Accredited official statistics

Economic Estimates: Employment in the Digital Sector, January 2023 to December 2023

Updated 8 November 2024

1. Details

This publication provides estimates of employment in the Digital Sector (including Telecommunications) and the United Kingdom (UK) overall based on the latest 2023 data from the Annual Population Survey (APS) run by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). For this purpose, estimates will cover employment (measured by the number of filled jobs) in the Digital Sector from January 2023 to December 2023 (calendar year).

Demographic breakdowns in the associated data tables provided estimates for employment status (employed/self-employed), International Territorial Level 1 (ITL1) region of work, nationality, sex, ethnicity, age, highest level of education, working pattern (full time/part time), managerial status, socio-economic group (National Statistics Socio-economic Classification), and Equality Act disability status. There are additional breakdowns in the associated data tables combining selected variables with employment status. 

Although previously included in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Economic Estimates series, figures for the Digital Sector (and Telecommunications Sector) are now published separately by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

DSIT are currently conducting a review of the Digital Sector Economic Estimates series and are consulting with users on potential changes. If you would like to contribute to this consultation, please do so using this link. The consultation will close at 11:59pm on 26 September.

A summary of the responses to this consultation will be provided in a published response within 12 weeks of the consultation closing.

2. Highlights

• These estimates suggest that there was limited growth in employment in the Digital Sector (which includes the Telecommunications Sector) between 2022 and 2023 (0.3%). This was the smallest annual increase in filled jobs in the Digital Sector in the last decade, with growth in employment in the Digital Sector gradually slowing down since 2020. By comparison, employment in the UK overall increased by 0.8% between 2022 and 2023.
• While there was a decrease in employment in the Telecommunications Sector between 2022 and 2023 (-2.7%), employment in this sector was still relatively high compared to levels seen over the last decade, having peaked in 2021.
• The Digital Sector accounted for a similar proportion of the UK’s filled jobs in both 2022 and 2023, contributing to approximately 5.6% of UK employment overall in both 2022 and 2023. The Telecommunications Sector accounted for a slightly lower proportion of the Digital Sector’s filled jobs in 2023 than in 2022, decreasing from 10.0% to 9.7%.
• Between 2022 and 2023, employment in the ‘Publishing (excluding translation and interpretation activities)’ subsector had the highest growth, increasing by 12.0%, while employment in the ‘Repair of computers and communication equipment’ subsector reduced the most, decreasing by 21.5%.
• In 2023, the proportions of filled jobs held by women (29.1%) and disabled people (13.7%) in the Digital Sector were smaller than the proportions of filled jobs held by these groups in the UK overall (47.9% and 17.0%, respectively).
• In 2023, the proportion of filled jobs held by individuals with degree level (or equivalent) education in the Digital Sector (63.8%) was larger than the proportion of filled jobs held by this group in the UK overall (43.6%).

3. Sectors

The estimates reported in this release cover employment (measured by the number of filled jobs) in the Digital Sector and its subsectors (including Telecommunications), as well as employment in the UK overall.

It should be noted that while the Telecommunications Sector is presented separately, as it is considered a sector in its own right, it is also entirely included within the Digital Sector as one of its subsectors. Aggregates based on the Digital Sector, therefore, include data from the Telecommunications Sector.

Please see the associated technical and quality assurance report for more information on how we define the Digital Sector and its subsectors.

4. Technical Note 

The ‘Economic Estimates: Employment in the Digital Sector, January 2023 to December 2023’ report is derived from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Annual Population Survey (APS). This statistical release provides estimates of the number of filled jobs, including both full-time and part-time jobs, in the Digital Sector for the calendar year period between January 2023 and December 2023. This release also includes previously released estimates for January 2022 to December 2022, produced by DCMS, as the baseline comparison in this report .

