Labour Force Survey performance and quality monitoring report: October to December 2025

The achieved sample size, excluding imputed cases, for the UK Labour Force Survey (LFS) was 65,590 individuals in 29,907 households during Quarter 4 (Oct to Dec) 2025. This represents an increase of 2% in household interviews and an increase of 2.5% in achieved person interviews, compared with Quarter 3 (July to Sept) 2025.

The dataset size, including imputed households, for the UK LFS was 77,927 individuals in 34,851 households during Quarter 4 2025. This represents an increase of 2.9% in individual cases and an increase of 2.5% in household cases, compared with Quarter 3 2025.

In Quarter 4 2025, main response rates were as follows:

• the total response rate for Great Britain excluding imputed cases (Table 2) was 23.9%; this is up 0.5 percentage points on the previous quarter

• the response rate for Great Britain excluding imputed cases (Figure 3) was 32.4% in Wave 1 and 18.7% in Wave 5; this compares with 32.2% and 17.2%, respectively, in the previous quarter

• the total response rate for Great Britain including imputed cases (Table 3) was 28.0%; this is up 0.7 percentage points on the previous quarter

• the total response rate for the UK excluding imputed cases (Table 4) was 24.2%; this is up 0.6 percentage points on the previous quarter

• the total response rate for the UK including imputed cases (Table 5) was 28.2%; this is up 0.8 percentage points on the previous quarter

• non-contacts made up 14.5% of unproductive cases (Figure 4); this is unchanged compared with the previous quarter

• other unproductive cases included circumstantial refusals (5.3%, up 0.3 percentage points from the previous quarter), outright refusals (58.8%, up 3.6 percentage points on the previous quarter) and other refusals comprised the remainder

• the English region with the highest accumulated response rate across the five waves (Table 6) was the Rest of Yorkshire and Humberside (35.2%); the lowest was West Midlands Metropolitan Council (19.7%)

• the overall proxy response rate (Table 7) was 36.5%; the highest proxy response rates were in the 16 to 17 years age group (93.9%), in males (40.5%) and in the combined total proxy response rate of all ethnic groups other than the White ethnic group (42.8%)

• the average income response rate (Table 8) was 83.0%

• the data on attrition rates (Table 9) show (in percentage change terms) that those who drop out of the survey are overrepresented in the 20 to 29 years age group, self employed, in households with six people or more, and in the Inner London region

Respondent characteristics proportions for age, tenure and Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) remained stable in Quarter 4 2025. More information can be found in Section 5: Respondent characteristics.

There have been a few methodological and operational changes that may have affected response rate changes in Quarter 4 2025. More information about fieldwork and methodological changes in previous quarters can be found in Section 6: Quarterly changes and updates.

More information about the LFS and technical definitions can be found in our LFS quality and methodology information (QMI) and our LFS user guidance.

We introduced several collection measures in Quarter 4 (Oct to Dec) 2023 and the Labour Force Survey (LFS) sample was increased from January 2024. Together, these two actions have incrementally led to increases in the achieved sample and, subsequently, the quality of the data.

The five-wave structure of the LFS means that some changes can take up to 15 months to fully feed through into survey estimates. Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2025 was the first period of data that reflected the full impact of the January 2024 sample increase. More information can be found in our Labour Market transformation – update on progress and plans: July 2025 article and our LFS quality update: May 2025 article.

A coding practice was introduced during and after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that involved coding cases that were unproductive in two consecutive waves as headquarter (HQ) refusals, preventing them from being attempted again in the following wave. This measure was put in place in an attempt to better manage interviewer workloads while resources were stretched. This practice was discontinued in December 2025. For more information see Section 6: Quarterly changes and updates.

We reweighted the LFS estimates from Quarter 1 2019 onwards, alongside the changes to the sample and data collection. The reweighted LFS estimates incorporate information on the size and composition of the UK population, based on our 2022 mid-year estimates. For England, Wales and Northern Ireland, they are projected forward using scaling factors from our 2021-based national population projections published in January 2024. For Scotland, they are projected forward using scaling factors from 2020-based national population projections published in January 2023. More information can be found in our Impact of reweighting on Labour Force Survey key indicators: December 2024 article.

