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Economic Inactivity

The economically inactive are defined as people who are not unemployed and are not in employment. (Unemployed refers to people without a job who were available to start work in the two weeks following their interview and who had either looked for work in the four weeks prior to interview or were waiting to start a job they had already obtained.).

These individuals are not currently a part of the labour supply but are important as they may enter the labour supply in the future.

Estimates of economic inactivity are taken from the Annual Population Survey (APS) data produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which is available down to the local authority level, (data is available for Parliamentary Constituencies).

Note: This dashboard now contains the Parliamentary Constituencies applicable from May 2024.

To view the dashboard below in full screen, click on the double arrow in the bottom right corner of the dashboard.  Key messages in this dashboard are also below the dashboard.

Key Messages:

Current Figure: 25.9% (85,000 people aged 16 to 64) (April 2024 to March 2025) (NECA: 26.5; NE: 26.2%; Eng: 21.3%)
  • The latest data (April 2024 to March 2025) shows that one in four people aged 16 to 64 in the county were economically inactive in this period (25.9%/85,000 people),
  • People with an Equality Act (EA) core or work limiting disability were more than twice as likely to be economically inactive compared to those without a disability (42.1% and 16.9% respectively),
  • Historically economic inactivity rates in females have been higher than in males, although they have fallen over the 16 year data period available.  In County Durham 28.9% of females were economically inactive compared to 22.9% of the male population.  This is a fall from 36.2% in the period January 2004-December 2005 while rates in the male population have, until recently, remained relatively stable, (22.4% in January 2004-December 2005),
  • Economic inactivity in young people was estimated at 43% (aged 16 to 24), (NECA: 41.3%; North East: 41.4%; England: 42%)
  • Economic inactivity in the 25 to 49 age group is the lowest across the main age groups and is currently 17.4%, (NECA: 17.5%; North East: 16.6%; England: 12%),
  • Of the main working age groups, older people are more likely to be economically inactive, 58.4% (aged 50+, (NECA: 61.8%; North East: 61.9%; England: 55.8%),
  • In County Durham only 14.7% wanted a job (12,400 people), (NECA: 15.6%; North East: 18.8%; England: 19.4%),
  • In County Durham over four out of five people economically inactive, (85.3%), did not want a job.  This is lower than the 84.9% high in April 2004-March 2005, (NECA: 84.4%; North East: 81.2%; England: 80.6%),
  • The current APS unemployment rate for County Durham was estimated at 3.8% (9,100 people aged 16 to 64) and is lower than the previous period, (caution: previous rates may have been under reported!), (4%), (NECA: 4.6%; North East: 4.5%; England: 4%),
  • The current estimate of workless (unemployed plus those economically inactive who want a job), using the APS measures detailed above gives a rate for County Durham of 8.9% (21,500 people aged 16 to 64), (NECA: 10.1%; North East: 11.2%; England: 9.2%).

Links to Data:

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