Labour Market Statistics for young people (16 to 24 years): Scotland

New statistics from the Annual Population Survey show that 299,000 young people aged 16 to 24 years were in employment in Scotland in July 2019 to June 2020. The employment rate for young people was 53.2%, lower than a year ago (59.1%).

In the same period, 32,000 young people aged 16 to 24 years were unemployed. The unemployment rate for young people was 9.6%, lower than a year ago (9.8%).

In the same period, 231,000 young people aged 16 to 24 years were economically inactive. The economic inactivity rate for young people was 41.1%, higher than the year before (34.5%).

Background

Government policies introduced in relation to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic were implemented in the last three months of the period the latest estimates cover and therefore some limited impact will be shown in the estimates.  Consistent with labour market definitions outlined by the Office for National Statistics, employees who are furloughed will be classified as employed, but temporarily away from work.

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.

The latest Annual Population Survey (APS) data for July 2019 to June 2020 is compared with the annual data the year before, July 2018 to June 2019. The APS combines the results from the Labour Force Survey and the English, Welsh, and Scottish Labour Force Survey boosts to provide a larger annual sample of households in Scotland and the UK. This provides more reliable estimates by region and age.

Read the full publication ‘Labour Market Statistics for young people (16-24 years): Scotland and UK’.

Read further information at Labour Market statistics within Scotland.

Information can also be obtained from Scottish Government open data.

Official statistics are produced by independent statistical staff – read more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland.

This release was pre-announced on the Scottish Government forthcoming publication.