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

Employment

Overall

In April 2022 to March 2023, an estimated 313,600 people aged 16 to 24 were in employment in Scotland. This is 4,700 more than the number of 16 to 24 year olds employed in April 2021 to March 2022.

The estimated employment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 56.9 per cent in April 2022 to March 2023. This was 0.6 percentage points (pp) higher than the year before (56.4 per cent) but 1.4 pp lower than in April 2018 to March 2019 (58.3 per cent). April 2018 to March 2019 is the last data point in the April to March series before the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the United Kingdom as a whole, the estimated employment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 53.7 per cent. This was 1.2 pp higher than a year ago (52.5 per cent) but 0.2 pp lower than in April 2018 to March 2019 (53.9 per cent).

Chart 1: Employment rate of people aged 16 to 24; Scotland and the United Kingdom; April 2004 to March 2005 through to April 2022 to March 2023

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

Note: Shaded areas represent 95 per cent confidence intervals

Employment by Sex

In April 2022 to March 2023, an estimated 151,400 men and 162,200 women aged 16 to 24 were in employment in Scotland.

The estimated employment rate for 16 to 24 year old men was 54.6 per cent, 0.6 percentage points (pp) lower than a year ago and 5.3 pp lower than in April 2018 to March 2019. While the estimated employment rate for 16 to 24 year old women was 59.3 per cent, 1.8 pp higher than a year ago and 2.5 pp higher than in April 2018 to March 2019.

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

Chart 2: Employment rate of people aged 16 to 24 by Sex; Scotland; April 2004 to March 2005 through to April 2022 to March 2023

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

Note: Shaded areas represent 95 per cent confidence intervals

Employment by Local Authority areas

Some estimates in this section may come from a small sample size. When this occurs they may be less precise and users should be cautious when quoting them.

Estimates for local authority areas considered unreliable are not included. The five areas affected are:

• Highland
• Midlothian
• Moray
• Orkney Islands
• Shetland Islands

The three remaining local authority areas with the highest 16 to 24 year old employment rates in April 2022 to March 2023 were:

• Na h-Eileanan Siar (81.5 per cent)
• North Ayrshire (75.4 per cent)
• South Lanarkshire (69.6 per cent)

The three local authority areas with the lowest 16 to 24 year old employment rates were:

• Dundee City (43.9 per cent)
• Renfrewshire (44.7 per cent)
• Dumfries and Galloway (45.4 per cent)

All estimates listed above except for South Lanarkshire are from a small sample size. These estimates should be used with caution.

Over the year (since April 2021 to March 2022)

The employment rate for 16 to 24 year olds had increased in 14 local authority areas. The employment rate decreased in 11 local authority areas. The area with the largest increase was North Ayrshire (30.2 percentage points (pp)). The area with the largest decrease was Renfrewshire (-27.8 pp). The changes for both North Ayrshire and Renfrewshire represent statistically significant changes.

The estimates for both areas in April 2022 to March 2023 and North Ayrshire in April 2021 to March 2022 are from small sample sizes. Therefore, the change over the year for both estimates should be used with caution.

Change since April 2018 to March 2019 (pre-pandemic)

The employment rate for 16 to 24 year olds had increased in 10 local authority areas. The employment rate decreased in 17 local authority areas. The area with the largest increase was North Ayrshire (21.8 pp). The area with the largest decrease was Renfrewshire (-15.0 pp). The change since April 2018 to March 2019 for North Ayrshire represents a statistically significant change.

The estimate for both North Ayrshire and Renfrewshire in April 2022 to March 2023 are from small sample sizes. Therefore, the change since April 2018 to March 2019 estimate should be used with caution.

Chart 3: Change in employment rates of those aged 16 to 24 between April 2021 to March 2022 and April 2022 to March 2023 by Local Authority area (percentage points)

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

Note: Estimates for the following areas are not available as they are considered unreliable:

• Clackmannanshire
• Highland
• Midlothian
• Moray
• Na h-Eileanan Siar
• Orkney Islands
• Shetland Islands