Labour Market Trends: December 2025
Trends in Labour Market indicators from HMRC PAYE RTI, Claimant count, and ONS Labour Force Survey data covering Scotland and the UK.
Part of
Employment estimates
The estimated employment rate for people aged 16 to 64 years in Scotland was 74.9% in August to October 2025. This is 0.4 percentage points up over the quarter and 1.6 percentage points up over the year.
The estimated UK employment rate was 74.9% in August to October 2025. This is 0.3 percentage points down on the quarter but the same as a year ago.
Chart 6: The employment rate was the same in Scotland and in the UK in August to October 2025
Employment rates for persons aged 16 to 64, Scotland and the UK, January to March 2019 through to August to October 2025
Source: Labour Force Survey, seasonally adjusted, ONS
Chart 7: Scotland had the 2nd highest employment rate across the countries of the UK in August to October 2025
Employment rate and annual change for persons aged 16 to 64, UK countries, August to October 2025 compared to August to October 2024
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