We use cookies to collect anonymous data to help us improve your site browsing experience.

Click 'Accept all cookies' to agree to all cookies that collect anonymous data. To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' Visit 'Set cookie preferences' to control specific cookies.

Set cookie preferences

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Publication - Statistics

Public Sector Employment in Scotland Statistics for 4th Quarter 2024

Published
20 March 2025
Directorate
Chief Economist Directorate
Topic
Economy, Public sector, Work and skills

Statistics based on administrative records and surveys of individual public sector bodies carried out by the Scottish Government and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is a snapshot of employment as at December 2024.

Part of

Supporting documents

Reserved Public Sector Employment in Scotland; Headcount

The reserved public sector employment includes:

  • Reserved Civil Service
  • Armed Forces
  • Other Public Sector (which covers, Non-Departmental Bodies, Public Corporations and Other Bodies)

The number of people employed in the reserved public sector in December 2024 was 48,800. This was 8,260 (-14.5%) lower than in December 2023. This decrease is mainly due to an organisation being reclassified from the public to the private sector[1].

Figure 7: Reserved Civil Service employs the largest number of people in the Reserved Public Sector

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

bar chart of reserved Public Sector Employment showing relative size of sectors within the public sector

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 4 2024.

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

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

  • employment in Other Public Sector decreased by 9,630 (-45.0%) to 11,700
  • employment in the Armed Forces decreased by 240 (-2.3%) to 10,000
  • employment in the Reserved Civil Service increased by 1,610 (6.3%) to 27,000

The decrease in the Other Public Sector category is mostly due to the reclassification of an organisation from the public sector to the private sector.

[1] The NatWest Group plc (including Royal Bank of Scotland plc) was reclassified to the private sector with effect from 1 June 2024, contributing to the decrease in employment in Other Public Sector. The ONS published a media statement and a blog to accompany this re-classification.

Contact

For enquiries about this publication please contact:

Labour Market Statistics,
Office of the Chief Economic Adviser
Telephone: 0131 244 6773,
E-mail: LMStats@gov.scot

For general enquiries about Scottish Government statistics please contact:

Office of the Chief Statistician
E-mail: statistics.enquiries@gov.scot

Back to top