Labour Market Trends: April 2026
Trends in Labour Market indicators from HMRC PAYE RTI, Claimant count, and ONS Labour Force Survey data covering Scotland and the UK.
Part of
Economic Inactivity estimates
The estimated economic inactivity rate for people aged 16 to 64 years in Scotland was 22.7% in December 2025 to February 2026. This is 0.4 percentage points up over the quarter and 0.3 percentage points up over the year.
The estimated UK economic inactivity rate was 21.0% in December 2025 to February 2026. This is 0.2 percentage points up on the quarter but 0.4 percentage points down over the year.
Chart 10: The economic inactivity rate for Scotland was higher than the UK
Economic inactivity rate for persons aged 16 to 64, Scotland and the UK, January to March 2019 through to December 2025 to February 2026
Source: Labour Force Survey, seasonally adjusted, ONS
Chart 11: Scotland had the 2nd lowest economic inactivity rate across the countries of the UK
Economic Inactivity rate and annual change for persons aged 16 to 64, UK countries, December 2025 to February 2026 compared to December 2024 to February 2025.
Source: Labour Force Survey, ONS
Note: Annual change shown in percentage points
Contact
For enquiries about this publication please contact:
Labour Market Statistics,
Office of the Chief Economic Adviser
E-mail: LMStats@gov.scot
For general enquiries about Scottish Government statistics please contact:
Office of the Chief Statistician
E-mail: statistics.enquiries@gov.scot