Rise in number of unemployed Scots to 120,000

Out of work rate increases to 4.3%

Scotland’s jobless total rose to 120,000 in the three months between March and May, new figures show.

The number of people not in work increased from 115,000 in the previous quarter while the total number of people in employment rose slightly by 1,000 to 2.64 million.

Scotland’s unemployment rate was 4.3% over the period, up from 4.2% in the previous three months and a rise from 3.8% in the same quarter last year.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show the unemployment rate for people aged 16 years and over was 4.2% for the UK as a whole.

Scotland’s employment rate for those of working age - 16 to 64 - stood at 75.5%.

Fair work minister Jamie Hepburn said: “With another rise in employment rate and fall in inactivity rate Scotland’s economy and jobs market remains strong despite the challenges facing our economy as a result of Brexit.

“Our employment rate has increased over the quarter and the year to 75.5% with 2,646,000 people now in work in Scotland — 82,000 more than the prerecession peak.

“Once more, we continue to outperform the UK on employment for young people and women.”

The number of people out of work who are claiming benefit increased by 0.3% over the past year to 91,980.

Broken down by constituency, the number of claimants increased year-onyear in Dundee East (0.7%), Dundee West (1.1%), Angus (0.6%), Dunfermline and West Fife (0.7%), Glenrothes (1.1%), Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (1%) and North East Fife (0.4%). There was a 0.1% fall in Perth and North Perthshire.