Derry & Strabane has highest economic inactivity rate

The Labour Force survey figures show that the overall economic inactivity rate in the Derry City & Strabane District Council area stood at 32.7% against a Northern Ireland average of 24.7%.

The figures for January to December 2023 showed that 37.1% of women and 28.3% of men across the city and district were not in employment, education or training last year.

The breakdown showed that there were 52,000 people here economically inactive, 23,000 males and 29,000 females. Figures in the survey are rounded to the nearest 1,000.

The overall rate in the Causeway Coast and Glens Council area was also markedly higher than the NI average at 30.6%.

In terms of the employment rate, Derry & Strabane remained the lowest in the north during 2023 at 65.4% compared to the Northern Ireland average of 73.6%. Causeway Coast & Glens was also relatively low at 68.3%.

A total of 62,000 people – 32,000 males and 30,000 females were in either full-time or part-time employment in Derry & Strabane last year.

Meanwhile a new Northern Ireland-wide Labour Force Survey of Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) published on Thursday found that rates remained relatively static.

It revealaed that there were an estimated 16,000 young people aged 16 to 24 years in Northern Ireland who were not in education, employment or training in July to September 2024. This was equivalent to 8.3% of all those aged 16 to 24 years in NI.

The NEET rate among males aged 16 to 24 was 8.3% and among females was 8.2% in July to September 2024.

The number who were NEET increased marginally from the previous quarter and decreased very slightly over the year.

In July to September 2024 there were an estimated 13,000 young people aged 16 to 24 years who were not in education, employment or training and who were not looking for work and/ or not available to start work (economically inactive).

The remainder of those who were not in education, employment or training were looking for work in the previous four weeks and available to start within the next two weeks (unemployed).