We are starting to see a reduction in the volatility we have observed in recent periods. However, we would advise users to continue to apply caution when interpreting short-term changes observed in the estimates from the data. We suggest users read our commentary on our LFS-based statistics, which will consider ongoing quality challenges.

The total response rate is the aggregate response rate for the quarter across all waves, based on all eligible, in-scope households. For a full definition of response categories and the method used to calculate response rates, see Section 7: Understanding response rates.

We monitor the distribution of the sample across a range of demographic characteristics on a quarterly basis to help identify potential biases in the data. We have seen changes to the make-up of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) sample since the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in March 2020. The following charts show the trends observed across all waves of the LFS in age, tenure and Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintile since Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2019.

This section details changes that may have had an impact on response rates and data included in the charts and tables in Section 5: Respondent characteristics. Details of historical operational changes can be found in Volume 1: Background and methodology of our Labour Force Survey user guidance.

Quarter 4 2025 questionnaire changes

In Quarter 4 (Oct to Dec) 2025, two LFS questionnaire variables (TPBN13 and DISBEN) were updated to include new Scottish welfare benefits within the existing response categories. Please refer to Volume 2: LFS questionnaire and Volume 3: Details of LFS variables within the LFS user guidance for further information.

Methodological changes

In response to fluctuation in response rates since the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we made several adjustments to the size of the LFS Wave 1 sample in recent years. These adjustments included:

• doubling the Wave 1 sample in May 2020

• reducing the Wave 1 sample to 160% of pre-pandemic levels in April 2021

• reducing the Wave 1 sample to 150% of pre-pandemic levels in October 2021

• increasing the Wave 1 sample to 155% of pre-pandemic levels in April 2022

• reducing the Wave 1 sample to pre-pandemic levels in July 2023

• increasing the Wave 1 sample to 155% of pre-pandemic levels (25,800 addresses in total per quarter) in January 2024

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) are responsible for the LFS data collection in Northern Ireland. NISRA reduced the Wave 1 issued sample in Northern Ireland by 20% (from 1,287 to 1,040 addresses per quarter) in August 2024.

Fieldwork and operational changes

Since the start of the pandemic, a coding practice was put in place. This coding practice involved coding cases that were unproductive in two consecutive waves as headquarter (HQ) refusals so that these would not be attempted again in the following wave. These cases were less likely to result in an interview compared with those that had achieved a productive outcome in previous waves, and this helped mitigate increasing workloads for interviewers while capacity was stretched.

This measure was paused in October 2023 when LFS recovery measures were introduced. This resulted in an observed decrease in refusal rates in Waves 2 to 5. To improve our fieldwork operations, this practice was reintroduced in July 2024 after the Wave 1 sample increase led to an increase in unproductive cases in follow-up waves.

With the implementation of the Survey Improvement and Enhancement Plan, interviewer capacity in the field has been significantly increasing. As such, more cases could be worked in 2025 than in 2024, which has reduced the need for this coding practice. Consequently, the practice was discontinued in December 2025, and only Survey Enquiry Line (SEL) should now record HQ refusals.

This change in coding practice is reflected in non-response data, including the composition of non-response, meaning that the increase in outright refusals in the last two calendar quarters is largely offset by a decrease in the refusals to HQ (see Figure 4).

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is managed by the Social Surveys directorate of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in Great Britain, and by the Central Survey Unit of the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) in Northern Ireland. Response rates for the UK are calculated by combining the achieved samples for Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

More information and technical definitions can be found in our LFS quality and methodology information (QMI) and Volume 1: Background and methodology of our Labour Force Survey user guidance.

Method of calculating response rates

The response rate is how many interviews were achieved as a proportion of those eligible for the survey. The formula used is: 

Response rate (RR) equals full response (FR) plus partial response (PR), divided by FR plus PR plus outright refusal (OR) plus circumstantial refusal (CR) plus refusal to headquarters (RHQ) plus non-contact (NC) plus refusal to re-interview (RRI) (for only Waves 2 to 5). 

The calculation of response rates should take the panel design into account, because the LFS is a panel survey. Households may refuse further participation at any of the five quarterly visits they are due to receive. 

