No One Left Behind

Introduction

No One Left Behind is a strategy for placing people at the centre of the design and delivery of employability services.

Since April 2019, a range of Scottish Government funding has been made available to Local Government partners as the scope of delivery under No One Left Behind expanded over time. This includes:

• all-age employability funding for the initial phase of No One Left Behind (April 2019),
• the Parental Employability Support Fund (February 2020),
• the Young Person’s Guarantee (November 2020) and
• additional £5 million provided for Specialist Employability Support (April 2025).

Since February 2022, the statistics in this publication have included people supported by the totality of these funds. The funding aims to provide support for people of all ages, with a range of differing characteristics and circumstances, including parents, who need help on their journey towards work. Note that the statistics in this publication relate only to the Scottish Government funded activity listed above and do not report on the entirety of employability related activity in each Local Authority area that are funded by other sources.

Shared Measurement Framework (SMF)

The first SMF publication was released in April 2022 and subsequently updated in December 2022 to reflect work undertaken with partners during the summer of 2022 to agree and finalise the new data template to be used for collection of No One Left Behind employability statistics.

The initial data recommendations built on existing data collection practices and activity in place between Local and Scottish Government, formalising key data items collected around the ‘progression’ theme. The new data collection template is further aligned with the ‘reach’ and ‘progression’ themes of the SMF and the data published in this report reflects this.

The SMF is not a final product and the No One Left Behind Strategic Plan (2024-2027) sets out the intention to work collectively to further refine the framework and improve its ease of use and ensure a clearer focus on the wider impact of our support.

Participant journeys will differ in nature and pace, and progression and achievements will vary based on what a positive outcome means to that individual. This means broadening our understanding of success from a focus on job outcomes to focus on the actual steps taken and progress made towards work. It should be noted that the flexibility of the No One Left Behind approach allows people to come in and out of support as often as is needed, so the time between the initial start date and that to achieve certain progression outcomes can vary considerably.

Reach of Services: Who are we reaching and what challenges do they face?

SMF Theme 1 – Reach: Employability services are reaching all those who need support to progress towards, move into and sustain fair work.

Labour Market Insights

The estimated unemployment rate for those aged 16+ years in Scotland based on the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Labour Force Survey (LFS) was 3.7% in July – September 2025, lower than the UK rate of 5.0%. Estimated inactivity rates for 16 - 64 years old in Scotland was 22.8% in July – September 2025, higher than the UK rate of 21.0%. Further insights on Labour Market Statistics can be found at Labour Market Statistics (Opens in new window).

Estimates should be treated with caution as there is increased uncertainty around LFS estimates due to decreasing sample sizes in recent years. For more detail, see SG Quality Assessment of the ONS LFS and APS Data for Scotland (Opens in new window). 

All Participants

A total of 99,242 people started receiving support from April 2019 to September 2025. The number of people receiving support has increased over time from 2,653 in year 1 (2019/20) to 23,918 in year 6 (2024/25). In the most recent quarter (July – September 2025) 5,921 people started to receive support.

Economic Status at Start Date

Data on the economic status of participants were reported for the first time in October 2023. While most participants joining No One Left Behind are unemployed, some participants are already in employment, or may be classed as economically inactive, where they are not in employment, and have not actively sought work in the last four weeks. This may include students in full-time education, some people who are sick or disabled, or those who have retired. In addition, a small number of No One Left Behind participants are school pupils. See supplementary Background and Methodology Report (opens in new window) for more in-depth definitions of these categories.

Most participants were unemployed at start date (58,730; 59%), while a further 18,815 (19%) were economically inactive and 12,008 (12%) were employed when starting. There have been 6,671 (7%) school pupils receiving No One Left Behind support.

In the most recent quarter, 65% (3,847) of participants were unemployed at start date, 17% (984) economically inactive and 12% (708) in employment. The proportion of economically inactive participants was lowest in year 6 (2024/25; 14%) (excluding year 1 where data quality is low).

Further information is available for those in employment at start date. While most No One Left Behind participants are male, the majority of the 12,008 participants in employment at start date are female (7,593; 63%). Participants employed at start date also tend to be older than those overall, with 4,582 (38%) aged 35 to 49 and 2,869 (24%) aged 25 to 34.

Age

Most people supported through No One Left Behind were aged under 25 (52%; 51,121). Of these, 37,340 (73%) were aged 15 to 19 and 13,781 (27%) were aged 20 to 24. The remaining 47,304 (48%) participants (excluding 817 with unknown age) were aged 25 and over, with 16,598 (35%) aged 25 to 34, 21,248 (45%) aged 35 to 49 while 9,458 (20%) were aged 50 or over.

The proportional difference between the under 25 and 25 and over age groups has decreased since the start of No One Left Behind, with 43% aged under 25 and 56% aged 25 and over in the most recent full year (Year 6 - 2024/25) compared with 84% aged under 25 and 14% aged 25 and over in the first year (2019/20). Year 5 (2023/24) was the first year where the proportion of participants aged 25 and over was higher than those aged under 25.

In the latest quarter, people aged under 25 represented 45% of participants and people aged 25 and over represented 54%. Since Year 3 the proportion of participants aged under 25 years has shown a downward trend.

Figure 1: The proportion of people aged 25 and over starting No One Left Behind has been increasing and is now larger than those aged under 25

Participants starting No One Left Behind, by age and quarter, April 2019 to September 2025 (age unknown less than 30 are not labelled)

Sex

Scotland’s Labour Market statistics show that from October 2024 – September 2025, for those aged 16 and over, the estimated unemployment rate for men in Scotland was 4.2% and 3.2% for women. A 20 year time series (year ending September 2005 to year ending September 2025) shows unemployment rates for men have been consistently higher than for women in Scotland. Whereas the estimated inactivity rate for women (16 - 64 years old) from October 2024 – September 2025 was higher at 25.9% compared with 19.4% for men (16 - 64 years old). Over a 20 year period (year ending September 2005 to year ending September 2025) the economic inactivity rate for women has been consistently higher than men in Scotland. However, this gap has narrowed in recent years.

These rates are based on the APS, further information can be found at Scotland’s Labour Market Insights: April 2025 (Opens in new window).

For people receiving support through No One Left Behind, most were male (53%; 52,630), while the remaining 45,689 (46%) were female. Sex was unknown for 1% (923) of participants. Overall the difference in sex has remained relatively stable over time. In the most recent quarter, there were more male participants (3,024; 51%) than female (2,820; 48%).

Sex differences by age are more varied. For the middle age groups, 25 to 34 and 35 to 49, female participants account for the highest proportion of participants, 55% and 59%, respectively. The youngest age group, 15 to 19, has the lowest proportion of female  participants at 38%.

Ethnicity

Overall, people from a minority ethnic background have accounted for 12% (11,539) of participants since April 2019. The proportion of minority ethnic participants has varied across years with the highest proportion (16%) in the most recent full year (year 6 – 2024/25). In the most recent quarter (July – September 2025), the proportion was 14%.

There are age differences. Since April 2019, the proportion of people aged 25 and over from a minority ethnic background is 18% compared to 6% of those aged under 25.

There has been improvement in the proportion of unknowns with the lowest proportion (3%) observed in the most recent full year (year 6 – 2024/25).

Long-Term Health Condition

Data on long-term health conditions was reported in this publication for the first time in February 2024. Overall, 33,216 (33%) participants have reported at least one long-term health condition (LTHC). Whilst this data has only been collected since October 2022 with the introduction of the SMF data template, data for earlier years has been retrospectively provided for some participants.

Since October 2022, the proportion of participants reporting a LTHC has ranged from 39 – 50%. The proportion of participants that reported a LTHC was highest in the most recent quarter (July – September 2025 ; 50%).

Of those 33,216 participants reporting a LTHC, over half (17,942; 54%) reported one condition, while a further 8,470 (25%) reported two conditions and 6,804 (20%) reported three or more conditions. The most commonly reported LTHCs are a mental health condition (19% of all participants), a long-term illness, disease or condition (8% of all participants) and a learning difficulty (7% of all participants).

In the most recent quarter (July – September 2025), 2,975 (50%) of participants reported at least one LTHC, with 27% of all participants reporting a mental health condition, 12% reporting a long-term illness, disease or condition, 12% reporting an autism spectrum disorder/condition, and 11% reporting a learning difficulty.

These figures should be used with caution as some percentages are based on very small numbers and the proportion of unknowns can vary across time periods.

Disability

Not all participants with a LTHC are defined as disabled which also considers the impact a LTHC has on day-to-day activity (see, supplementary Background and Methodology Report – opens in new window, for full disability definition).

Overall, 26% (25,553) of participants accessing No One Left Behind support were disabled. The proportion of disabled participants has varied across years and may have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the change in how this data was collected following the introduction of the SMF Data Template. The proportion of participants reporting a disability was 33% in year 6 (2024/25). In the most recent quarter (July – September 2025), the proportion was 38%, the highest reported to date.

Specialist Employability Support

Additional funding was provided to Local Authorities in 2025/26 to ensure a specialist employability support offer was in place across Scotland by July 2025 for disabled people and those with long-term health conditions. The following data is published for the first time.

