Executive Summary: Who No One Left Behind Supports and What the Outcomes Show

• Between April 2019 and December 2025, 104,595 people started receiving support through Scotland’s No One Left Behind (NOLB) approach. Participation increased steadily from 2,652 participants in 2019/20 to 23,935 in 2024/25, although the most recent quarter (October–December 2025) saw 4,603 new starts, a 30% decrease on the previous quarter and 17% lower than the same quarter the year before, suggesting demand may be levelling off.

• Around one‑third of participants entered employment (32%, 32,952 people), typically after an average of 152 days of support. Employment is the most common positive outcome, but not the only one: 14,736 participants (14%) entered further or higher education or training, and over 80,000 positive outcomes were recorded overall, reflecting the programme’s broader role in supporting sustained labour market attachment. Of those reaching the 52‑week follow‑up, at least 36% remained in employment, indicating that outcomes are not solely short‑term job entries.

• The statistics show a clear shift in who NOLB supports. Most participants are now aged 25 and over, rather than under 25. Younger participants are more likely to enter employment (35% compared to 29% for those aged 25 and over) and do so more quickly (145 days on average, compared to 161 days), while older participants are more likely to enter self‑employment. However, 52‑week employment rates are similar across age groups (36% for under‑25s and 37% for those aged 25 and over), suggesting comparable long‑term attachment once in work.

• Gendered labour market patterns are also reflected in outcomes. Male participants make up a slight majority of participants (53%), but female participants are more concentrated in core working‑age groups. Female participants are less likely to enter employment (30% compared to 33% for male participants) and take longer to do so (160 days versus 145 days), yet female participants are more likely to sustain employment at 52 weeks (38% compared to 35% for male participants) and more likely to enter self‑employment.

• There may be evidence of inequalities for participants from minority ethnic backgrounds. Although participation has increased to 16% of participants in 2024/25, employment entry rates are lower (25% compared to 33% for white participants), time to employment is longer (176 days versus 151 days), and sustained employment at 52 weeks is lower (34% compared to 37%). At the same time, minority ethnic participants are more likely to gain a qualification (23% compared to 20% for white participants).

• Health and disability are among the strongest influences on outcomes. In the most recent quarter, 50% of participants reported at least one long‑term health condition, most commonly mental health conditions, and disabled participants accounted for 38% of starts. Disabled participants are much less likely to enter employment (24% compared to 35% for non‑disabled participants), take the longest time to do so (183 days on average), and are less likely to sustain employment at 52 weeks (33% compared to 39%). However, rates of qualification gain and entry to education or training are similar to non‑disabled participants, which may suggest that poorer employment outcomes are driven less by skills engagement and more by job suitability and labour market conditions. In response to this level of need, 1,034 participants received Specialist Employability Support between April and December 2025.

• Improved data collection has also revealed the cumulative nature of disadvantage. A significant proportion of participants report barriers such as limited work experience, childcare, caring responsibilities, transport constraints, criminal convictions, homelessness or refugee status, often in combination.

• Parents form a distinct group. Since April 2020, 32,005 parents (31% of participants) have received support, with 37% of participants in 2024/25 being parents. Parents are predominantly female (70%), more likely to be from a minority ethnic background, and more likely to report having a disability. They are less likely to enter employment (29% compared to 32% overall) and take longer to do so (177 days on average), yet they are more likely to already be in work when starting support (24% compared to 12% overall) and show strong sustained employment outcomes (39% at 52 weeks).

• Overall, the statistics show that No One Left Behind is increasingly supporting people facing complex, intersecting barriers to employment. While many participants move into work and sustain it, outcomes are strongly shaped by health, disability, caring responsibilities and wider labour market conditions, reinforcing the importance of flexible, tailored and system‑wide employability support.