Early seasonally adjusted estimates for April 2024 from HMRC Pay As You Earn Real Time Information indicate that there were 2.45m payrolled employees in Scotland, a rise of 0.3 per cent (6,000) compared with April 2023. This compares with the UK where the number of payrolled employees had increased by 0.4% over the same period.

Early seasonally adjusted estimates for April 2024 from HMRC Pay As You Earn Real Time Information indicate that median monthly pay for payrolled employees in Scotland was £2386, an increase of 4.8% compared with April 2023. This is lower than the growth in median monthly pay for the UK over the same period (6.9%).

In April 2024, the claimant count was 104,200, a decrease of 900 (-0.8%) over the month and a decrease of 8800 (-7.8%) over the year.

The claimant count unemployment rate in April 2024 was 3.6%, compared with 4.1% for the UK as a whole. Commenting on the latest publication of labour market statistics, Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “It is positive to see that HMRC early estimates, published today, show 2.45m payrolled employees in Scotland in April 2024, 6000 more than a year ago.

“However, today’s data also reflects the ongoing challenges facing our economy, including the cost of living crisis, and is why we are investing more than £5bn to grow and transform Scotland’s economic landscape.

“Scotland is open for business and the Scottish Government is committed to working hand-in-hand with business to use the limited powers of devolution to help more people into work through employability and skills support.

“The economic opportunities for Scotland are huge. Yesterday the First Minister welcomed major investment in Ardersier Port while today work will begin on Sumitomo’s high voltage cable plan in the Inverness and Cromarty Green Freeport. Both these developments, supported by the Scottish Government, demonstrate how we are becoming a renewables powerhouse and turning opportunities into jobs.”