Employment, unemployment and inactivity for young people

Statistics from the Annual Population Survey have been released which show that 328,000 young people aged 16-24 years were in employment in Scotland in January 2019 to December 2019. The employment rate for young people was 57.9%, higher than a year ago (57.2%).

In the same period, 30,000 young people aged 16-24 years were unemployed. The unemployment rate for young people was 8.3%, lower than a year ago (9.6%).

In the same period, 209,000 young people aged 16-24 years were economically inactive. The economic inactivity rate for young people was 36.9%, higher than the year before (36.7%).

Background

The latest Annual Population Survey data for January 2019 to December 2019 is compared with the annual data the year before, January 2018 to December 2018.

Read the full publication ‘Employment, Unemployment and Inactivity for young people (16-24 years): Scotland and UK’.

Read further information on Labour Market statistics within Scotland.

Information can also be obtained from Scottish Government open data.

The figures released today were produced by independent statistical staff free from any political interference, in accordance with professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Read more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland.