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

Employment

Overall

In October 2022 to September 2023, an estimated 314,600 people aged 16 to 24 were in employment in Scotland. This is 5,500 less than the number of 16 to 24 year olds employed in October 2021 to September 2022.

The estimated employment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 56.9 per cent in October 2022 to September 2023. This was 1.4 percentage points (pp) lower than the year before (58.3 per cent) and 2.1 pp lower than in October 2018 to September 2019 (59.0 per cent). October 2018 to September 2019 is the last data point in the October to September series before the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the United Kingdom as a whole, the estimated employment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 53.8 per cent. This was 0.2 pp higher than a year ago (53.6 per cent) but 0.4 pp lower than in October 2018 to September 2019 (54.2 per cent).

Chart 1: The employment rate for people aged 16 to 24 in Scotland continues to exceed the United Kingdom rate

Employment rate estimates for persons aged 16 to 24, Scotland and the United Kingdom, October 2004 to September 2005 through to October 2022 to September 2023

Source: Annual Population Survey, October to September datasets, ONS

Shaded areas represent 95 percent confidence intervals.

Employment by Sex

In October 2022 to September 2023, an estimated 153,100 men and 161,500 women aged 16 to 24 were in employment in Scotland.

The estimated employment rate for 16 to 24 year old men was 55.2 per cent, 0.1 percentage points (pp) lower than a year ago (also 55.2 per cent) and 4.3 pp lower than in October 2018 to September 2019 (59.5 per cent). While the estimated employment rate for 16 to 24 year old women was 58.7 per cent, 2.7 pp lower than a year ago (61.4 per cent) but 0.1 pp higher than in October 2018 to September 2019 (58.6 per cent).

Chart 2: The employment rate for women aged 16 to 24 has exceeded the rate for men since October 2019 to September 2020

Employment rate estimates for men and women aged 16 to 24 in Scotland, October 2004 to September 2005 through to October 2022 to September 2023.

Source: Annual Population Survey, October to September datasets, ONS

Shaded areas represent 95 per cent confidence intervals.

Employment by Local Authority areas

Estimates by local authority are not included in this publication this quarter. See Introduction for further details.