There were at least 675 No One Left Behind participants starting in 2025/26 (up to September 2025) who were reported as receiving Specialist Employability Support (SES). The most common type of SES provided to participants was Supported Employment (SE). A total of 510 (76%) of all SES participants received this support type, of which 190 were reported to have accessed supported employment delivered in line with a fidelity model. A further 71 (11%) participants received Individual Placement and Support (IPS), of which 12 were reported to have accessed support delivered in line with a fidelity model. There were 27 (4%) participants receiving support through Project Search with the remaining 67 participants receiving SES through another support type. 

At least one participant was reported as receiving SES in 29 out of 32 Local Authorities in the reporting period (April – September 2025). There are known lags through the data reporting template that may have contributed to this which we would expect to be updated in future publications.

Please note, SES was available in some areas prior to 2025/26. The data reported here is in reference to support provided from the additional funding made available in 2025/26. Therefore, this reflects those receiving SES due to the additional funding and does not represent the totality of SES provision in Scotland. Further breakdowns will be made available in the future as more data becomes available. See supplementary, Background and Methodology Report – opens in new window, for definition of SES support types.

Figure 2: No One Left Behind participants are most likely to be male, white and under 20

Equality Characteristics of People Starting No One Left Behind, April 2019 to September 2025

Trans Status

Trans status was reported for the first time in July 2023. This variable was first included in the SMF Data Template and is only available for participants starting on or after the 1st October 2022. This question is voluntary.

Overall, 1% of participants (857 people) have responded yes to the question on trans status. Of these, 38% (322) identified as a trans man, 36% (311) as a non-binary person, 16% (141) as a trans woman, with the remaining 10% (83 participants) choosing the “other” option.

Sexual Orientation

Sexual orientation was reported for the first time in July 2024. Overall, 71% (70,171) of participants identify as straight / heterosexual, 3% (2,643) of participants identify as bisexual, 2% (1,570) as gay / lesbian, and 1% (746) as other sexual orientation. The proportion of unknowns is high at 24% (24,112), but has been reducing over time, from 68% in year 1 (2019/20) to 15% in year 6 (2024/25).

For participants starting in the most recent quarter, 80% (4,709) identified as straight or heterosexual, 3% (171) as bisexual, 2% (111) as gay or lesbian, and 1% (55) as other sexual orientation. The proportion of unknowns for the most recent quarter was 15%.

All figures should be interpreted with caution as some percentages are based on small numbers and the proportion of unknowns has varied across time periods.

Characteristics and Circumstances

Prior to the SMF Data Template, information on participant’s characteristics and circumstances was collected as a single variable with multiple options. While more than one option could be chosen, often only the most significant characteristic or circumstance was selected. This means data prior to October 2022 has a significant number of unknowns.

The SMF Data Template collects data on characteristics and circumstances as stand-alone mandatory variables. This has significantly improved the proportion of unknowns across these variables.

Unless otherwise stated, the following data was reported for the first time in February 2024.

No or Limited Work Experience

Lack of work experience may be a barrier to gaining employment opportunities. In the most recent quarter, 2,527 people (43%) reported having no or limited work experience, while 3,230 (55%) did not report having no or limited work experience. This information was unknown for 164 people (3%). The proportion of people reporting having no or limited work experience has ranged from 35 – 43% since the introduction of the SMF Data Template.

Child Care

Child care responsibilities may limit the availability and times people can work or the distances they can travel for work which may be a barrier to finding employment. In the most recent quarter, 989 people (17%) reported childcare responsibilities as a barrier to employment, while 4,876 (82%) did not. This information was unknown for 56 people (1%). The proportion of people reporting childcare responsibilities as a barrier to employment has ranged from 13 – 20% since the introduction of the SMF Data Template.

Transport

Not everyone has access to transport for travelling to a place of work, whether it be due to affordability, access or reliability. In the most recent quarter, 1,215 people (21%) reported transport as a barrier, while 4,523 (76%) did not report transport as a barrier. This information was unknown for 183 people (3%). The proportion of people reporting transport as a barrier has ranged from 17 – 24% since the introduction of the SMF Data Template.

Caring Responsibilities

Caring responsibilities may limit the availability and times people can work or the distances they can travel for work which may be a barrier to finding employment. In the most recent quarter, 582 people (10%) reported having caring responsibilities, while 5,141 (87%) did not report having caring responsibilities. This information was unknown for 198 people (3%). The proportion of people reporting having caring responsibilities has ranged from 10 – 16% since the introduction of the SMF Data Template.

