Employment
From October 2020 to September 2021 84.8% of the population in the Outer Hebrides were economically active, the highest rate in Scotland, while Scotland was 76.1% and Great Britain 78.5%.
Further information is available from NOMIS (Opens in a new window or downloads a file) and Labour Market Statistics (Opens in a new window or downloads a file) websites.
2011 Census Results
Of the 20,234 people aged 16 to 74 in the Outer Hebrides, 39% (Scot.avg. 40%) are economically active full-time employees, while 15% (Scot.avg. 13%) are economically active, part-time employees. 10% (Scot.avg. 7%) are self-employed, while 4% (Scot.avg. 5%) of the economically active are unemployed. 18.1% (Scot.avg. 14.9%) are retired.
20% of the 13,363 people in the Outer Hebrides aged 16 to 74 in employment are employed in the Skilled trades occupations. This is the second highest in Scotland, Orkney had the highest at 22%. The lowest percentage, (1%) are employed in the ‘Protective Services occupations’, while Moray had the highest percentage in the ‘Protective Services occupations’ (7%). ‘Skilled trades occupations’ along with ‘professional occupations’ was the largest category of occupation in almost every council area.
Of the 7,051 males aged 16 to 74 in employment 34% are employed in the ‘skilled trades occupations’, while 3% are employed in ‘caring, leisure and other services occupations’ and 3% are employed in ‘administrative and secretarial occupations’. The majority of men, 21%, the highest in Scotland, are employed in the Construction industries.
Of the 6,312 females aged 16 to 74 in employment 22% are employed in ‘Caring, leisure and other service occupations’ while 1% are employed in’ Process, plant and machine operatives’. The majority of women, 32%, the highest percentage in Scotland, are employed in the ‘human health and social work activities industries’.
The Outer Hebrides is the 8th highest Local Authority with people aged 16 and over with no qualifications at 30%.
The Outer Hebrides had the 4th highest percentage (9%) of people aged 16 to 74 working full time for 60 or more hours, Orkney had the highest at 11%.
|
Outer Hebrides |
Scotland |
|
|---|---|---|
| All people aged 16-74 | 20,234 | 3,970,530 |
| % of the total population | 73.1% | 75.0% |
| Employee: Part-time | 15% | 13% |
| Employee: Full-time | 39% | 40% |
| Self-employed | 10% | 7% |
| Unemployed | 4% | 5% |
| Full-time student | 2% | 4% |
Source: Census 2011
As can be seen from the table above, in 2011, the Outer Hebrides had a lower proportion of working age residents in the population than the national average. The Outer Hebrides had more part time employees, slightly less full time employees and more residents in self-employment when compared to Scotland as a whole.
| Outer Hebrides | Scotland | |
|---|---|---|
| All people aged 16-74 | 20,234 | 3,970,530 |
| % of the total population | 73.1% | 75.0% |
| Retired | 18.1% | 14.9% |
| Student | 3.3% | 5.5% |
| Looking after home or family | 2.8% | 3.6% |
| Long-term sick or disabled | 3.7% | 5.1% |
| Economically inactive: Other | 1.4% | 1.9% |
| Unemployed people aged 16 to 74: Aged 16 to 24 | 1.0% | 1.4% |
| Unemployed people aged 16 to 74: Aged 50 to 74 | 1.3% | 0.9% |
| Unemployed people aged 16 to 74: Never worked | 0.3% | 0.7% |
| Unemployed people aged 16 to 74: Long-term unemployed | 1.7% | 1.8% |
Source: Census 2011 (Opens in a new window or downloads a file)
| Outer Hebrides | Scotland | |
|---|---|---|
| Part-time | 28% | 28% |
| Part-time: 15 hours or less | 21% | 25% |
| Part-time: 16 to 30 hours | 79% | 75% |
| Full-time | 72% | 72% |
| Full-time: 31 to 48 hours | 80% | 84% |
| Full-time: 49 hours or more | 20% | 16% |
Source: Census 2011
| Travel to work or study method | No. of Residents | Outer Hebrides % | Scotland % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work or study mainly at or from home | 2,678 | 15.4 | 11.3 |
| Underground metro light rail or tram | 8 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| Train | 106 | 0.6 | 3.5 |
| Bus minibus or coach | 2,792 | 16.0 | 13.4 |
| Taxi or minicab | 50 | 0.3 | 0.7 |
| Driving a car or van | 7,796 | 44.7 | 40.9 |
| Passenger in a car or van | 1,712 | 9.8 | 9.0 |
| Motorcycle scooter or moped | 15 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Bicycle | 96 | 0.6 | 1.3 |
| On foot | 1,629 | 9.3 | 18.5 |
| Other | 559 | 3.2 | 0.9 |
Source: Census 2011