Public sector employment in Scotland: statistics for fourth quarter 2020
Statistics based on administrative records and surveys of individual public sector bodies carried out by the Scottish Government and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is a snapshot of employment as at December 2020.
This document is part of 2 collections
1. Total Employment and Public and Private Sector Employment in Scotland; Headcount
(see Table 1)
Public sector employment increased by 11,970 (up 2.1%) between December 2019 and December 2020, while private sector employment decreased (down 0.9%). This increase in public sector employment is due to an increase in the devolved public sector.
The public sector is defined according to the UK National Accounts Classifications Guide
Figure 1 provides a summary of total employment in Scotland by public and private sector.
Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 4 2020
Important Note: Estimates for private sector employment are based on the Labour Force Survey. Labour Force Survey (LFS) responses are weighted to official population projections. As the current projections are 2018-based they are based on demographic trends that pre-date the COVID-19 pandemic. ONS are analysing the population totals used in the weighting process and may make adjustments if appropriate. Rates published from the LFS remain robust; however, levels and changes in levels (for 2020) should be used with caution.
Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 4 2020
Chart 1 shows that the number of people employed in the public sector remained relatively constant between Q1 2014 and Q2 2018, before falling in Q3 2018 and rising again from Q4 2018 onwards. Excluding the effects of major reclassifications[2](i.e. taking out the headcounts for all large organisations listed in footnote 2 from the overall numbers), the number of people employed in the public sector gradually reached a peak in Q2 2006, decreased to Q3 2013 and remained relatively constant until Q3 2018. The increase between Q3 2018 and Q4 2018 is mainly due to Cordia services moving back under Glasgow City Council services and the series has continued to rise from Q4 2018 onwards.
Chart 2 shows the annual change in employment for the public sector increased by 11,970 between Q4 2019 and Q4 2020, driven by increases in the devolved public sector headcount. The devolved public sector headcount has risen due to increases in the NHS, public corporations, local government and the devolved Civil Service.
The annual change in Chart 2 for Q2, Q3 and Q4 2020 shows the effect of the inclusion of several Train Operating Companies (TOCs) within the public sector as at 1st April 2020.
Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 4 2020
Impact of Excluding Major Reclassifications from Public Sector
If the major reclassifications2 were to be excluded from the public sector series (i.e. the headcounts for all large organisations listed in footnote 2 were taken out of the overall numbers), there would be around 555,000 people employed in the public sector in December 2020. This was 21.1% of the total employment in Scotland compared with 21.8% if major reclassifications are included.
Public sector employment, excluding the effects of the major reclassifications, would be around 9,000 (1.6%) higher in December 2020 compared with December 2019.
Chart 3 below shows that the overall public sector in Scotland increased by 11,970 (2.1%) between December 2019 and December 2020. Chart 3 also shows the estimated impact of removing major reclassifications from the series.
Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 4 2020
Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding
Contact
Email: LMStats@gov.scot
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