Households that refuse further participation are not revisited at the next quarter, but they remain part of the eligible sample. The response rate for households is the ratio of the number of households responding at the current wave to the sum of the number of eligible households found at the same wave at the sampled addresses, plus any households that have refused outright to participate at a previous wave. Outright refusals are distinct from circumstantial refusals and non-contacts, which are revisited at the next wave. Outright refusals may occur either when the interviewer calls or asks for permission to re-call in three months. 

This simple model does not take account of situations like net addition or subtraction of eligible households at sampled addresses at waves after Wave 1, for example, by a net increase or decrease in occupation of household spaces. However, the definition of household spaces is fluid and does not provide a firm basis for response rate calculations. LFS response rates that take the panel design into account are based on the simple model. 

Definitions of response outcome categories

Full response 

A household in which each household member has answered all applicable questions. 

Partial response 

A household in which questions were not completed because someone refused to be interviewed, refused part way through the questionnaire, or refused to let someone else answer on his or her behalf. However, at least one question block must have been completed. If only part of the information has been collected for a one-person household, it is coded as a refusal or non-contact. 

Outright refusal 

A household that refuses to respond to the survey and the interviewer feels that there is no chance of an interview at the current wave or in any future wave. 

Circumstantial refusal 

A household where the respondent refuses to respond because of a temporary circumstance (for example, going on holiday or being too busy during the field period). A circumstantial refusal enables an interviewer to call back at the next wave. 

Refusal to HQ 

A household that contacts headquarters to refuse to participate in the survey in response to the advance letter. 

Non-contact 

When an address is occupied, but where it has not been possible to contact any member of the household in the field period.

Method of calculating income response rates

The income question is asked at Waves 1 and 5 only. The subset of respondents who are eligible for these questions includes individuals aged 16 to 69 years who are in employment in the reference week. The percentage response rates for the income questions are based on all eligible, in-scope respondents at Wave 1 and all eligible, in-scope respondents at Wave 5. The total response rate is the aggregate response rate for income for the quarter (Wave 1 and Wave 5), based on all eligible, in-scope respondents. 

Proxy response

The LFS interviewers must complete fieldwork to a tight timetable and interview as many of the sampled households as possible. This leaves limited time for re-calls. LFS interviewers try to interview every adult (aged 16 years and over) in each sampled household. However, when a household member is unavailable for interview, interviewers accept information by proxy from another responsible adult in the household. The proxy respondents are normally people living with a partner on behalf of their partner, and parents on behalf of their adult offspring who live with them. 

Attrition

Attrition is the term applied to respondents who begin the survey but then drop out. These respondents tend to have different characteristics to those who remain in all waves of the survey. This can result in attrition bias. For example, if respondents in a particular age group have a higher tendency to drop out (attrition rate) than respondents in other age groups, then they will be underrepresented in subsequent waves of the survey and in estimates. 

Item non-response

Item non-response refers to the situation where a respondent fails to answer a specific question or item during the survey, even though they have completed other parts of the survey. This can occur for various reasons, such as the respondent not knowing the answer, choosing to skip a sensitive question, or misunderstanding the question. This type of non-response is distinct from unit non-response.

Unit non-response

Unit non-response refers to individuals in sampled households not participating in the survey. This can occur for a variety of reasons, such as the respondent refusing the survey, including circumstantial refusals and outright refusals, or being unable to reach or contact the selected respondent during the field period.

Imputed cases

If a respondent from one quarter is not available in the next consecutive quarter, then their responses from the earlier quarter may be carried forward (for one quarter only). This is referred to as "imputation". Response rates excluding imputed cases are the best measure of true response, as these are calculated based solely on actual responders as a proportion of eligible cases for the current quarter. Imputed cases are included in analytical datasets to provide a greater dataset size. We also report response rates including imputed cases in this methodology to show the extent of imputation for the current quarter. More information about imputation can be found in Section 12 of our LFS User Guide Volume 1: Background and methodology (PDF, 1.5MB).

Timeliness refers to the lapse of time between publication and the period to which the data refer. Punctuality refers to the time lag between the actual and planned dates of publication. 

To the Office for National Statistics Labour Market and Households Division

• The scheduled delivery date for file was 16 January 2026.

• The achieved delivery date for file was 16 January 2026.

• The time lag between achieved delivery date and the end of the reference period was 12 days. 

Data file for other users 

The scheduled availability date for regional public and government normal release user files was 16 January 2026.