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Work

Employment, inactivity, skills, who is paid to work here.

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ONS LFS via SG Labour Market Trends August 2026; volatility caveat.

  • Employment rate (ages 16-64)

    74%Published

    ONS LFS via SG. CI ±1.7 pp. ONS advises caution due to LFS volatility/imputation.

  • Unemployment rate (ages 16+)

    5.1%Published

    ONS LFS via SG. CI ±1.0 pp. Interpret with caution.

  • Economic inactivity rate (ages 16-64)

    22%Published

    ONS LFS via SG. CI ±1.6 pp.

  • Employment level (ages 16+)

    2,634,000Published

    ONS LFS via SG. CI ±58,000.

  • Unemployment level (ages 16+)

    140,000Published

    ONS LFS via SG. CI ±28,000.

Still missing

  • LFS quarterly headlines are not the annual average series. They are not added.

Scotland labour market headlines (LFS)

Scotland. Blank years are missing, not zero. Source

  • employment rate 16 6474%
  • unemployment rate 16plus5.1%
  • inactivity rate 16 6422%
  • employment level2,634,000
  • unemployment level140,000

April–June 2026 quarterly headline (SG Labour Market Trends Aug 2026). For 10-year charting use series.work.lfs_annual_rates (ONS calendar-year annual averages LF42/YCNN/LF5K, 2016–2025). LFS volatility caveats apply.

Scotland LFS annual average rates (ONS)

Scotland. Blank years are missing, not zero. Source

  • 201673.6% · 5.2% · 22.2%
  • 201774.7% · 4.2% · 22%
  • 201875.1% · 3.9% · 21.8%
  • 201974.7% · 3.5% · 22.5%
  • 202073.2% · 4.5% · 23.3%
  • 202173.5% · 4.3% · 23.1%
  • 202274.7% · 3.4% · 22.6%
  • 202373.7% · 4.1% · 23.1%
  • 202473.4% · 4% · 23.4%
  • 202574.7% · 3.8% · 22.2%

Calendar-year annual averages, seasonally adjusted. Years held 2016–2025 (10). LFS sample-size/volatility caveats apply — use alongside PAYE/claimant sources. Distinct from latest quarterly Labour Market Trends headlines (series.work.labour_market_headlines).

Sources