Labour Market Statistics for 16 to 24 year olds: Scotland and the United Kingdom - April 2023 to March 2024

Unemployment

Overall

In April 2023 to March 2024, an estimated 36,900 people aged 16 to 24 were unemployed in Scotland. This is 3,800 more than the number of unemployed 16 to 24 year olds in April 2022 to March 2023.

The estimated unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 11.0 per cent in April 2023 to March 2024. This was 1.4 percentage points (pp) higher than a year ago (9.6 per cent) and 1.1 pp higher than in April 2018 to March 2019 (9.9 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 unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 11.3 per cent. This was the 0.9 pp higher than the year before (10.4 per cent) but 0.2 pp lower than in April 2018 to March 2019 (11.5 per cent).

Chart 3: The unemployment rate for people aged 16 to 24 in Scotland had been broadly similar to the United Kingdom rate until April 2016 to March 2017 when Scotland started seeing a consistently lower unemployment rate but in the last two years both rates have converged again

Unemployment rate estimates for persons aged 16 to 24, Scotland and the United Kingdom, April 2004 to March 2005 through to April 2023 to March 2024

Source: Annual Population Survey, April to March datasets, ONS

Shaded areas represent 95 percent confidence intervals.

Unemployment by Sex

In April 2023 to March 2024, there were an estimated 20,800 unemployed men aged 16 to 24 and 16,100 unemployed women aged 16 to 24 in Scotland.

The estimated unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year old men was 12.2 per cent, 1.7 percentage points (pp) higher than a year ago (10.5 per cent) and 1.4 pp higher than in April 2018 to March 2019 (10.8 per cent). While the estimated unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year old women was 9.7 per cent, 1.1 pp higher than a year ago (8.6 per cent) and 0.9 pp higher than in April 2018 to March 2019 (8.8 per cent).

The estimates of unemployment for women aged 16 to 24 years in April 2023 to March 2024 are from a small sample size. These estimates and the estimates of change in unemployment rates for 16 to 24 year olds women should be used with caution.

Chart 4: The unemployment rate for men aged 16 to 24 has exceeded the employment rate for women in all years

Unemployment rate estimates for men and women aged 16 to 24 in Scotland, April 2004 to March 2005 through to April 2023 to March 2024

Source: Annual Population Survey, April to March datasets, ONS

Shaded areas represent 95 percent confidence intervals.

The estimate of unemployment for 16 to 24 year old women in April 2023 to March 2024 is from a small sample size. This estimate should be used with caution.