In order to produce these Economic Estimates, it is necessary to define the make-up of the economy and the sectors comprising it. The Digital Sector and Telecommunications Sector definitions are based on the Standard Industrial Classification 2007 (SIC) codes. This allows data sources to be nationally consistent and enables international comparisons. The definition of the Digital Sector is based on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) definition of the ‘information society. This is a combination of the OECD definition for the ‘ICT Sector’ and the ‘Content and Media Sector’.

To produce our Employment estimates, we only include respondents who are ‘in work’ from the APS dataset for analysis. The APS provides data on an individual level for both a respondent’s first job, and if applicable, a respondent’s second job as separate variables. Therefore, in the dataset across these two variables, we define ‘in work’ as those with a first or second job who are categorised as an employee or self-employed. The data presented in this report, and the accompanying Employment dataset, therefore includes both employed and self-employed workers.

As we estimate employment as the number of filled jobs, we restructure the data to be on a per job basis, rather than a per respondent basis. We then select entries that are relevant for a particular measure (e.g. all entries with an SIC code of 26.11 to calculate total employment in ‘Manufacture of electronic components’ subsector) and aggregate over the associated population weights to generate an estimate of the total filled jobs. These estimates are then provided for demographic breakdowns including, but not limited to, employment type (i.e. employed or self-employed), ITL1 region of work, nationality, sex, and ethnicity.  

As part of the production process, we apply disclosure control and quality assurance measures to prevent the identification of any respondents. We suppress values where the number of respondents for a particular demographic breakdown is below a set threshold (below or equal to 3 responses). Where appropriate, we also apply secondary suppression to prevent disclosure via differencing (i.e. being able to calculate the disclosed value from the other values presented).

Proportional differences provided within the demographic breakdowns in this report are calculated based on those who answered the relevant question relating to the breakdown (e.g. the proportion of women working in the Digital Sector would be calculated by dividing the number of women by the sum of the number of women and men and then multiplying by 100).

For more detailed information on the methodology, as well as its limitations, data sources, and quality assurance processes, please see the associated technical and quality assurance report  .

These Accredited Official Statistics have been independently reviewed and regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics. Accredited Official Statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.  The accreditation of these statistics was last confirmed in June 2019 by the OSR. For more detailed information on the accreditation of these statistics, please see the OSR website.

Accreditation signifies their compliance with the authority’s Code of Practice for Statistics which broadly means these statistics are:

• Managed impartially and objectively in the public interest.
• Meet identified user needs.
• Produced according to sound methods.
• Well explained and readily accessible.

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards.

Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.

5. Change in Employment

5.1 Digital Sector  

During the 2023 calendar year, there were a total of approximately 1.9 million filled jobs in the Digital Sector, representing an increase of approximately 5,200 filled jobs compared to 2022.

In terms of percentage change, employment in the Digital Sector increased by less than the UK overall between 2022 to 2023. Employment in the Digital Sector saw an increase of 0.3%, while growth in employment in the UK overall was over double this value at 0.8%, as shown in Figure 1. This is the smallest annual percentage increase in filled jobs that has been seen in the Digital Sector over the last decade, with growth in employment in the Digital Sector gradually slowing down since 2020.

Figure 1: Percentage change in employment (filled jobs) within the Digital Sector, Telecommunications Sector, and the UK overall, 2022 to 2023.

While employment in the Digital Sector grew by less than the UK between 2022 and 2023, the Digital Sector made up approximately the same share of filled jobs in the UK overall in both years. In both 2022 and 2023, the Digital Sector made up 5.6% of filled jobs in the UK overall.

5.2 Telecommunications Sector

During the 2023 calendar year, there were a total of approximately 183,000 filled jobs in the Telecommunications Sector, approximately 5,000 fewer jobs than in 2022. This marks a decrease of 2.7% in employment in the Telecommunications Sector, in contrast to the slight growth observed in employment in both the wider Digital Sector and the UK overall, as shown in Figure 1.

Filled jobs in the Telecommunications Sector reached a peak in employment in 2021 with approximately 189,000 filled jobs. While there was a decrease in filled jobs in the Telecommunications Sector between 2022 and 2023, filled jobs in the Telecommunications Sector are still relatively high compared to levels seen over the last decade.

