The public sector includes organisations that are owned / controlled by central or local government. It includes the NHS, state-schools, the Police, HM forces and the civil service. Drawing on employment data for the UK in 2018, Of the 5.4 million people with public sector jobs, 1.6 million work in the NHS and 1.5 million in education. The NHS employs 30% of all UK public sector staff, with education employing 28% of public sector staff.