The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Unemployment in Scotland drops 3.9% J obs boost: Fewer people out of work and claiming benefits
The unemployment rate in Scotland has fallen to 3.9%, slightly below the UK.
Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures for June to August put the jobless total north of the Border at 106,000 – down from 120,000 the previous quarter.
The unemployment rate was down from 4.3% in the previous three months and is just below the UK-wide rate of 4%.
Meanwhile, the number of Scots aged 16 to 64 in employment during the quarter was 2,551,000 (74.9%) – down from 2,570,000 (75.5%) in the previous three months.
Aberdeen city saw a 13% reduction in its claimant count over the same period, taking the number of those receiving unemployment benefits to 2895.
Within these statistics the 18 to 24-year-old claimant count reduced by 14%.
Aberdeenshire has seen a 2% reduction in its claimant count when comparing September this year to the previous year taking the number of people in receipt of benefits to 2025. The 18 to 24-year-old claimant count has reduced by 9%.
Terry Parle, work coach team leader for the Department for Work and Pensions in Aberdeen, said: “These stats reflect the increased activity in the local labour market. We also had a successful jobs fair in Aberdeen a couple of weeks ago.”
Employers from a wide range of sectors attended, including oil and gas, retail, hospitality, care, transport and construction.
In Inverness, 685 more people are now claiming benefits compared to this time last year – up 23%.
Finance Secretary Derek Mackay said: “There are now 132,000 fewer people unemployed in Scotland than the recession peak and we continue to outperform the UK on both employ-
“Stats reflect the increased activity in the local labour market”
ment and unemployment rates for women and young people.
“Despite the ongoing risks posed by Brexit, our ambitious economic strategy will create the right environment for job growth.
“This includes commitments on the Scottish National Investment Bank and Manufacturing Institute, and in this year’s Programme for Government we have committed to the biggest infrastructure spending Scotland has ever seen.”