The Telecommunications Sector is made up of the following industry SIC codes:

• SIC 61.1: Wired telecommunications activities.
• SIC 61.2: Wireless telecommunications activities.
• SIC 61.3: Satellite telecommunications activities.
• SIC 61.9: Other telecommunications activities.

While employment in the Telecommunications Sector decreased overall between 2022 and 2023, the change in employment across the industries comprising this sector was not uniform. Between 2022 and 2023, employment in the ‘Wired telecommunications activities’ industry and the ‘Satellite telecommunications activities’ industry grew by 12.9% (approximately 5,600 filled jobs) and 2.1% (approximately 100 filled jobs), respectively.

However, employment in the largest Telecommunications industry, the ‘Wireless telecommunications activities’ industry, constituting over half of employment in the Telecommunications Sector (52.8%) in 2023, fell by 1.7% (approximately 1,700 filled jobs) between 2022 and 2023. Additionally, employment in the ‘Other telecommunications activities’ industry fell by 22.4% (approximately 9,000 filled jobs) between 2022 and 2023.

5.3 Digital  Subsectors

While employment in the Digital Sector increased from 2022 to 2023, at the subsector level the picture is a little more nuanced, as shown in Figure 2.

The largest Digital Subsector constituting over half of the Digital Sector’s filled jobs (57.4%), the ‘Computer programming, consultancy and related activities’ subsector, observed an increase in employment of 3.2% from 2022 to 2023 (approximately 34,000 filled jobs). The largest proportional increase between 2022 and 2023 was seen in the ‘Publishing (excluding translation and interpretation activities)’ subsector, with employment growing by 12.0% (approximately 19,000 filled jobs). Two other Digital Subsectors also increased between 2022 and 2023; the ‘Wholesale of computers and electronics’ subsector and the ‘Information service activities’ subsector, with employment increasing by 11.1% and 3.7%, respectively.

Figure 2: Percentage change in employment (filled jobs) in the Digital Subsectors (including Telecommunications), 2022 to 2023.

The largest proportional decrease in employment in a Digital Subsector between 2022 and 2023 was in the ‘Repair of computers and communication equipment’ subsector at a 21.5% decrease (approximately 6,000 filled jobs). However, the largest decrease in the actual number of filled jobs was seen in the ‘Film, TV, video, radio and music’ subsector, down 29,000 filled jobs (12.1% between 2022 to 2023). The remaining Digital Subsectors, the ‘Software publishing’ subsector and the ‘Manufacturing of electronics and computers’ subsector, also saw a decline in employment between 2022 and 2023, decreasing by 16.4% and 6.8%, respectively. The smallest decrease was found in the ‘Telecommunications’ subsector, as discussed above.

For further details on how these Digital Subsectors are defined, please see the associated technical and quality assurance report.

6. Demographic Breakdowns  

6.1 Digital Sector 

6.1.1 Disability and Sex

According to 2023 estimates, the proportion of filled jobs held by both disabled people and women within the Digital Sector was smaller than for the UK overall, as shown in Figure 3.

In 2023, the proportion of filled jobs held by disabled people in the Digital Sector was at 13.7% (approximately 256,000 filled jobs) compared to 17.0% of employment in the UK overall (approximately 5.7 million filled jobs). This represents an increase in the proportion of filled jobs held by disabled people working in the Digital Sector, up from 12.6% in 2022 (approximately 235,000 filled jobs).

Additionally, in 2023, the proportion of filled jobs held by women in the Digital Sector was at 29.1% (approximately 550,000 filled jobs) compared to 47.9% in the UK overall (approximately 16.3 million filled jobs). This represents a marginal decrease in the proportion of filled jobs held by women in the Digital Sector, down from 29.3% in 2022 (approximately 551,000 filled jobs).

Figure 3: Proportion of filled jobs in the Digital Sector, Digital Subsectors (including Telecommunications), and UK overall, by Equality Act disability status (left) and women (right), 2023.

