Scottish Government workforce diversity and inclusion statistics 2025
Statistics on the diversity of core Scottish Government permanent staff and the experiences of different demographic groups within the workforce.
Disability - SG Core
The data below cover staff working in core Scottish Government directorate generals only. Data covering staff in core Scottish Government directorate generals, some agencies and some non-ministerial departments are also available. More details can be found in the notes page of this publication.
Declaration rates for disability status are 77.0% in our internal HR system, 84.6% in our recruitment system, and 99.3% in the People Survey.
How staff disability status has been calculated has changed due to a change in the question in our HR system. More details can be found in the notes page
Workforce composition
Staff who haven’t declared their disability status are not included in the percentages below.
Headcounts
Disabled staff make up 18.5% of the SG Core workforce, compared with 20% of Scotland’s population aged 16 to 64 who are disabled.
The chart below shows the breakdown of the SG Core workforce by disability status and by UK Civil Service pay band or working pattern (i.e. full-time or part-time). Percentages may include up (↑) or down (↓) arrows where data are significantly higher or lower than the overall SG Core representation. The disability status breakdown of Scotland’s population aged 16 to 64 is included as a comparison where available.
Figure 4a: Pay band or working pattern, by disability status - December 2025
Part-time staff make up 16.6% of all permanent staff.
Recruitment
8.8% of applications come from disabled applicants, rising to 14.1% of applicants accepting an offer.
The chart below shows the percentage breakdown of applicants by disability status at each stage of the recruitment process. Applicants applying to multiple jobs are included once for each application they submit. The disability status breakdown of Scotland’s population aged 16 to 64 is included as a comparison where available.
Applicants can request a guaranteed interview under the Disability Confident scheme. This may have an impact on the relative difference between disabled and not disabled applicants’ progression from application to the interview stage.
Figure 4b: Recruitment stages reached in 2025, by disability status
The stages of the recruitment process are explained in the notes page of this publication.
Turnover
Disabled staff account for 9.9% of joiners and 17.3% of leavers.
The chart below shows the breakdown of the SG Core workforce, staff who joined in 2025 and staff who left in 2025 by disability status. Percentages may include up (↑) or down (↓) arrows where the proportions of joiners or leavers are significantly higher or lower than the overall SG Core representation. The disability status breakdown of Scotland’s working-age population is included as a comparison where available.
Figure 4c: Joiners and leavers in 2025, by disability status
The chart above does not include any movement to, from, or between any other Scottish Government organisations.
There is a higher rate of uncertainty in the breakdown of joiners, as the declaration rate of disability status among staff increases with time spent working for the SG Core.
Staff experiences
Figures for staff who haven’t declared their disability status are not included in the charts below, although they are included in the total figures.
Absences
Disabled staff lost an average of 16 working days to sickness absences.
Non-disabled staff lost an average of 6.7 working days to sickness absences.
AWDL is a measure of absence levels that allows for comparison between different groups. A higher AWDL indicates a higher rate of days absent relative to the number of staff in that group and their working pattern.
Figure 4d: Average working days lost in 2025, by disability status
Performance
54.5% of disabled staff received a marking of ‘Highly Effective’ or ‘Exceptional’ in 2025.
66.4% of non-disabled staff received a marking of ‘Highly Effective’ or ‘Exceptional’ in 2025.
Performance is assessed annually in April. Percentages may include up (↑) or down (↓) arrows where a significantly higher or lower proportion of a group received that marking than the proportion among all staff. The overall staff proportions include staff who have not made a declaration.
Figure 4e: Performance markings in 2024-25, by disability status
Substantive promotions
4.2% of disabled staff were promoted in 2025.
5.1% of non-disabled staff were promoted in 2025.
The chart below shows the percentage breakdown of staff promoted in 2025 by disability status. The percentages below are not the success rates of staff who applied for promotion. Percentages may include up (↑) or down (↓) arrows to indicate figures that are significantly higher or lower than the staff average. The staff average includes staff who have not made a declaration.
Figure 4f: Proportion of staff promoted in 2025, by disability status
The “not promoted” group includes the following staff:
- Staff who were unsuccessful in their application for a promotion in 2025.
- Staff who did not apply for a promotion in 2025.
- Staff who achieved a promotion in 2025 but did not start their new position until 2026.
Temporary promotions
3% of disabled staff were on a temporary promotion.
4% of non-disabled staff were on a temporary promotion.
The chart below shows the proportion of SG Core staff on a temporary promotion. Percentages may include up (↑) or down (↓) arrows where proportions of staff on a temporary promotion are significantly higher or lower than the overall proportion within SG Core. The overall proportion includes staff who have not made a declaration.
Figure 4g: Proportion of staff on a temporary promotion on 31 December 2025, by disability status
Pay gap
The data on pay used in this publication covers the SG Main, SG Marine and SCS pay groups, which includes staff employed by core Scottish Government (SG Core). SG Core is not included separately in this publication. This data can be found on the Scottish Government overall page.
Workforce culture
The data below come from the annual Civil Service People Survey and highlight the experiences of staff working in SG Core. The scores below are the percentage of positive responses by respondents indicating they belong to a particular demographic group. Respondents who didn’t answer the question on disability status have been removed from these charts and tables, although they are included in the calculation of the total figure.
Some of the percentages in the charts below are followed by arrows indicating the level of statistical significance. These boxes are also colour-coded in various shades of green and red to indicate whether the difference is desirable or not respectively.
Engagement
61.3% of disabled staff report feeling engaged, compared to 64.9% of non-disabled staff.
The chart below shows the percentage of staff who feel engaged with their work in 2024.
Figure 4h: Employee engagement score in 2024, by disability status
Inclusion & fair treatment
76.3% of disabled staff report feeling included and treated fairly, compared to 86.9% of non-disabled staff.
The chart below shows the percentage of staff feeling included and that they are treated fairly in 2024.
Figure 4i: Inclusion & fair treatment score in 2024, by disability status
Bullying & harassment
15.4% of disabled staff report experiencing bullying and/or harassment, compared to 6.7% of non-disabled staff.
The chart below shows the percentage of staff having experienced bullying and/or harassment at work in 2024. Lower percentages are preferred.
Figure 4j: Bullying & harassment score in 2024, by disability status
Discrimination
16.1% of disabled staff report experiencing discrimination, compared to 4.8% of non-disabled staff.
The chart below shows the percentage of staff having experienced discrimination at work in 2024. Lower percentages are preferred.