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Social Justice
a Scotland where everyone matters
Indicators of Progress 2003

FAMILIES AND WORKING AGE PEOPLE

Milestone 13: Reducing the proportion of unemployed working age people

This milestone is directly measured by information taken from the spring quarter of the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The indicator is defined as the proportion of economically active working age people in Scotland who are without a job, are available to start in the next two weeks and who have been seeking a job in the last 4 weeks, or who are waiting to start a job already obtained in the next 2 weeks.

Unemployed working age people

Since 1997 there has been a steady decrease in the percentage of unemployed economically active people of working age. In spring 1997, some 8.5 per cent of the working age economically active population were unemployed. The figure for spring 2003 stands at some 5.5 per cent.

Chart 13a: Percentage of unemployed working age economically active people, spring 1990 - spring 2003

Source: Labour Force Survey: Office for National Statistics

Gender analysis

Since spring 1997, the female unemployment rate has been consistently lower than the male unemployment rate. Both the male and female unemployment rates have fallen during this time, with the female rate falling from 6.9 to 4.8 per cent, and the male rate falling from 9.8 to 6 per cent.

Disability analysis

The Labour Force Survey collects information based on a question about whether an individual has any health problems or disabilities that are expected to last for more than 12 months. This is a broad measure of disability and ill health.

Looking at the proportion of unemployed working age people, since 1998 the figures have consistently shown that around 1 in 5 unemployed working age people have a disability as defined by the LFS. This should be seen in light of the fact that around 1 in 5 of all working age people surveyed in the LFS had a disability. However, just over 50 per cent of the working age population who are economically inactive had a disability'

Long and short term unemployment

When looking at the duration of unemployment over the period 1997 through to 2003, the LFS shows that the percentage of unemployed people who are without a job for one year or longer fallen from over 35 per cent in 1997 to 25 per cent in 2003.

Analysis from the 2001 Census

The 2001 Census allows a comparison of unemployment rates between various subgroups and areas to be made. The 2001 Census information on unemployment is not directly comparable with the LFS because (i) The census is a self-completion survey whereas the Labour Force Survey is based on interview; (ii) the census is based on 100% sample of the population, whereas the Labour Force Survey produces estimates based on a survey of a smaller sample of the population and subject to sampling error; and (iii) the Census data is a snapshot of circumstances at 29 April 2001 and the Labour Force Survey covers a specified period. The LFS is the official source of labour market statistics.

The 2001 Census showed the Scotland unemployment rate to be 7 per cent. There are differences in the unemployment rates across council areas. Glasgow City, Dundee City and North Ayrshire have unemployment rates of between 10 and 11 per cent, whereas, Aberdeenshire, East Lothian and East Renfrewshire, Midlothian and the Shetland Islands have unemployment rates of 4 per cent. Across all council areas, male unemployment rates are higher than female unemployment rates. Glasgow City has the highest male unemployment rate of 14% and North Ayrshire and East Ayrshire have the highest female unemployment rate of 8%. Seven council areas have male unemployment rates of between 10 and 14 per cent.

Generally speaking the accessible rural parts of Scotland had below average unemployment rates and the large urban areas had above average unemployment rates. It is worth noting that remote rural and remote small towns unemployment rates are one percentage point higher than accessible rural and accessible small towns.

The 2001 Census results show that the unemployment rates within minority ethnic groups are relatively higher than the Scotland level unemployment rates.

Looking at the Interim Scottish Multiple Index of Deprivation, there is a gap between the unemployment rates in the most and least relatively deprived wards. Unemployment in the most relatively deprived wards stands at 12 per cent.

Table 13b: Percentage of unemployed working age economically active people by council area, urban rural classification, minority ethnic group and Interim Scottish Multiple Index of Deprivation, 2001 Census

Background data

The following background data corresponds to the charts and commentary included in this milestone.

Table 13c: Percentage of unemployed working age economically active people, spring 1990 - spring 2003

Source: Labour Force Survey : Office for National Statistics
Notes: Figures from spring each year

Availability of data and references

The publication of the 2001 Census of Population has resulted in population estimates being revised. This means the historical series of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) needs to be re-weighted using these revised population estimates. However, publication of the Mid-2002 population estimates for England and Wales was delayed until 19 September 2003. As a result, the re-weighting exercise for all the LFS data for GB has been delayed. The Office for National Statistics will announce the timetable for release of the revised data as soon as possible.

The LFS data used in this report is therefore not consistent with the 2001 Census based population revisions.

In addition, the Scottish Executive and the Office for National Statistics have jointly undertaken an exercise to boost the Scottish element of the Labour Force Survey. This will produce better estimates for the milestones that are based on the LFS and for some indicators further disaggregation by key client groups and geographical areas will be possible, including an urban/ rural split. It is anticipated that results from the first year of the boosted survey will be available in Autumn 2004.

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