Care Experienced

In the most recent quarter, 381 people (6%) reported being care experienced, while 5,346 (90%) did not report being care experienced. This information was unknown for 194 people (3%). The proportion of people reporting being care experienced has ranged from 6 – 8% since the introduction of the SMF Data Template.

Criminal Convictions

People with a criminal conviction may find it more difficult to find employment, for example due to restrictions in certain employment sectors or possibly stigma. Data on participants reporting a criminal conviction were reported for the first time in October 2023. 

In the most recent quarter, 376 people (6%) reported a criminal conviction, while 5,378 (91%) did not report a criminal conviction. This information was unknown for 167 people (3%). The proportion of people reporting a criminal conviction ranged between 6 - 7% since the introduction of the SMF Data Template.

Breakdowns showing the proportion of participants reporting a criminal conviction by Local Authority from year 5 (2023/24) to the second quarter of year 7 (2025/26) are reported in the accompanying tables. These tables were published for the first time in July 2024.

Data for year 5 represents the baseline year for the nationally determined outcome: More people with convictions access support to enhance their readiness for employment, as part of the Community Justice Performance Framework (Access Community Justice Performance Framework - opens in new window).

Homelessness

The lack of a fixed address may present a number of barriers to employment. In the most recent quarter, 213 people (4%) reported homelessness, while 5,526 (93%) did not report homelessness. This information was unknown for 182 people (3%). The proportion of people reporting homelessness ranged between 4 - 5% since the introduction of the SMF Data Template.

Substance Related Conditions

In the most recent quarter, 173 people (3%) reported a substance related condition, while 5,563 (94%) did not report a substance related condition. This information was unknown for 185 people (3%). The proportion of people reporting a substance related condition has consistently been around 3% since the introduction of the SMF Data Template.

Refugees

In the most recent quarter, 161 people (3%) reported being a refugee, while 5,579 (94%) did not report being a refugee. This information was unknown for 181 people (3%). The proportion of people reporting being a refugee has ranged from 3 – 6% since the introduction of the SMF Data Template.

Armed Forces Veteran

In the most recent quarter, 68 people (1%) reported being an armed forces veteran, while 5,670 (96%) reported not being an armed forces veteran. This information was unknown for 183 people (3%). The proportion of people reporting being an armed forces veteran has consistently been around 1% since the introduction of the SMF Data Template.

Asylum Seekers 

In the most recent quarter, 66 people (1%) reported being an asylum seeker, while 5,677 (96%) did not report being an asylum seeker. This information was unknown for 178 people (3%). The proportion of people reporting being an asylum seeker has consistently been around 0 - 1% since the introduction of the SMF Data Template.

Figure 3: In the latest quarter, participants were most likely to report no or limited work experience, transport and childcare as barriers to employment

Characteristics and Circumstances of People Starting No One Left Behind, July to September 2025

Parents

Parents are a subgroup of all participants supported during the period April 2020 to September 2025 (year 2 onwards). Of the 96,589 people who started to receive support from year 2, 30,202 (31%) were parents. The number and proportion of parents has generally increased, reaching a high of 8,766 (37%) parents in the most recent full year (year 6 – 2024/25).  Please note that data for the most recent quarters is provisional, as there can be a delay between participants starting to receive support and this being reported to the Scottish Government. 

Figure 4: The number of parents starting to receive support through No One Left Behind has generally been increasing

Parents Receiving No One Left Behind Support, by Quarter, April 2020 to September 2025

Age

Most parents are aged 25 and over (89%; 26,840), with the majority in the 35 to 49 years age group (49%; 14,941). The youngest age group accounted for the lowest proportion of all parents (15 to 19 year olds; 2%; 700).

Sex

While female participants account for a lower proportion of all participants (46%), they account for a majority of the parent subgroup (70%; 21,213). Female participants have accounted for a higher proportion of parents across the period. However, the proportion of male parents accessing support has generally increased over time from 18% in Year 2 (2020/21) to 31% in the most recent full year (Year 6 - 2024/25). In the latest quarter (July – September 2025) it was 29%.

Ethnicity

Of parents accessing No One Left Behind support, 21% (6,192) were from a minority ethnic background, while this was the case for 21% (413) of parents in the most recent quarter (July – September 2025).

Disability

Overall, 26% (7,871) of parents reported a disability. The proportion of parents reporting a disability has increased over time from 13% in year 2 (2020/21) to 31% in year 6 (2024/25). This was 33% in the most recent quarter (July – September 2025).

Other Circumstances and Characteristics

Parents were less likely to report no or limited work experience as a barrier to employment (20%) compared to all participants (42%). This may reflect the fact parent participants tend to be older and so may have gained work experience earlier in life. In contrast, parents are more likely to report childcare (39% versus 12% overall) and caring responsibilities (29% versus 12% overall) as barriers compared to all participants. Transport was also reported as a barrier for a larger proportion of parents (21%) than for all participants (16%) and parents were more likely to report being refugees (6%) than all participants (4%).

