Transformed Labour Force Survey

The Transformed Labour Force Survey, or TLFS, is the Office for National Statistics' planned replacement for the United Kingdom's Labour Force Survey. As of August 2026, the transition was deferred beyond November 2027, with a further readiness decision due in July 2027.

The ONS is developing the TLFS while running it alongside the existing Labour Force Survey. Its July 2026 assessment said the time was not right to move Headline Labour-market statistics to the new survey. The ONS plans a progress check in January 2027 before the fuller decision point.

This matters because Labour statistics set the public baseline for judging whether AI changes jobs, hours or unemployment. A deferred transition preserves continuity but also delays a new measurement system. The survey is neither cancelled nor live, and any future move remains subject to evidence, quality and user readiness.