Interviewers employed in 2025 compared to 2021

FOI reference: FOI-2025-2611

You asked

Can you please advise me as the number of Interviewers presently employed by the ONS, the number of vacancies and the territory covered- by that I mean is Scotland included in the ONS numbers or not? Split by full or part time.

How many vacancies are there at present?

Also, can you advise as to the numbers in post in March 2020, prior to the lockdown. The numbers furloughed and the numbers in post in June 2021?

We said

Thank you for your request. 

The information requested is provided below. Please note that these figures are for face to face interviews only. 

• As of 12 February 2025, the ONS employs 680 interviewers.
  
• Of the 680, 153 are Agency workers (4 full time and 149 part time), and 527 are ONS interviewers (18 full time and 509 part time). 

To note part-time working is standard in this community, but we do offer full time roles as well. The demographic interviewer community (post-retirement, working parents etc.) appreciate the flexibility of the role to offer part-time and full-time with most opting for the part-time roles. 

The regions covered are as follows: 

Please see the attached spreadsheet for the regions covered.

To note, Wales and West region/territory will include a number of England located interviewers (i.e not all 62 / 16 are ‘Wales only’). Scotland as its own region/territory (60 ONS & 21 agency).   

As of 12 February 2025, there are 343 vacancies. The vacancies are in the following regions: 

• England: 292
  
• Scotland: 30
  
• Wales: 21 

The number of interviewers in post in March 2020 are as follows:   

• Full-time: 20
  
• Part-time: 660
  
• Total = 680 

No one was furloughed.

The number of interviewers in post in June 2021 were as follows: 

• Full-time: 16
  
• Part-time: 562
  
• Total = 578