021: 14.9 %2022: 14.6 %2023: 14.5 %2024: 14.2 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 14.2%, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and down 5.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 29.2% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 13.7%, in 2019.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 63rd of 110 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000 to 2024.
Year % Change
2000 27.7%
2001 28.3% +2.4%
2002 28.8% +1.8%
2003 28.1% -2.5%
2004 29.2% +3.9%
2005 15.6% -46.5%
2006 15.4% -1.3%
2007 15.2% -1.6%
2008 15.3% +0.6%
2009 15.8% +3.5%
2010 15.8% +0.1%
2011 15.3% -3.2%
2012 15.2% -1.0%
2013 15.2% +0.5%
2014 15.0% -1.8%
2015 14.5% -2.9%
2016 14.2% -2.0%
2017 14.0% -1.8%
2018 13.8% -1.6%
2019 13.7% -0.3%
2020 14.2% +3.4%
2021 14.9% +5.4%
2022 14.6% -2.6%
2023 14.5% -0.7%
2024 14.2% -1.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 21.9% 15.2% 29.2% 10
2010s 14.7% 13.7% 15.8% 10
2020s 14.5% 14.2% 14.9% 5

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 60 Mexico 14.5% compare
  2. 61 Bhutan 14.5% compare
  3. 62 Greece 14.4% compare
  4. 64 Rwanda 14.1% compare
  5. 65 Kyrgyzstan 14.1% compare
  6. 66 Tunisia 14.0% compare

See the full ranking of 110 places →

More education data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 14.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 29.2% in 2004.
What is the lowest participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 13.7% in 2019.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 63rd out of 110 countries with data for 2024.
Is participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/participation-rate-in-formal-and-non-formal-education-and-training/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
110 places, 1,819 data points, 2000–2025
Last refreshed

Participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training, by sex (%).