Labour Market Trends: October 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 June to August 2024, compared with the quarter before (March to May 2024) and compared with the year before (June to August 2023).

Information are obtained from a sample survey and are 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 Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates.

Table 1A: Labour market rates, Scotland and UK, June to August 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 0.8 pp ± 2.7 pp -0.5 pp ± 3.1 pp
Employment in the UK [note 1] 75.0% ± 0.5 pp 0.6 pp ± 0.5 pp 0.3 pp ± 0.8 pp
Unemployment in Scotland [note 2] 3.9% ± 1.0 pp -0.9 pp ± 1.4 pp -1.0 pp ± 1.6 pp
Unemployment in the UK
[note 2]
4.0% ± 0.3 pp -0.4 pp ± 0.3 pp -0.2 pp ± 0.5 pp
Economic Inactivity in Scotland
[note 1]
23.2% ± 1.9 pp -0.1 pp ± 2.6 pp 1.2 pp ± 2.8 pp
Economic Inactivity in the UK [note 1] 21.8% ± 0.5 pp -0.3 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, June to August 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]
2,658,000 ± 71,000 41,000 ± 95,000 7,000 ± 104,000
Employment in the UK [note 1] 33,372,000 ± 242,000 373,000 ± 213,000 344,000 ± 367,000
Unemployment in Scotland [note 1] 108,000 ± 27,000 -25,000 ± 38,000 -27,000 ± 43,000
Unemployment in the UK
[note 1]
1,386,000 ± 102,000 -141,000 ± 113,000 -66,000 ± 164,000
Economic Inactivity in Scotland
[note 2]
796,000 ± 83,000 -2,000 ± 112,000 40,000 ± 122,000
Economic Inactivity in the UK [note 2] 9,263,000 ± 215,000 -120,000 ± 193,000 14,000 ± 326,000

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 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

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