Brexit cost 330,000 drop in UK labour force, new research finds

Brexit has resulted in the loss of 330,000 workers from the UK economy, according to new research published on Tuesday (17 January). The data published by the UK in a Changing Europe and Centre for European Reform thinktanks revealed that in September 2022, there were 460,000 fewer workers of EU-origin in the UK than if the UK had remained in the bloc, only partially offset by an increase of about 130,000 non-EU workers. The net loss of workers amounts to around 1% of the labour force. 

“Our analysis suggests that, although migration overall is currently running at least at pre-pandemic levels, the post-Brexit migration system has produced, as designed, a clear break with pre-Brexit trends, reducing labour supply for some sectors,” said Professor Jonathan Portes and John Springford. 

“In lower-skilled sectors, work-related migration under free movement does not appear to have been replaced by additional visa issuance under the new system,” they added.