6.1.2 Education

In 2023, filled jobs in the Digital Sector were more likely to be held by those with a higher level of educational attainment, generally, than demonstrated in the UK overall, as shown in Figure 4.

The proportion of filled jobs held by individuals with a degree (or equivalent level) in the Digital Sector was 63.8% (approximately 1.2 million filled jobs), compared to 43.6% in the UK overall (approximately 14.8 million filled jobs). This represents a marginal decrease in the proportion of filled jobs held by those with a degree (or equivalent level), down from 64.3% in 2022 (approximately 1.2 million filled jobs).

The proportion of filled jobs in the Digital Sector in 2023 that were held by those with no qualifications was only 1.0% (approximately 19,000 filled jobs), in comparison to 3.8% in the UK overall (approximately 1.3 million filled jobs). This is consistent with the proportion of filled jobs held by those with no qualifications, at 1.0% in 2022 (approximately 19,000 filled jobs).

Figure 4 shows a more detailed breakdown of the highest level of education of those in filled jobs across the Digital Sector compared with the Telecommunications Sector and the UK overall.

Figure 4: Proportion of employment (filled jobs) in the Digital Sector, Telecommunications Sector, and UK overall, by highest level of education, 2023.

6.1.3 Ethnicity

In 2023, the proportion of filled jobs held by people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic group and Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups in the Digital Sector was proportionally greater than in the UK overall, as seen in Figure 5. The proportion of filled jobs in the Digital Sector held by people in the Asian or Asian British ethnic group was 10.9% (approximately 207,000 filled jobs) compared to 7.9% for the UK overall (approximately 2.7 million filled jobs). The proportion of filled jobs in the Digital Sector held by people in the Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups was 2.5 % (approximately 47,000 filled jobs) compared to 1.6% in the UK overall (approximately 545,000 filled jobs).  

Conversely, the proportion of filled jobs held by people from the White ethnic group and Black, African, Caribbean or Black British ethnic group in the Digital Sector was proportionally lower than in the UK overall, as seen in Figure 5. The proportion of filled jobs held by the White ethnic group was 81.6% (approximately 1.5 million filled jobs) compared to 85.0% in the UK overall (approximately 28.9 million filled jobs). The proportion of filled jobs held by the Black, African, Caribbean or Black British ethnic group was 2.6% (approximately 50,000 filled jobs) compared to 3.5% in the UK overall (approximately 1.2 million filled jobs).

Further demographic information on filled jobs in the Digital Sector can be found in the published tables, including breakdowns by ITL1 region of work, age, nationality, highest level of education, and working pattern (full-time or part-time).

Figure 5: Proportion of employment (filled jobs) in the Digital Sector, and UK overall, by ethnicity, 2023.

6.2 Telecommunications  Sector

6.2.1 Sex and Disability

According to 2023 estimates, the proportion of filled jobs held by both women and disabled people in the Telecommunications Sector was smaller than for the UK overall, as shown in Figure 3.

In 2023, the proportion of filled jobs held by disabled people in the Telecommunications Sector was at 11.2% (approximately 20,000 filled jobs) compared to 17.0% in the UK overall. This represents a decrease in the proportion of filled jobs held by disabled people in the Telecommunications Sector from 2022, down from 16.4% (approximately 30,000 filled jobs) in 2022.

Additionally, in 2023, the proportion of filled jobs held by women in the Telecommunications Sector was at 28.0% (approximately 51,000 filled jobs) compared to 47.9% in the UK overall. This represents a decrease in the proportion of filled jobs held by women in the Telecommunications Sector from 2022, down from 32.6% in 2022 (approximately 61,000 filled jobs).

6.2.2 Education

In 2023, filled jobs in the Telecommunications Sector were held by those with a lower level of educational attainment, generally, than in the UK overall, as shown in Figure 4.