Figure 5: No One Left Behind parents are most likely to be female, white and 25 or over

Equality Characteristics of Parents Starting No One Left Behind, April 2020 to September 2025

Priority Family Groups

There were 1,945 parents in the most recent quarter (July – September 2025). Of these, the following groups were observed in terms of parents and those from families at highest risk of being affected by child poverty (some participants may appear in one or more of these family groups):

• 1,019 (52%) were lone parents,
• 640 (33%) were disabled,
• 423 (22%) were parents with three or more children,
• 452 (23%) had a disabled child or adult within the family (this refers to any other disabled adult within the family, not adults who are participants)
• 130 (7%) were parents aged under 25, and,
• 154 (8%) had a child aged under 12 months.

Overall, of the 30,202 parents receiving support since year 2:

• 16,638 (55%) were lone parents,
• 7,871 (26%) were disabled,
• 7,014 (23%) were parents with three or more children,
• 5,383 (18%) had a disabled child or adult within the family (this refers to any other disabled adult within the family, not adults who are participants),
• 3,079 (10%) were parents aged under 25, and,
• 2,519 (8%) had a child aged under 12 months.

Please see Tackling Child Poverty Priority Families Overview (opens in new window) for further information on the priority family groups and their definitions. Information has been collected based on these family groups.

Local Authority Breakdowns

Of the 99,242 participants being supported through No One Left Behind, the highest proportion (14%) are being supported in Glasgow City, which is also the most populated Local Authority area. North Lanarkshire and Fife supports the next highest proportion of participants (7%), followed by City of Edinburgh (6%). The lowest proportion of participants are often being supported in those Local Authority areas with the smallest populations, such as the Island authorities, however this is not always the case. It is worth noting that while population size can serve as a guide for understanding differences between Local Authorities, local labour market conditions will also be a significant factor, as well as other employability support that may be available.

Overall, most participants being supported through No One Left Behind are aged under 25 (52%). However, this does vary by Local Authority area. A total of 11 Local Authorities have more older than younger aged participants with Aberdeen City (65%), Inverclyde (57%) and West Dunbartonshire (56%) having the highest proportions of participants aged 25 and over. East Ayrshire (67%), Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (65%) and Dundee City (65%) have the highest proportion of participants aged under 25.

Most participants supported through No One Left Behind are male (53%). However, there are more female participants in eight Local Authority areas, with the highest proportion in East Renfrewshire (60%).

Participants from a minority ethnic background represent 12% of all participants. The City of Edinburgh has the highest proportion (31%) of participants from a minority ethnic background, followed by East Renfrewshire (28%) and Glasgow City (26%).

Overall, 26% of participants supported through No One Left Behind were disabled. This varies by Local Authority. Fife have the highest proportion (38%), followed by Dumfries and Galloway (35%) and North Ayrshire (34%).

Tables showing progression by Local Authority were included for the first time in July 2024. These breakdowns are now available using the new progression methodology for the first time in this publication. Please see the Progression section for more details on this methodology change. This data is available within the accompanying tables.

Differences between Local Authorities will reflect the demographic profile of areas, local labour market conditions, other employability support that is available and/or targeted interventions in local areas.

Progression of Participants: What are the achievements of those supported by No One Left Behind so far?

SMF Theme 2 - Progression: To enable an individual’s progression towards fair work and sustained employment. Considering aspects such as improving well-being, confidence and motivation, maintaining or re-engaging with support, and developing aspirations and skills.

Introduction

Employability services are about more than getting people into any job at any cost. People can be affected by both personal circumstances and external factors that might impact their ability to find employment. Not everyone receiving support will start from the same basis and there are a number of positive outcomes a person can achieve in their journey towards employment. It is therefore vital that support takes a person-centred approach and progress is considered beyond only employment.

Note on Progression Methodology

Participants entering and sustaining employment are key indicators. This information is collected by key workers, who note down initial employment details and carry out 4, 13, 26 and 52 week follow-ups with the participants that achieve employment as an outcome. This data was reported for the first time in October 2023.

As official statistics in development, we are continually reviewing our methodology and engaging with users to ensure our publication meets the Code of Practice for Statistics standards of trustworthiness, quality and value. This is important on the journey towards these statistics becoming official statistics. In line with this, we have carried out a thorough review of our progression methodology (see Review of Progression Methodology for Devolved Employability Statistics Quarterly Publication (opens in new window) for more details) and made the following changes in May 2025 to ensure our publication provides a clear picture on how those entering employment are progressing.

