Annual Population Survey in Scotland: A Compendium of Labour Market Statistics 2006

Summary publication of results from the Annual Population Survey 2006, presenting analysis on the labour market, education and training. Results are provided at Scotland and sub-Scotland levels.


Economic inactivity

People who are economically inactive are neither employed nor unemployed. Those who are economically inactive are not in work and are not seeking/available for work. Reasons for economic inactivity include being sick or disabled, looking after family or home, being a student and taking early retirement.

All persons

The economic inactivity rate of working age people in Scotland was estimated to be 20.0% in 2006 (Table 12). The total number of working age people who were economically inactive was estimated to be 624,900. Of those who were economically inactive 28.6% want to work ( Table 13).

Table 12: Economic inactivity rates and levels for working age people, 2005-2006

Geography (Residence Based)

2005

2006

Proportion

Proportion

Level

Scotland

20.8%

20.0%

624,900

Local Authority Area

Aberdeen City

16.9%

15.9%

20,500

Aberdeenshire

16.0%

15.7%

22,200

Angus

18.8%

15.1%

9,600

Argyll & Bute

19.1%

17.1%

8,800

Clackmannanshire

22.8%

23.2%

6,600

Dumfries & Galloway

18.5%

17.1%

14,200

Dundee City

23.3%

23.2%

19,300

East Ayrshire

24.6%

22.9%

16,400

East Dunbartonshire

16.6%

15.6%

10,200

East Lothian

18.9%

18.6%

10,600

East Renfrewshire

17.2%

18.3%

10,300

Edinburgh, City of

19.0%

18.8%

55,600

Eilean Siar

16.1%

15.6%

2,200

Falkirk

20.1%

17.3%

15,600

Fife

19.1%

18.6%

40,600

Glasgow City

27.9%

29.9%

111,400

Highland

16.3%

17.8%

21,800

Inverclyde

24.5%

22.4%

11,100

Midlothian

16.3%

13.7%

7,000

Moray

20.5%

18.1%

9,200

North Ayrshire

22.8%

22.4%

18,200

North Lanarkshire

23.4%

22.1%

44,000

Orkney Islands

13.5%

16.1%

1,800

Perth & Kinross

20.0%

17.3%

13,500

Renfrewshire

21.3%

19.7%

20,500

Scottish Borders

18.3%

17.7%

11,200

Shetland Islands

11.8%

10.7%

1,400

South Ayrshire

21.3%

20.7%

13,500

South Lanarkshire

21.9%

18.9%

35,800

Stirling

20.7%

21.3%

11,600

West Dunbartonshire

23.5%

21.2%

12,100

West Lothian

20.1%

16.5%

18,000

Deprivation

15% Most Deprived Areas

34.8%

34.9%

156,700

Rest of Scotland

18.5%

17.5%

468,200

Urban/Rural Classification (6 fold)

Large Urban Areas

22.8%

22.8%

281,100

Other Urban Areas

20.0%

18.5%

173,400

Accessible Small Towns

20.0%

19.3%

56,100

Remote Small Towns

18.8%

18.9%

21,000

Accessible Rural

18.3%

16.4%

60,500

Remote Rural

18.8%

18.2%

32,800

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