Public Sector Employment in Scotland Statistics for 4th Quarter 2024

Devolved Public Sector Employment in Scotland; Headcount

The devolved public sector includes:

• Devolved Civil Service
• Local Government, covering Scottish Local Authorities, Police and Fire Services (up to Q1 2013), Valuation Joint Boards and Regional Transport Partnerships
• Police and Fire Services (Q2 2013 onwards)
• NHS in Scotland
• Further Education Colleges
• Devolved Public Corporations
• Other Devolved Public Bodies (which covers Non-Departmental Bodies and other bodies).

Employment in the devolved public sector was 548,500 in December 2024. This is 760 (0.1%) higher than in December 2023.  This increase is largely due to an increase in NHS employment of 1,730 (0.9%).

Figure 5: Local Government and NHS employ the largest number of people in the Devolved Public Sector

Breakdown of Devolved Public Sector employment (Headcount) in Scotland as at December 2024

Note: Totals may not equal the sum of the individual parts due to rounding

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 4 2024

The increase over the year in the devolved public sector headcount was due to the following changes (changes are given from December 2023 to December 2024):

• employment in NHS increased by 1,730 (0.9%) to 188,100[1]
• employment in Devolved Civil Service increased by 630 (2.3%) to 28,500
• employment in Other Public Bodies increased by 460 (2.0%) to 23,100
• employment in Public Corporations increased by 440 (5.4%) to 9,000

while:

• employment in Local Government decreased by 2,350 (-0.9%) to 261,000
• employment in Further Education Colleges decreased by 150 (-1.2%) to 12,200

and

• employment in Police and Fire Related Services was unchanged at 27,400

Figure 6: Public Corporations had the largest percentage increase over the year across the Devolved Public Sector

Change in Devolved Public Sector employment (Headcount) in Scotland from December 2023 to December 2024

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 4 2024