Scottish unemployment rate rises slightly from record low, Office for National Statistics figures show

Scotland’s unemployment rate has risen slightly from a record low, new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.

Between January and March this year, unemployment north of the border sat at 3.1%, compared to the lowest figure on record of 3% between December and February.

The unemployment rate for men – 3% – was the lowest since records began in 1993, while the same figure for women was 3.2%.

For the whole of the UK, the figure was 3.9%.

The employment rate also dropped to 59.5% from 60.1% during the same period, with just fewer than 2.6 million people in work in Scotland.

The economic activity rate sat at 77.8%, dropping from 78%, with around 766,000 people in Scotland deemed to be economically inactive.

Wellbeing economy secretary Neil Gray welcomed the figures, saying: “The continued low unemployment rate for those aged 16 and over across Scotland, including a record low unemployment rate for men aged 16 and over, are welcome.

“We are working to create more high-quality jobs and increasing the number of employees earning at least the real living wage.

“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.

“Recent ONS data shows that our target to increase the employment rate of disabled people to 50% by 2023 has been met a year early, with 50.7% reported to be in work in 2022.”