The Datum Report

Local area

Highlands and Islands

What we think is happening

The job market in Highlands and Islands has been getting stronger.

improving · strong confidence · formed 31 August 2026 · how we reached this

What is distinctive here

These moved unusually against comparable areas, and did not simply move with them. A change shared with everywhere else is a fact about the country, not this place.

MeasurePeriodValueChangeAgainst peers
% of economically inactive retired Apr 2025-Mar 2026 34.4% +8.5 in the top 1% of 165

By subject

Every figure published for Highlands and Islands. Open a subject to see them, each with its history and its source. Where a producer splits the area into many categories, those sit behind a further disclosure.

Labour market 11
8.4%
8.48.68.72025-12-31: 8.72026-03-31: 8.4 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 8.4 to 8.7 · axis starts at 8.4

ONS, Annual Population Survey - headline labour market rates, published 21 July 2026
±2.0, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

Employment rate - aged 16-64
Apr 2025-Mar 2026
73.5%
73.473.974.42025-12-31: 74.32026-03-31: 73.5 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 73.5 to 74.3 · axis starts at 73.4

ONS, Annual Population Survey - headline labour market rates, published 21 July 2026
±3.2, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

Unemployment rate - aged 16-64
Apr 2025-Mar 2026
3.8%
2.93.43.92025-12-31: 32026-03-31: 3.8 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 3 to 3.8 · axis starts at 2.9

ONS, Annual Population Survey - headline labour market rates, published 21 July 2026
±1.6, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

23.6%
23.423.523.62025-12-31: 23.42026-03-31: 23.6 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 23.4 to 23.6 · axis starts at 23.4

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±3.1, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

Claimant count
August 2026
6,705
6,4286,8527,2772026-01-31: 6,6152026-02-28: 7,1402026-03-31: 7,1952026-04-30: 6,9452026-05-31: 6,7802026-06-30: 6,6802026-07-31: 6,5102026-08-31: 6,705 2026-01 2026-08
8 monthly readings · 6,510 to 7,195 · axis starts at 6,428

ONS / DWP, Claimant count by sex and age, published 15 September 2026
72 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

2.3%
2.22.42.52026-01-31: 2.32026-02-28: 2.42026-03-31: 2.52026-04-30: 2.42026-05-31: 2.32026-06-30: 2.32026-07-31: 2.22026-08-31: 2.3 2026-01 2026-08
8 monthly readings · 2.2 to 2.5 · axis starts at 2.2

ONS / DWP, Claimant count by sex and age, published 15 September 2026
72 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

% of economically inactive 5
—

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
Not published: Estimate and confidence interval not available since the group sample size is zero or disclosive (0-2)
25 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

30.2%
30.230.430.52025-12-31: 30.52026-03-31: 30.2 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 30.2 to 30.5 · axis starts at 30.2

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±6.5, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

9.0%
8.411.514.62025-12-31: 142026-03-31: 9 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 9 to 14 · axis starts at 8.4

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±4.1, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

34.4%
24.930.135.42025-12-31: 25.92026-03-31: 34.4 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 25.9 to 34.4 · axis starts at 24.9

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±6.8, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

8.9%
8.510.612.72025-12-31: 12.32026-03-31: 8.9 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 8.9 to 12.3 · axis starts at 8.5

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±4.0, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

Pay 1
£24,664
6,81817k27k1997-12-31: 8,7301998-12-31: 8,9171999-12-31: 9,1692000-12-31: 9,6362001-12-31: 10k2002-12-31: 11k2003-12-31: 11k2004-12-31: 11k2005-12-31: 12k2006-12-31: 13k2007-12-31: 13k2008-12-31: 15k2009-12-31: 15k2010-12-31: 15k2011-12-31: 15k2012-12-31: 16k2013-12-31: 16k2014-12-31: 17k2015-12-31: 17k2016-12-31: 18k2017-12-31: 18k2018-12-31: 19k2019-12-31: 20k2020-12-31: 19k2021-12-31: 20k2022-12-31: 21k2023-12-31: 23k2024-12-31: 25k 1997-12 2024-12
28 annual readings · 8,730 to 25k · axis starts at 6,818

ONS, Gross disposable household income per head

Business 12
Businesses
2025
22,205

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

16,885

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

1,545

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

75

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

15

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

670

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

20

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

2,775

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

210

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

10

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

27,815

ONS, UK Business Counts - local units, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

15,520
4,51811k17k1998-12-31: 5,6971999-12-31: 5,9702000-12-31: 6,1662001-12-31: 6,4622002-12-31: 6,5922003-12-31: 7,2182004-12-31: 7,8002005-12-31: 8,3442006-12-31: 8,6802007-12-31: 8,9812008-12-31: 9,5792009-12-31: 9,5172010-12-31: 9,6812011-12-31: 10k2012-12-31: 10k2013-12-31: 11k2014-12-31: 11k2015-12-31: 11k2016-12-31: 11k2017-12-31: 12k2018-12-31: 12k2019-12-31: 13k2020-12-31: 12k2021-12-31: 13k2022-12-31: 14k2023-12-31: 16k 1998-12 2023-12
26 annual readings · 5,697 to 16k · axis starts at 4,518

ONS, Gross value added, published 16 October 2025

Local authorities in Highlands and Islands

Argyll and Bute · Highland · Moray · Na h-Eileanan Siar · North Ayrshire · Orkney Islands · Shetland Islands