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Publication - Statistics

Labour Market Statistics for 16 to 24 year olds: Scotland and the United Kingdom - April 2022 to March 2023

Published
11 July 2023
Directorate
Chief Economist Directorate
Part of
Economy, Work and skills

Statistics from the Annual Population Survey covering the period from April 2022 to March 2023.

This document is part of a collection

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Unemployment

Overall

In April 2022 to March 2023, an estimated 33,100 people aged 16 to 24 were unemployed in Scotland. This is 2,100 more than the number of unemployed 16 to 24 year olds in April 2021 to March 2022.

The estimated unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 9.6 per cent in April 2022 to March 2023. This was 0.4 percentage points (pp) higher than a year ago (9.1 per cent) but 0.3 pp lower than in April 2018 to March 2019 (9.9 per cent). April 2018 to March 2019 is the last data point in the April to March series before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the United Kingdom as a whole, the estimated unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 10.4 per cent. This was 1.1 pp lower than the year before (11.5 per cent) and 1.2 pp lower than in April 2018 to March 2019 (11.5 per cent). Both the change on year and change since April 2018 to March 2019 represent statistically significant changes.

Chart 4: Unemployment rate of people aged 16 to 24; Scotland and the United Kingdom; April 2004 to March 2005 through to April 2022 to March 2023

Line chart showing unemployment rates of Scotland and United Kingdom as separate lines. Rates increase from April 2004 to March 2005 to a peak in April 2011 to March 2012. Rates decrease until April 2019 to March 2020. There is a noticeable increase in unemployment the following year but the rate has decreased since then. Scotland's unemployment rate is lower than the United Kingdom's in most years.

Source: Annual Population Survey, Apr-Mar datasets, ONS

Note: Shaded areas represent 95 per cent confidence intervals

Unemployment by Sex

In April 2022 to March 2023, there were an estimated 17,800 unemployed men aged 16 to 24 and 15,300 unemployed women aged 16 to 24 in Scotland.

The estimated unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year old men was 10.5 per cent, 0.1 percentage points (pp) lower than a year ago and 0.3 pp lower than in April 2018 to March 2019. While the estimated unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year old women was 8.6 per cent, 1.1 pp higher than a year ago but 0.2 pp lower than in April 2018 to March 2019.

Chart 5: Unemployment rate of people aged 16 to 24 by Sex; Scotland; April 2004 to March 2005 through to April 2022 to March 2023

Line chart showing unemployment rates for men and women in Scotland as separate lines. Rates increase from April 2004 to March 2005 to a peak around April 2011 to March 2012. The rates decrease from the peak until April 2019 to March 2020. There is a noticeable increase the following year followed by a decrease. Men's unemployment rates are higher than women's in all years.

Source: Annual Population Survey, Apr-Mar datasets, ONS

Note: Shaded areas represent 95 per cent confidence intervals

Contact

If you have any enquiries relating to Labour Market Statistics then please contact us at:

Email: LMStats@gov.scot

Telephone: 0131 244 6773

Post:
Labour Market Statistics
OCEAES: Economic Strategy
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Glasgow
G2 8LU

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