Employment rate in Scotland falls below UK, new ONS figures show

Scotland’s employment rate fell slightly in the last quarter, according to the latest figures.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the employment rate for those aged 16 to 64 fell slightly in the three months to April to 74.6%, down 1.8% on the previous quarter.

There were 2.572 million people in that age group in work over that period.

The employment rate north of the border was below the UK rate of 76%.

Scotland’s unemployment rate did not change in the last quarter.

ONS data showed the unemployment rate for people aged 16 and over was 3.1% between February and April this year, the same as in the previous quarter.

This was below the UK unemployment rate of 3.8% in the last quarter.

ONS figures showed that 85,000 people aged 16 and over in Scotland were unemployed between February and April.

Scotland’s wellbeing economy secretary Neil Gray said: “The continued near-record unemployment rates for those aged 16 and over across Scotland and for men aged 16 and over are welcome. However, the economic outlook remains challenging, particularly with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

“The Scottish Government is committed to supporting more people into work – including parents, disabled people and those with health and caring responsibilities – through employability and skills support, high-quality early learning and school age childcare provision, as well as improving access to flexible working.

“We are quickly taking forward the commitments made in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation, including developing a lifetime skills offer for adults, which will ensure future support is targeted at those who need it most. These commitments also include the implementation of the action plans to ensure workers are equipped with the skills that employers will need in a green economy. Additionally, our strong apprenticeship programme is allowing employers to invest in their workforce.

“However, with certain industries still facing recruitment challenges, an urgent rethink of UK Government immigration policy is needed to enable increased access to the international labour and skills that Scotland needs for our economy and communities to flourish.

“With full powers over migration, Scotland could boost its workforce and tackle the recruitment challenges, many of which have been caused by the end of free movement and the hard Brexit imposed on Scotland by the UK Government.”