Latest Unemployment Figures for Scotland March-May 2025 and Latest Pay Levels

17th July 2025

Scotland's unemployment rate for individuals aged 16 and over stood at 3.7% between March and May 2025 This is a decline of 0.5 percentage points from the previous quarter and below the UK-wide rate of 4.7%.

Number of Unemployed
An estimated 102,000 people aged 16 and over were unemployed in Scotland during this period.

Employment Rate and Total Employed
The employment rate for those aged 16 to 64 rose to 74.9%, up 0.6 percentage points quarter-on-quarter.

Between March and May 2025, approximately 2,674,000 people aged 16 and over were in employment in Scotland.

Payrolled Employees (HMRC Early Estimates)
Early estimates for June 2025 suggest there were around 2.45 million payrolled employees in Scotland, underscoring continued labour-market resilience.

These figures highlight Scotland's relatively robust labour market, with joblessness below the UK average and steady employment growth.

Median Weekly Earnings (Full-Time Employees)
Median gross weekly pay in Scotland: £662

Annual growth: 5.4% up on May 2024

Median Hourly Earnings (Full-Time Employees)
Median gross hourly rate: £17.08

Annual growth: 5.1% up on May 2024

Median Monthly Earnings
Median gross monthly pay (full-time equivalent): £2,550

Annual growth: approx. 5.2% up on May 2024.