Fair Work Action Plan: indicator report 2026

3. Structure of the report

The remainder of the report is structured as follows. The sections in the report set out data for the indicators that have been developed for the outcomes articulated in the Fair Work Action Plan and Evidence Plan. There are differing numbers of indicators available for each outcome, as illustrated:

• Section 4: Fair Work is embedded in the public sectors: 6 indicators;
• Section 5: Fair Work is embedded in public sector financial support: 2 indicators;
• Section 6: Employers are supported to offer Fair Work: 2 indicators;
• Section 7: People are supported to prepare for, access and sustain Fair Work: 7 indicators.

The information for each indicator has been updated using the most recent data available as at 18 September 2026.

However, five of the 17 indicators could not be fully updated due to data availability, mainly because they draw on data from Scotland’s Census 2022 or relate to Fair Start Scotland which closed to new entrants in April 2024. These indicators have been included here for completeness, and are:

• 4.5 – Public sector employment composition: Partial update only as data on disability and ethnicity breakdowns had to be drawn from Scotland’s Census 2022 rather than APS due to data quality issues.
• 5.1 – Regulated contracts with Fair Work First criteria: Partial update only as no new data is available on the proportion of SG suppliers who have committed to pay the real Living Wage
• 7.5 – People supported through Fair Start Scotland: No update as this indicator examines Fair Start Scotland starts and the scheme stopped to new entrants in April 2024
• 7.6 – Progression of people supported through Fair Start Scotland: No update as the scheme stopped to new entrants in April 2024 quarterly and updates were paused at the end of 2025. The final report is due out in November 2026
• 7.7 – Occupational segregation: No update as data had to be drawn from Scotland’s Census 2022 rather than APS due to data quality issues.

The following indicators were envisaged at time of framework development, but have not been included due to a range of data challenges as outlined in Annex C:

• Section 4: Fair Work is embedded in the public sectors
  • Proportion of public sector employers publishing pay gap and action plans
  • Public sector employment by disability and ethnicity
  • Intersectional gender employment gap
  • Occupational segregation (gender)
• Section 6: Employers are supported to offer Fair Work
  • Trade Union membership in Fair Work sectors
  • Intersectional gender employment gap
  • Occupational segregation (gender)
• Section 7: People are supported to prepare for, access and sustain Fair Work:
  • Disability pay gap and ethnicity pay gap
  • Intersectional gender employment gap
  • Occupational segregation (gender)

Disaggregation by equalities characteristics have also been included where indicator design and data availability permit.