Biggest Industries by Employment in the UK in 2021

1. Supermarkets in the UK

Employment number for 2021: 1,220,923

Changing shopping habits, the aggressive expansion of discount supermarkets and increased external competition have all influenced industry performance over the past five years. Prices have been cut by the largest operators since the start of the price war in a highly competitive environment. The national lockdowns and closure of the hospitality sector due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic in the current year has driven a reliance on supermarkets to supply the nation with food throughout disruptions caused by government restrictions. Industry revenue is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 0.5% over the five years through 2020-21.

Discounters supermarkets... Learn More

2. Hospitals in the UK

Employment number for 2021: 838,617

The Hospitals industry provides medical, diagnostic and treatment services at general and specialised hospitals. A growing and ageing population has increased demand, but public healthcare budgets have failed to keep pace with this, which has aided demand for private hospitals as a greater number of patients seek private treatment. Over the five years through 2020-21, revenue is expected to rise at a compound annual rate of 1.6% to reach £101 billion.

The National Health Service (NHS) has suffered the slowest decade of spending growth in its existence, while inpatient admissions have risen and the total number of beds available has declined.... Learn More

3. Charities in the UK

Employment number for 2021: 812,020

Operators in the Charities industry are defined as non-profit organisations with some meaningful degree of voluntary participation and whose aims are in the public benefit. This covers a broad range of charitable objectives, from emergency relief and international aid to arts programmes. Charities derive income primarily from donations made by individuals and grants received from the public sector or benevolent organisations, meaning economic conditions play a large role in industry revenue.

Revenue is expected to contract at a compound annual rate of 3.2% over the five years through 2020-21 to £44.9 billion. This is largely attributable to a decline of 18.9%... Learn More

4. Temporary-Employment Placement Agencies in the UK

Employment number for 2021: 701,613

Businesses in this industry provide clients with workers to temporarily replace or supplement their existing labour force. Industry performance generally hinges on economic conditions, in particular, the unemployment rate and business confidence. Both good and weak conditions can benefit the industry, but weak conditions can initially hinder performance as hiring slows. When the economy is strong and unemployment is low, businesses turn to employment placement agencies to help find suitable skilled and unskilled labour. Additionally, if business confidence falls, temporary workers are often the first to be hired, as tentative businesses seek flexibility in their hiring practices to insulate themselves... Learn More

5. General Secondary Education in the UK

Employment number for 2021: 695,038

The General Secondary Education industry provides education to students between 11 and 18 years of age. Most schools are funded by the government or local education authorities (LEAs), although the industry also includes privately funded independent schools, which are likely to drive industry growth over the five years through 2020-21. The majority of secondary schools are either academies, which are state-funded but operate independently of LEAs, or maintained schools, which are controlled by LEAs. Both operate according to government guidelines and are therefore directly influenced by government policy.

Industry operators rely heavily on government funding, which has remained fairly safeguarded from... Learn More

6. Direct Selling & Marketing in the UK

Employment number for 2021: 694,519

The Direct Selling and Marketing industry provide their services to consumers away from a fixed retailing location and exclusively through personal contact. The industry markets and retails a wide variety of products, such as cosmetics, wellness products and clothing. However, the sale of fuel and food for immediate consumption do not fall under this industry. The industry markets itself through two methods, single-level marketing (SLM), where representatives earn money solely from commission, and multi-level marketing (MLM), where representatives earn commission from both their sales and those that they have recruited.

Over the five years through 2020-21, industry revenue is expected to... Learn More

7. Construction Contractors in the UK

Employment number for 2021: 548,498

Operators in the Construction Contractors industry are active across the building construction and civil engineering markets. While, by broad definition, operators are remunerated for completing new building and infrastructure construction contracts, or for fulfilling maintenance, repair, renovation and remodelling contract obligations, the spectrum of services offered by civils and general building contractors in this industry is multifaceted. Some contractors focus on the construction of new dwellings, while civil engineering specialists afford clients services across the infrastructure value chain. Meanwhile, some contractors specialise in commercial building activity, while many independent contractors may focus on small-scale maintenance contracts in local markets.

Prior to... Learn More

8. Full-Service Restaurants in the UK

Employment number for 2021: 484,693

The Full-Service Restaurants industry grew strongly over the first half of the past five-year period. However, cost increases and weak consumer demand following the UK's vote to leave the European Union reversed this trend in the second half of the period. The industry's performance has also been influenced by trends in consumer preferences. Although disposable income and consumer confidence declined in 2016-17, households increased their weekly expenditure on restaurants. This increase reflects a higher number of bookings and the exceptionally hot weather in September 2016. Nonetheless, industry revenue is forecast to fall at a compound annual rate of 5.3% over... Learn More

9. Management Consultants in the UK

Employment number for 2021: 443,799

The Management Consultants industry covers a broad range of consulting services, including strategic and organisational planning, marketing, IT, human resource consulting and business process management. Over the five years through 2020-21, industry revenue is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 3.6% to reach £64.1 billion. This growth has been largely driven by rising demand for IT consulting services. In addition, regulatory changes in the financial services sector, the industry's largest downstream market, have benefited the industry, as banks and other financial institutions have required assistance to reformulate business strategies and operations in order to comply with new... Learn More

10. Universities in the UK

Employment number for 2021: 426,120

Over the five years through 2020-21, industry revenue is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 1.3% to reach £40.8 billion. This expansion can be attributed to an increase in student numbers over much of the period, rising tuition fees and growing investment returns. The increase in tuition fees, first to £9,000 in 2012-13 and then to £9,250 in 2017-18 has driven revenue growth. The cap on undergraduate student numbers in the United Kingdom was also lifted over the past five-year period, leading to a rise in student enrolments.

However, the industry has faced challenges stemming from cuts... Learn More