• Breakdowns that consider only those participants where the full time to achieve a relevant follow-up check has passed. Before May 2025, all participants entering employment were included in the denominator for all follow-up check points regardless of whether a participant had been in employment long enough to reach that follow-up point. For example, the denominator for calculating those still in employment at 52 weeks included participants who had not been in employment long enough to reach 52 weeks employment and therefore was an underestimate. From May 2025 onwards, only participants who entered employment at least 52 weeks prior to the end of the reporting period are included in the 52 week follow-up denominator, with a similar methodology applied to the 4, 13 and 26 week follow-up checks. We present this data for all participants, as well as breakdowns by demographic variables (including age, sex, ethnicity, disability and parental status).
• Participants entering employment broken down by start year and start quarter. Before May 2025, we reported on the total number of participants entering employment for the full No One Left Behind reporting period (from April 2019 to most recent data). Since May 2025 we break this data down by start year and start quarter, as well as breakdowns by demographic variables (including age, sex, ethnicity, disability and parental status).
• The average number of days between a participant starting to receive No One Left Behind support and entering employment. This information is broken down by year and by quarter, as well as demographic variables (including age, sex, ethnicity, disability and parental status).

Please note, there are still some methodological points that need to be considered for this data:

• Methodology Note: No One Left Behind differs from other employability support programmes such as Fair Start Scotland and those offered by DWP in key ways that means comparisons are not appropriate. No One Left Behind support is offered on an individual needs basis, meaning support varies significantly in intensity, frequency and levels of disengagement / re-engagement for participants. This means unlike other support offers, there is not a set support period before outcomes are measured.  There are also a wider range of positive outcomes participants can achieve as not all are ready for employment. No One Left Behind recognises this and offers support to help people reach other positive destinations such as entering higher education, that will ultimately help people be ready for employment further down the line. This means unlike other support offers, we report on more than just employment as an outcome. Related to this point, to ensure the progression of those entering employment is measured appropriately, statistics for follow-ups use the number of participants entering employment as the denominator and not all those who start receiving support.
• Methodology Note: not all participants can be reached at follow-up points therefore only those that respond and confirm employment are counted as in employment at follow-up points. This means participants still in employment but who do not respond to follow-ups are not included in the numerator but are included in the denominator which may underestimate the proportion of those still in employment. We are working closely with data suppliers to improve the quality of this information and plan to provide clearer breakdowns of who has and has not been reached and factoring this into calculations in the future. This will make it clearer what proportion of participants are still in employment compared to those who simply cannot be reached.
• Methodology Note: Information on the 4 week employment follow-up check has only been collected from October 2022 onwards. We do not have data for participants who reached this check prior to this date, which means the statistics for this follow-up check should be considered an undercount. We have therefore decided not to include the 4 week follow-up check in the analysis below, although the numbers can be found in the accompanying publication tables.

A more detailed description of these changes in our methodology, and what it means for the statistics, can be found in the Review of Progression Methodology for Devolved Employability Statistics Quarterly Publication (opens in new window).

Please consider the highlighted methodological points when interpreting the following statistics on progression.

All Participants

There has been at least 75,065 positive outcomes achieved by the 99,242 people supported under the No One Left Behind approach between April 2019 and September 2025. Please note that it is possible for the same participant to achieve more than one positive outcome.

Of the 99,242 people supported under the No One Left Behind approach between April 2019 and September 2025, 30,857 people (31%) entered employment. Of those that entered employment; 7,116 people (23%) were supported by a subsidy to do so, 2,904 people (9%) started modern apprenticeships and 1,123 people (4%) entered self-employment.

On average, for the 30,857 participants that entered employment, there were 148 days between the No One Left Behind start date and achieving this outcome. We expect this number to increase over time, as participants that require longer periods of support are underrepresented in this count.

A total of 29,064 participants have been in employment long enough to reach the 13 week follow-up check. Of these, 17,619 (61%) were confirmed as still in employment. A total of 27,155 participants have been in employment long enough to reach the 26 week follow-up check. Of these, 13,854 (51%) were still in employment. And, a total of 23,656 participants have been in employment long enough to reach the 52 week follow-up check. Of these, 8,615 (36%) were still in employment. For the participants not in employment in the previous metrics, current data quality does not allow us to breakdown their status and differentiate between those that are not in employment and those that could not be reached during the follow-up check. For this reason, these numbers are likely to be an underestimate. We are working with data suppliers to improve the quality of this data.

