Employment, Unemployment and Inactivity for young people (16 to 24 years): Scotland

New statistics from the Annual Population Survey show that 309,000 young people aged 16 to 24 years were in employment in Scotland in April 2019 to March 2020. The employment rate for young people was 54.8 per cent, lower than a year ago (58.3 per cent).

In the same period, 30,000 young people aged 16 to 24 years were unemployed. The unemployment rate for young people was 8.8 per cent, lower than a year ago (9.9 per cent).

In the same period, 225,000 young people aged 16 to 24 years were economically inactive. The economic inactivity rate for young people was 39.9 per cent, higher than the year before (35.3 per cent).

Note: Government policies introduced in relation to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic were implemented in the last two weeks of the period the latest estimates cover and will therefore have little impact on the estimates.

The figures released today were produced by independent statistical staff free from any political interference, in accordance with professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Background 

The latest Annual Population Survey data for April 2019 to March 2020 is compared with the annual data the year before, April 2018 to March 2019. 

Read the full publication ‘Employment, Unemployment and Inactivity for young people (16-24 years): Scotland and UK’.

Read further information at Labour Market statistics within Scotland.

Information can also be obtained from Scottish Government open data.

Official statistics are produced by independent statistical staff – read more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland.

This release was pre-announced on the Scottish Government forthcoming publication.