![[Scotland] Employment tops pre-pandemic peak](http://globalpayrollassociation.com/cdn/shop/articles/bigstock-Edinburgh-Scotland--May----244264195_1200x.jpg?v=1637317766)
According to official data, employment numbers in Scotland have exceeded their pre-COVID peak, The Times reports.
HMRC estimates suggest there were more than 2.39 million people on payrolls in October; 2,000 above than the figure for February last year and 83,000 higher than in October 2020.
The lowest point for employees on payrolls was in November 2020 when there were 85,000 fewer people than in the February of that year.
There were some concerns that the end of the UK government’s furlough scheme in September might lead to a rise in unemployment but the early indications suggest that has not happened.
Separate data from the Office for National Statistics reportedly showed an increase in Scottish employment in the three months to September. It suggested there were more than 2.66 million people in work - an uplift of about 26,000 on the previous three months - putting Scotland’s employment rate at 74.8 per cent, an increase of 0.6 percentage points on the previous quarter.
The unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 4.1 per cent with around 114,000 people looking for jobs. The UK employment rate was at 75.4 per cent with unemployment at 4.3 per cent.
Richard Lochhead - Scotland’s employment minister - said the figures reflect the “continuing economic recovery from the pandemic”.
Alister Jack - the Scottish secretary - said it was an encouraging update “with unemployment down and the number of people on the payroll continuing to grow”.
Estimates suggested there were 157,000 people receiving some form of unemployment-related benefits, such as Jobseeker’s Allowance or Universal Credit, in October. That was down 2,100 compared with September but still 44,000 higher than in March 2020.
Stuart McIntyre - of the Fraser of Allander Institute at the University of Strathclyde - said, “There was widespread concern over what might happen when the furlough support scheme ended in September and these new data provide some early reassurance. Our economic recovery from the pandemic is in its initial stages but the early signs are that the labour market impacts may be more modest than originally feared.”
Ann Frances Cooney - an employment specialist at law firm DWF - said, “The latest labour market figures for Scotland show continued recovery with clear positive indicators of a downturn in unemployment. The repercussions following the closure of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme from the end of September 2021 have yet to be reflected in the figures, creating an element of uncertainty as we look to the future of the labour market.”
Over recent weeks results from other labour market surveys indicate that a lack of skilled workers is pushing up wages and making it harder to fill existing vacancies.
Source: The Times
(Quotes via original reporting)
According to official data, employment numbers in Scotland have exceeded their pre-COVID peak, The Times reports.
HMRC estimates suggest there were more than 2.39 million people on payrolls in October; 2,000 above than the figure for February last year and 83,000 higher than in October 2020.
The lowest point for employees on payrolls was in November 2020 when there were 85,000 fewer people than in the February of that year.
There were some concerns that the end of the UK government’s furlough scheme in September might lead to a rise in unemployment but the early indications suggest that has not happened.
Separate data from the Office for National Statistics reportedly showed an increase in Scottish employment in the three months to September. It suggested there were more than 2.66 million people in work - an uplift of about 26,000 on the previous three months - putting Scotland’s employment rate at 74.8 per cent, an increase of 0.6 percentage points on the previous quarter.
The unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 4.1 per cent with around 114,000 people looking for jobs. The UK employment rate was at 75.4 per cent with unemployment at 4.3 per cent.
Richard Lochhead - Scotland’s employment minister - said the figures reflect the “continuing economic recovery from the pandemic”.
Alister Jack - the Scottish secretary - said it was an encouraging update “with unemployment down and the number of people on the payroll continuing to grow”.
Estimates suggested there were 157,000 people receiving some form of unemployment-related benefits, such as Jobseeker’s Allowance or Universal Credit, in October. That was down 2,100 compared with September but still 44,000 higher than in March 2020.
Stuart McIntyre - of the Fraser of Allander Institute at the University of Strathclyde - said, “There was widespread concern over what might happen when the furlough support scheme ended in September and these new data provide some early reassurance. Our economic recovery from the pandemic is in its initial stages but the early signs are that the labour market impacts may be more modest than originally feared.”
Ann Frances Cooney - an employment specialist at law firm DWF - said, “The latest labour market figures for Scotland show continued recovery with clear positive indicators of a downturn in unemployment. The repercussions following the closure of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme from the end of September 2021 have yet to be reflected in the figures, creating an element of uncertainty as we look to the future of the labour market.”
Over recent weeks results from other labour market surveys indicate that a lack of skilled workers is pushing up wages and making it harder to fill existing vacancies.
Source: The Times
(Quotes via original reporting)