| Unemployment |
| Monthly Unemployment Figures |
| Employment |
Introduction
Unemployment rates vary month to month throughout regions in Scotland. In general however, the unemployment rate is consistently higher in the Western Isles compared to the national average. Due to the way Census results are collated unemployment is categorised under economic activity i.e. those actively seeking employment. In the Western Isles in 2001 the unemployed accounted for 5% of all those of working age the equivalent figure for Scotland was 4%. In 2006, NOMIS estimate the percentage of those who are in economically active age range and are unemployed to be 5% in the Western Isles and 5.5% in Scotland.
Unemployment
Unemployment in the Western Isles in February 2007was 3.8%. This compares to 2.5% for the HIE area; 2.8% for Scotland and 2.6% for the UK. Follow the link for current unemployment rates.
The graph above indicates that over the last ten years the unemployment rate in the Western Isles has fallen from a high of 9.3% in July 1996 to a low of 2.7% in October 2005.
Unemployment Rates Dec 2003 to Dec 2005 - 1998 Travel to Work Areas (TTWAs)
1998 TTWA |
Dec 2006 (%) |
Dec 2005 (%) |
Dec 2004 (%) |
Dec 2003 (%) |
Lewis and Harris |
6.5 |
3.2 |
3.7 |
4.4 |
Uists and Barra |
3.0 |
3.2 |
3.7 |
3.8 |
Skye and Ullapool |
3.1 |
3.1 |
3.6 |
4.0 |
Argyll Islands |
2.2 |
2.2 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
Orkney Islands |
1.6 |
1.4 |
1.5 |
2.0 |
Shetland Isles |
1.4 |
1.7 |
1.6 |
1.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
HIE Area |
2.3 |
2.4 |
2.5 |
2.8 |
Scotland |
2.6 |
2.6 |
2.7 |
3.1 |
Great Britain |
2.5 |
2.4 |
2.2 |
2.4 |
Source: Highlands and Islands Enterprise – Unemployment Report, Feb 2007)
Economic Inactivity (2001 Census Figures)
Economically Inactive (16-74)
|
Western Isles |
Scotland |
All people aged 16-74 |
18,949 |
3,731,079 |
% of the total population |
71.5% |
73.7% |
Retired |
16% |
14% |
Student |
3% |
4% |
Looking after family / home |
5% |
6% |
Permanently sick / disabled |
6% |
7% |
Other |
4% |
4% |
Total Economically Inactive |
34% |
35% |
Notes: 1 Part-time is defined as working up to 30 hours and Full-time 31 or more hours a week. 2 "Long-term unemployed" are those who stated they have not worked since 1999 or earlier. 3 'Employees' and 'Self-employed' excludes full-time students. 4 'Unemployed' excludes full-time students. 5 'Economically active full-time students' comprises full-time students who are in employment or unemployed. |
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Source: Census 2001 http://www.scrol.gov.uk