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Employment types

Calendar year statistics about self-employment; part-time workers; hours worked; second jobs; temporary employment; zero hours contracts, and public sector employment

Labour market Employment
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Introduction

The Annual Population Survey (APS) is the source of the headline employment, unemployment and economic inactivity rates for combined authority areas and local authority areas. It also provides information about the way that workers are involved in the labour market. Its output includes statistics about topics such as self-employment, part-time working, temporary employment, and zero hours contracts.

Each release of APS data is based on surveys of individuals over a 12-month period. Although there are updates every three months, it is usual to compare non-overlapping periods. The information in this report only covers calendar year (Jan-Dec) 12-month periods, with the statistics being released each April at present, about 14 weeks after the calendar year that they cover. 

Statistics about temporary working, zero hours contracts and second jobs are only available for the wider North East region (ITL1 area). This is also the case for information about the reasons for part-time working. Comparisons of rates or other proportions between different areas and over time are expressed in percentage points (pp). 

Self-employment

103,500

North East self-employed workers

2025, North East MSA area,
highest total since 2019.
69,600 (67%) were male ,
joint highest % since 2013.

11.4%

of North East workers (2025)

Highest percentage since 2019,
1.5 pp higher than 2024,
but fifth lowest of the 15
CA areas (UK 13.4%).

15.0%

of male workers self-employed

2025, North East MSA area,
1.4 pp below UK percentage.
20.7% in Northumberland,
highest in the North East.

7.6%

of female workers self-employed

2025, North East MSA area,
2.5 pp below UK percentage.
11.5% in Northumberland,
highest in the North East.

Part-time working

235,500

North East part-time workers

2025, North East MSA area,
15,800 higher than in 2024.
Females: 15,000 higher,
73% of part-time workers.

25.8%

of North East workers (2025)

Higher than UK rate (25.0%).
Just above median of the
15 English CA areas (25.7%)
2.5 pp lower than a decade earlier.

28.6%

of Newcastle workers were part-time

highest 2025 North East rate,
North East rates vary by age:
45% of female workers aged 16-24,
7% of male workers aged 25-49.

36,800

part-time workers could not find a full-time job

wider North East ITL1 region, 2025,
(main reason for part-time working).
12% of the region's part-time workers,
17% of male part-time workers.

Hours worked and second jobs

133,600

worked 45 hours or more a week

2025, North East MSA area,
2nd lowest total
in the 20 years time series,
69% were male.

15.0%

of North East workers (2025)

worked 45+ hours, UK 18.4%.
35-44 hours: 55.1%, UK 52.3%,
10-34 hours: 27.5%, UK 26.2%,
<10 hours: 2.4%, UK 3.1%.
 

20.4%

of North East male workers work 45+ hours

2025, 9.4% of female workers,
35-44: male 63.1%, female 46.8%,
10-34: male 15.0%, female 40.5%,
<10 hrs: male 1.5%, female 3.4%.

33,200

workers in the North East region had second jobs

North East ITL1 area, 2025.
4,400 lower than in 2024, 
2.7% of all workers,
females 3.7%, males 1.9%.

Temporary and zero-hours employment

41,700

workers in temporary employment in the North East region

North East ITL1 area, 2025.
lowest in 20 year time series,
11,300 lower than in 2024.
Male workers 51% of total.

3.5%

were in temporary employment

North East ITL1 area, 2025,
lower than the UK rate (4.3%),
joint second lowest rate of
the 12 UK ITL1 areas.

10,900

temporary workers could not find a permanent job

North East ITL1 area, 2025,
(main reason for temporary working).
lowest total in 20 year time series,
26% of the region's temporary workers.

47,600

workers on zero-hours contracts in the North East region

North East ITL1 area, 2025.
The highest total since 2020.
3.9% of the region's workers,
higher than the UK rate (3.5%).

Public sector employment

244,000

North East public sector workers

2025, North East MSA area,
lowest total since 2021, but 
20,400 higher than a decade earlier.
Females: 65% of these workers.

26.8%

of North East workers (2025)

2.8 pp above UK rate,
second highest rate among
15 combined authority areas.
Ten year change: +1.2 pp

33.9%

of North Tyneside workers

in the public sector, 2025;
highest % of NE LA areas
NE constituency highest:
Tynemouth, 35.6%

35.5%

of North East female workers

within the public sector, 2025.
North East male rate: 18.5%.
Highest NE LA area rates:
female: North Tyneside (42.0%),
male: Newcastle (26.2%).

Further analysis

The evidence hub includes other data reports that provide information about aspects of employment. It also features analysis of the labour market as a whole, including reports about unemployment, economic inactivity and pay.

Much of the raw data for these reports can be downloaded from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Employment rate

Quarterly update of employment totals and rates for the North East CA (combined authority) area and LA (local authority) areas

View the statistics
Employment by sector

Annual update of information about the number of people in employment in VAT / PAYE registered businesses broken down by industry sector. Also included are updates of all employment by broad sector.

View the statistics
Employment by occupation

Annual update of data showing the occupational structure of the North East labour market.

View the statistics
Labour market homepage

The evidence hub's labour market landing page. With links to data reports about employment, unemployment and economic inactivity.

Find more labour market statistics
Nomis labour market statistics website

Source data from an ONS site that provides a flexible way to download up-to-date official statistics for local areas. Nomis focuses on all aspects of the labour market, but also includes population estimates and some economic data. 

Explore the source data
Regional labour market statistics

A summary of the latest labour market statistics for the broader North East region. Updated monthly and more up to date than combined authority level data, but less detailed.

View the statistics