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Publication - Statistics

Labour Market Statistics for 16 to 24 year olds: Scotland and the United Kingdom - April 2022 to March 2023

Published
11 July 2023
Directorate
Chief Economist Directorate
Topic
Economy, Work and skills

Statistics from the Annual Population Survey covering the period from April 2022 to March 2023.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Economic Inactivity

Overall

In April 2022 to March 2023, there were an estimated 204,200 economically inactive 16 to 24 year olds in Scotland. This is 4,100 lower than the number of inactive 16 to 24 year olds in April 2021 to March 2022. Over three quarters (77.0 per cent) of inactive 16 to 24 year olds were estimated to be in full-time education in April 2022 to March 2023.

The estimated inactivity rate was 37.1 per cent in April 2022 to March 2023. This was 0.9 percentage points (pp) lower than a year ago (38.0 per cent) but 1.8 pp higher than in April 2018 to March 2019 (35.3 per cent). April 2018 to March 2019 is the last data point in the April to March series before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the United Kingdom as a whole, the estimated inactivity rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 40.1 per cent. This was 0.5 pp lower than a year ago (40.6 per cent) but 1.1 pp higher than April 2018 to March 2019 (39.0 per cent).

Chart 6: Economic inactivity rate of people aged 16 to 24; Scotland and the United Kingdom; April 2004 to March 2005 through to April 2022 to March 2023

Line chart showing economic inactivity rates of Scotland and United Kingdom as separate lines. Rates increase between April 2004 to March 2005 and April 2022 to March 2023. Scotland has a lower inactivity rate in all years except April 2019 to March 2020.

Source: Annual Population Survey, Apr-Mar datasets, ONS

Note: Shaded areas represent 95 per cent confidence intervals

Economic Inactivity by Sex

In April 2022 to March 2023, there were an estimated 107,900 inactive men aged 16 to 24 and 96,300 inactive women aged 16 to 24 in Scotland.

The estimated inactivity rate for 16 to 24 year old men was 38.9 per cent, 0.8 percentage points (pp) higher than a year ago and 6.1 pp higher than in April 2018 to March 2019. While the estimated inactivity rate for 16 to 24 year old women was 35.2 per cent, 2.6 pp lower than a year ago and also 2.6 pp lower than in April 2018 to March 2019.

The change since April 2018 to March 2019 for men aged 16 to 24 represents a statistically significant change.

Chart 7: Economic inactivity rate of people aged 16 to 24 by Sex; Scotland; April 2004 to March 2005 through to April 2022 to March 2023

Line chart showing economic inactivity rates for men and women in Scotland as separate lines. Rates increase between April 2004 to March 2005 and April 2022 to March 2023. Women's inactivity rates are higher than men's in all years until April 2020 to March 2021 when men' inactivity rate overtakes women's inactivity rate. In April 2019 to March 2020 men's inactivity rate saw a noticeable increase.

Source: Annual Population Survey, Apr-Mar datasets, ONS

Note: Shaded areas represent 95 per cent confidence intervals

Contact

If you have any enquiries relating to Labour Market Statistics then please contact us at:

Email: LMStats@gov.scot

Telephone: 0131 244 6773

Post:
Labour Market Statistics
OCEAES: Economic Strategy
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Glasgow
G2 8LU

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