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

Unemployment

Overall

In July 2023 to June 2024, an estimated 34,900 people aged 16 to 24 were unemployed in Scotland. This is 200 more than the number of unemployed 16 to 24 year olds in July 2022 to June 2023.

The estimated unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 10.0 per cent in July 2023 to June 2024. This was 0.1 percentage points (pp) lower than a year ago (10.1 per cent) but 0.3 pp higher than in July 2018 to June 2019 (9.8 per cent). July 2018 to June 2019 is the last data point in the July to June series before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the United Kingdom, the estimated unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 11.0 per cent. This was the 0.2 pp lower than the year before (11.2 per cent) and 0.6 pp lower than in July 2018 to June 2019 (11.6 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 July 2015 to June 2016 when Scotland started seeing a consistently lower unemployment rate but in the last two years both rates have returned to being broadly similar

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

Source: Annual Population Survey, July to June datasets, ONS

Shaded areas represent 95 percent confidence intervals.

Unemployment by Sex

In July 2023 to June 2024, there were an estimated 21,000 unemployed men aged 16 to 24 and 13,900 unemployed women aged 16 to 24 in Scotland.

The estimated unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year old men was 11.9 per cent, 0.4 percentage points (pp) lower than a year ago (12.3 per cent) but 1.0 pp higher than in July 2018 to June 2019 (10.9 per cent). While the estimated unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year old women was 8.1 per cent, the same as a year ago and 0.4 pp lower than in July 2018 to June 2019 (8.5 per cent).

The estimates of unemployment for women aged 16 to 24 in July 2023 to June 2024 are from a small sample size. These estimates and the estimates of the 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 except July 2019 to June 2020

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

Source: Annual Population Survey, July to June datasets, ONS

Shaded areas represent 95 percent confidence intervals.

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