The proportion of filled jobs held by individuals with a degree (or equivalent level) in the Telecommunications Sector was 39.6% (approximately 72,000 filled jobs), compared to 43.6% in the UK overall. This represents a small decrease in the proportion of filled jobs held by those with a degree (or equivalent level) in the Telecommunications Sector, down from 43.7% (approximately 82,000 filled jobs) in 2022.

In 2023, the proportion of filled jobs in the Telecommunications Sector held by those with no qualifications was only 2.0% (approximately 4,000 filled jobs), in comparison to 3.8% in the UK overall. This represents a marginal decrease in the proportion of filled jobs held by those with no qualifications in the Telecommunications Sector, down from 2.1% in 2022 (approximately 4,000 filled jobs).

Figure 4 shows a more detailed breakdown of the highest level of education of those in filled jobs across the Telecommunications Sector, compared with the Digital Sector and the UK overall.

6.2.3 Ethnicity

Due to disclosure control on low sample sizes, statistics based on the demographic breakdown of Ethnicity in the Telecommunications Sector cannot be presented.

Further demographic information on filled jobs in the Telecommunications Sector can be found in the published tables, including breakdowns by ITL1 region of work, age, nationality, highest level of education, and working pattern (full-time or part-time).

6.3 Digital Subsectors

Within the Digital Subsectors, there was great variation in the demographic characteristics of the people in filled jobs in 2023, as shown in Figure 3.

The ‘Repair of computers and communication equipment’ subsector, ‘Manufacturing of electronics and computers’ subsector, and ‘Information service activities’ subsector all had higher proportions of filled jobs held by disabled people than the UK overall. Notably, in 2023, the proportion of filled jobs held by disabled people in the ‘Repair of computers and communication equipment’ subsector was at 31.2% (approximately 7,000 filled jobs), nearly double the proportion working in the UK overall, at 17.0%. Two other subsectors also had a higher proportion of filled jobs held by disabled people than the UK overall in 2023. The proportion of filled jobs held by disabled people in 2023 in the ‘Manufacturing of electronics and computers’ subsector was 20.4% (approximately 19,000 filled jobs) and was 18.5% for the ‘Information service activities’ subsector (approximately 8,000 filled jobs). All other Digital Subsectors had lower proportions of filled jobs held by disabled people than the UK overall, where the proportion of filled jobs ranged from 6.1% for the ‘Wholesale of computers and electronics’ subsector to 16.9% for the ‘Film, TV, video, radio and music’ subsector.

In 2023, only the ‘Publishing (excluding translation and interpretation activities)’ subsector had a majority of filled jobs held by women working in the subsector, with 52.0% of filled jobs held by women (approximately 90,000 filled jobs). This was also higher than the UK overall, with 47.9% of filled jobs held by women. All other Digital Subsectors had a majority of filled jobs held by men and had lower proportions of filled jobs held by women than in the UK overall, where the proportion of filled jobs held by women ranged from 5.8% for the ‘Repair of computers and communication equipment’ subsector to 40.8% for the ‘Wholesale of computers and electronics’ subsector.

Figure 3 shows a more detailed breakdown of the proportion of filled jobs held by disabled people and women across the Digital Subsectors, compared with the Digital Sector and the UK overall.

7. References

Annual Population Survey (APS) QMI, Office for National Statistics, Last Updated: 14 September 2012

Code of Practice for Statistics, UK Statistics Authority / Office for Statistics Regulation, Last Updated: 5 May 2022

DCMS and Digital Sectors Economic Estimates, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Last Updated: 13 June 2024

DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates National Statistics Accreditation, Office for Statistics Regulation, Last Updated: 23 November 2020

Economic Estimates: Employment in DCMS sectors and Digital sector, January 2022 to December 2022, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Last Updated: 28 July 2023

OECD Guide to Measuring the Information Society 2011, The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Published: 26 July 2011, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264113541-en

Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007, UK Government, Published: 26 July 2007

UK SIC 2007, Office for National Statistics, Last Updated: 24 January 2024