Scottish Government and Scottish Government executive agency career break statistics: FOI release

Information requested

1) The number of staff at Scottish Government, or Scottish Government executive agencies, who are on career breaks, with a breakdown of the number of staff on a career break of;

1a) Six months or fewer

1b) Between six months and a year

1c) Between a year and two years

1d) Between two years and three years

1e) Between three years and four years

1f) Between four years and five years

1g) And, if applicable, the specific lengths of any career break which is more than five years.

Response

Used to help staff cope with domestic responsibilities, career breaks are unpaid and cover a specific period lasting from 3 months to three years (with a possibility to extend up to 5 years in exceptional circumstances). Staff on a career break need to apply to return to a post at the end of their career break and their employment will cease if they are unable to secure a role within 3 months.

Please see the table below detailing the number of staff at Scottish Government, or Scottish Government executive agencies*, who are on career breaks as at 28 February 2025, with a of the number of staff on a career break for the different periods of time.

Length of Career Break	Number of members of staff
a) Six months or fewer	26
b) Between six months and a year	30
c) Between a year and two years	33
d) Between two years and three years	21
e) Between three years and four years	9
f) Between four years and five years	3
g) More than five years	2**
All	124 (0.67% of total applicable workforce)

* The Scottish Government Executive Agencies are:

• Accountant in Bankruptcy
• Disclosure Scotland
• Education Scotland
• Scottish Public Pensions Agency
• Social Security Scotland
• Student Awards Agency for Scotland
• Transport Scotland

** For the 2 members of staff on career breaks of more than 5 years the length of the career breaks is within 5 years and 2 months. Please note that a member of staff on a career break has a three-month window after their career break has expired in which to try to secure a post for themselves, hence the reason why these 2 cases go beyond the 5 year maximum but have not been extended beyond the 5 years.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.