Labour Market Trends: November 2024

Trends in Labour Market indicators from HMRC PAYE RTI, Claimant count, and ONS Labour Force Survey data covering Scotland and the UK.


Summary of labour market statistics

Employment, unemployment and economic inactivity estimates are presented for July to September 2024, compared with the quarter before (April to June 2024) and compared with the year before (July to September 2023).

Data is obtained from a sample survey and is therefore subject to some error. Changes over the quarter and year have been included within the commentary of this publication but caution in their use is advised by ONS due to the increased volatility in the ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates.

The latest LFS estimates show that there are no statistically significant changes over the quarter or year in the headline labour market rate estimates for Scotland.

Table 1A: Labour Market Rates, Scotland and UK, July to September 2024

Statistic Headline rate Confidence interval of rate Change on quarter Confidence interval of change on quarter Change on year Confidence interval of change on year
Employment in Scotland
[note 1]
73.7% ± 2.0 pp 0.3 pp ± 2.7 pp 0.0 pp ± 3.2 pp
Employment in the UK [note 1] 74.8% ± 0.5 pp 0.3 pp ± 0.5 pp 0.0 pp ± 0.8 pp
Unemployment in Scotland [note 2] 3.3% ± 0.9 pp -1.1 pp ± 1.3 pp -1.1 pp ± 1.6 pp
Unemployment in the UK
[note 2]
4.3% ± 0.3 pp 0.1 pp ± 0.3 pp 0.2 pp ± 0.5 pp
Economic Inactivity in Scotland
[note 1]
23.7% ± 1.9 pp 0.6 pp ± 2.5 pp 0.8 pp ± 2.9 pp
Economic Inactivity in the UK [note 1] 21.8% ± 0.5 pp -0.4 pp ± 0.5 pp -0.1 pp ± 0.8 pp

Source: Labour Force Survey, seasonally adjusted, ONS
Note 1: All persons aged 16 to 64; denominator all persons aged 16 to 64.
Note 2: All persons aged 16 and over; denominator all economically active persons aged 16 and over.
Note 3: pp refers to percentage points.

Table 1B: Labour market levels, Scotland and UK, July to September 2024

Statistic Headline level Confidence interval of level Change on quarter Confidence interval of change on quarter Change on year Confidence interval of change on year
Employment in Scotland
[note 1]
2,656,000 ± 69,000 17,000 ± 92,000 23,000 ± 104,000
Employment in the UK [note 1] 33,313,000 ± 240,000 220,000 ± 209,000 211,000 ± 368,000
Unemployment in Scotland [note 1] 91,000 ± 25,000 -30,000 ± 36,000 -30,000 ± 42,000
Unemployment in the UK
[note 1]
1,486,000 ± 104,000 50,000 ± 111,000 79,000 ± 165,000
Economic Inactivity in Scotland
[note 2]
812,000 ± 82,000 19,000 ± 108,000 29,000 ± 124,000
Economic Inactivity in the UK [note 2] 9,248,000 ± 211,000 -162,000 ± 190,000 -7,000 ± 327,000

Source: Labour Force Survey, seasonally adjusted, ONS
Note 1: All persons aged 16 and over.
Note 2: All persons aged 16 to 64.
Note 3: Level estimates are rounded to the nearest thousand.

Infographic summary of ONS Labour Force Survey Statistics

This infographic summary contains estimates from Table 1A above, Chart 6 from Employment estimates, Chart 8 from Unemployment estimates, and Chart 10 from Economic Inactivity estimates.

Infographic displaying key trends in labour market statistics for Scotland and the UK.  The statistics from tables 1A above, along with charts 6, 8, and 10 from elsewhere in this publication are displayed.

Contact

For enquiries about this publication please contact:

Labour Market Statistics,
Office of the Chief Economic Adviser
Telephone: 0131 244 6773,
E-mail: LMStats@gov.scot

For general enquiries about Scottish Government statistics please contact:

Office of the Chief Statistician
E-mail: statistics.enquiries@gov.scot

 

Back to top