Additionally, 14,008 (14%) people were supported entering further or higher education or training, 19,157 people (19%) gained a qualification, 6,896 people (7%) started work experience opportunities, 3,578 people (4%) started volunteering and 569 people (1%) re-engaged with school.

Figure 6: Most participants achieving an outcome enter employment

Outcomes achieved by No One Left Behind participants, April 2019 to September 2025

Age

A total of 17,511 people aged under 25 entered employment. This is 34% of all under 25 participants. For those aged 25 and over, 13,225 entered employment. This is 28% of all participants aged 25 and over.

Of those people aged under 25 entering employment, 5,474 (31%) were supported by a subsidy to do so, while this was the case for 1,627 (12%) of those aged 25 and over. A higher proportion of people entering employment aged under 25 started a modern apprenticeship (2,770; 16%) than for those aged 25 and over (128; 1%). The proportion of people aged 25 or over that entered self-employment (967; 7%) was higher than the proportion of those aged under 25 (141; less than 1%).

On average, for participants under 25 entering employment, there were 141 days between their No One Left Behind start date and achieving this outcome. This was 157 days for those aged 25 and over.

For participants where the full time to achieve outcomes has passed, 62% of those under 25 were found to be in employment at 13 weeks, 51% at 26 weeks and 36% at 52 weeks. For those aged 25 and over, 59% were found to be in employment at 13 weeks, 51% at 26 weeks and 37% at 52 weeks. Please note for the participants not counted as in employment in the previous metrics, current data quality does not allow us to breakdown their status and differentiate between those that are not in employment and those that could not be reached during the follow-up check. For this reason, these numbers may be an underestimate. We are working with data suppliers to improve the quality of this data.

There was little difference in the proportion of those under 25 gaining a qualification (10,420 20%) compared to those 25 and over (8,656; 18%) but those under 25 were more likely to enter full time or higher education or training (10,235; 20%) than those in the older age group (3,706; 8%).

Sex

A total of 13,475 (29%) female participants entered employment compared to 17,200 (33%) male participants. Of those female participants entering employment, 2,769 (21%) were supported by a subsidy to do so, while this was the case for 4,314 (25%) of male participants. Furthermore 1,102 (8%) of female participants entering employment started a modern apprenticeship compared to male participants (1,790; 10%). The proportion of female participants that entered self-employment (694; 5%) was higher than the proportion of male participants (419; 2%).

On average, for female participants entering employment, there were 156 days between their No One Left Behind start date and achieving this outcome. This was 141 days for male participants.

For those where the full time to achieve outcomes has passed, 62% of female participants were found to be in employment at 13 weeks, 53% at 26 weeks and 38% at 52 weeks. For male participants, 59% were found to be in employment at 13 weeks, 49% at 26 weeks and 35% at 52 weeks. Please note for the participants not counted as in employment in the previous metrics, current data quality does not allow us to breakdown their status and differentiate between those that are not in employment and those that could not be reached during the follow-up check. For this reason, these numbers may be an underestimate. We are working with data suppliers to improve the quality of this data.

There was little difference in the proportion of female participants gaining a qualification (8,331; 18%) compared to male participants (10,644; 20%). There was a similar proportion of female participants entering full time or higher education or training (6,442;14%) compared to male participants (7,394; 14%).

Ethnicity

A total of 2,803 (24%) participants from a minority ethnic background entered employment compared to 26,736 (32%) white participants. A lower proportion of participants from a minority ethnic background entering employment were supported by a subsidy to do so (232; 8%) compared to white participants (6,364; 24%). A lower proportion of participants from a minority ethnic background entering employment started a modern apprenticeship (98; 3%) compared to white participants (2,643; 10%), while proportions were similar for entering self-employment for minority ethnic background participants (115; 4%) compared to white participants (947; 4%).

On average, for participants from a minority ethnic background entering employment, there were 172 days between their No One Left Behind start date and achieving this outcome. This was 148 days for white participants.

For those where the full time to achieve outcomes has passed, 58% of participants from a minority ethnic background were found to be in employment at 13 weeks, 47% at 26 weeks and 33% at 52 weeks. For white participants, 61% were found to be in employment at 13 weeks, 51% at 26 weeks and 37% at 52 weeks. Please note for the participants not counted as in employment in the previous metrics, current data quality does not allow us to breakdown their status and differentiate between those that are not in employment and those that could not be reached during the follow-up check. For this reason, these numbers may be an underestimate. We are working with data suppliers to improve the quality of this data.

Participants from a minority ethnic background were more likely to gain a qualification (2,573; 22%) compared to white participants (15,989; 19%) but there was little difference between participants from a minority ethnic background entering full time or higher education or training (1,494, 13%) compared to white participants (11,612; 14%).

