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Publication - Statistics

Labour Market Statistics for 16 to 24 year olds: Scotland and the United Kingdom – October 2021 to September 2022

Last updated
14 February 2023 - see all updates
Directorate
Chief Economist Directorate
Part of
Economy, Work and skills

Statistics from the Annual Population Survey covering the period from October 2021 to September 2022.

This document is part of a collection

Supporting documents

Unemployment

Overall

In October 2021 to September 2022, an estimated 31,800 people aged 16 to 24 were unemployed in Scotland. This is 2,300 less than the number of unemployed 16 to 24 year olds in October 2020 to September 2021.

The estimated unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 9.0 per cent in October 2021 to September 2022. This was 1.4 percentage points (pp) lower than a year ago (10.4 per cent) and 0.1 pp lower than in October 2018 to September 2019 (9.1 per cent). October 2018 to September 2019 is the last data point in this series before 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 2.9 pp lower than the year before (13.3 per cent) and 1.0 pp lower than in October 2018 to September 2019 (11.4 per cent). Both the change on year and change since October 2018 to September 2019 represent statistically significant changes.

Chart 4: Unemployment rate of people aged 16 to 24; Scotland and the United Kingdom; October 2004 to September 2005 through to October 2021 to September 2022

Line chart showing unemployment rates of Scotland and United Kingdom as separate lines. Rates increase from October 2004 to September 2005 to a peak in October 2010 to September 2011 for Scotland and a peak in October 2012 to September 2013 for the United Kingdom. Rates decrease until October 2019 to September 2020. Rates remain around the same for the remainder of the series. Scotland's unemployment rate is lower than the United Kingdom's in most years.

Source: Annual Population Survey, Oct-Sep datasets, ONS

Note: Shaded areas represent 95 per cent confidence intervals

Unemployment by Sex

In October 2021 to September 2022, there were an estimated 18,000 unemployed men and 13,800 unemployed women aged 16 to 24 in Scotland.

The estimated unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year old men was 10.5 per cent, 2.3 percentage points (pp) lower than a year ago and slightly lower than October 2018 to September 2019. While the estimated unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year old women was 7.6 per cent, 0.3 pp lower than a year ago and 0.1 pp higher than October 2018 to September 2019.

Chart 5: Unemployment rate of people aged 16 to 24 by Sex; Scotland; October 2004 to September 2005 through to October 2021 to September 2022

Line chart showing unemployment rates for men and women in Scotland as separate lines. Rates increase from October 2004 to September 2005 to a peak in October 2011 to September 2012 for women and October 2010 to September 2011 for men. The men's rate decrease from the peak until October 2017 to September 2018. There is another increase until October 2020 to September 2021 then another decrease in October 2021 to September 2022. The women's rate decrease from the peak until October 2016 to September 2017. Unemployment rates for women remain around the same for the remainder of the series. Men's unemployment rates are higher than women's in all years except October 2017 to September 2018 and October 2019 to September 2020.

Source: Annual Population Survey, Oct-Sep 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
5 Atlantic Quay
150 Broomielaw
Glasgow
G2 8LU

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You may also contact the Statistician Group Enquiries for general information.

First published
14 December 2022
Last updated
14 February 2023 - show all updates

  1. The Office for National Statistics identified an error in the latest October 2021 to September 2022 Annual Population Survey (APS) estimates at a sub-regional geographical level. We updated the publication to correct this error.

  2. Note added to highlight an error in the October 2021 to September 2022 Annual Population Survey data.

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