Disability

A total of 5,844 (23%) disabled participants entered employment compared to 22,004 (35%) of non-disabled participants.

Of those disabled participants entering employment, 902 (15%) were supported by a subsidy to do so, compared to 5,304 (24%) of non-disabled participants. A lower proportion of disabled participants started a modern apprenticeship (363; 6%) compared to non-disabled participants (2,342; 11%).

On average, for disabled participants entering employment, there were 179 days between their No One Left Behind start date and achieving this outcome. This was 139 days for non-disabled participants.

For those where the full time to achieve outcomes has passed, 60% of disabled participants were found to be in employment at 13 weeks, 49% at 26 weeks and 32% at 52 weeks. For non-disabled participants, 63% were found to be in employment at 13 weeks, 52% at 26 weeks and 39% at 52 weeks. Please note for the participants not counted as in employment in the previous metrics, current data quality does not allow us to breakdown their status and differentiate between those that are not in employment and those that could not be reached during the follow-up check. For this reason, these numbers may be an underestimate. We are working with data suppliers to improve the quality of this data.

A similar proportion of disabled participants gained a qualification (4,737; 19%) compared to non-disabled participants (12,632; 20%) and disabled participants entering full time or higher education or training (3,349; 13%) compared to non-disabled participants (9,036; 14%).

Long-Term Health Condition

A total of 7,741 (23%) participants with one or more long-term health conditions entered employment compared to 23,116 (35%) of participants without a long-term health condition. The proportion of participants entering employment is lower for those with three or more conditions (18%) than for those with one condition (26%) and those with two conditions (22%). Of those participants with one or more long-term health conditions entering employment, 986 (13%) were supported by a subsidy to do so, compared to 6,130 (27%) of participants with no long-term health conditions. A lower proportion of participants with one or more long-term health conditions started a modern apprenticeship (473; 6%) compared to participants with no long-term health conditions (2,431; 11%).

On average, for participants with one or more long-term health conditions entering employment, there were 173 days between their No One Left Behind start date and achieving this outcome. This was 140 days for participants with no long-term health conditions.

For those where the full time to achieve outcomes has passed, 58% of participants with one or more long-term health conditions were found to be in employment at 13 weeks, 48% at 26 weeks and 32% at 52 weeks. For participants with no long-term health conditions, 61% were found to be in employment at 13 weeks, 52% at 26 weeks and 38% at 52 weeks. Please note for the participants not counted as in employment in the previous metrics, current data quality does not allow us to breakdown their status and differentiate between those that are not in employment and those that could not be reached during the follow-up check. For this reason, these numbers may be an underestimate. We are working with data suppliers to improve the quality of this data.

A similar proportion of participants with one or more long-term health conditions gained a qualification (6,628; 20%) compared to participants with no long-term health conditions (12,529; 19%). The proportion of participants with one or more long-term health conditions entering full time or higher education (4,358; 13%) was similar compared to participants with no long-term health conditions (9,650; 15%).

The proportion of participants entering employment varies by different long-term health condition, though comparisons require caution due to low numbers for some conditions.

Parents

The following statistics on parents are from year 2 (April 2020) onwards. There has been at least 18,745 positive outcomes achieved by the 30,202 parents supported under the No One Left Behind approach between April 2020 and September 2025. Please note that it is possible for the same participant to achieve more than one positive outcome.

Of the 30,202 parents supported under the No One Left Behind approach, 8,428 (28%) entered employment. Of those; 861 (10%) were supported by a subsidy to do so, 125 (1%) started modern apprenticeships and 780 (9%) entered self-employment.

On average, for the 8,428 parents that entered employment, there were 173 days between their No One Left Behind start date and participants achieving this outcome.

A total of 7,787 parents have been in employment long enough to reach the 13 week follow-up check. Of these, 4,801 (62%) were confirmed as still in employment. A total of 7,178 parents have been in employment long enough to reach the 26 week follow-up check. Of these, 3,843 (54%) were still in employment. And, a total of 5,904 participants have been in employment long enough to reach the 52 week follow-up check. Of these, 2,349 (40%) were still in employment. Please note for the participants not counted as in employment in the previous metrics, current data quality does not allow us to breakdown their status and differentiate between those that are not in employment and those that could not be reached during the follow-up check. For this reason, these numbers may be an underestimate. We are working with data suppliers to improve the quality of this data.

Additionally, 2,572 (9%) parents were supported entering further or higher education or training, 5,648 (19%) gained a qualification, 1,252 (4%) started work experience and 824 (3%) started volunteering.

Figure 7: Most parents achieving an outcome enter employment
Outcomes achieved by No One Left Behind parents, April 2020 to September 2025