City of Edinburgh payrolled employment was broadly flat in June 2026
WageSight Wire · Jul 2026
- Employment
- 252,583 workers (June 2026)
- Monthly change
- +0.2% (+458 workers)
- Annual change
- -4 workers
- Median pay
- data not available
- Real pay vs Feb 2022
- +£66 better off in real terms
Payrolled employment in City of Edinburgh was broadly stable over the year to June 2026, with 252,583 workers on payroll. However, in the most recent month employers added 458 workers, a tentative sign that confidence may be returning.
Across Scotland, payrolled employment was broadly flat, down 0.1% over the year to June 2026. City of Edinburgh ranked 9th of 20 sub-regional areas in Scotland by employment change over the past year.
Nationally, payrolled employment was broadly flat, down 0.2% over the year to June 2026. Across the UK, 599,257 workers entered payrolled employment in May 2026, the most recently available flow data, while 596,423 left, a net gain of 2,834 workers.
“After a sustained period of pressure on household finances, we’re starting to see the dial turn in City of Edinburgh. Employment is holding up and pay is beginning to outpace inflation. It’s early, but these are the right signals.”
— Paul Hebden, Director, Campaign Salience
Scotland — employment and pay
| # | Area | Workers | Jobs (yr) | Median pay | Pay (yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inverclyde, East Renfrewshire, and Renfrewshire | 162,243 | +0.4% | £2,763 | +5.5% |
| 2 | South Lanarkshire | 150,815 | +0.2% | unknown | unknown |
| 3 | Caithness and Sutherland, and Ross and Cromarty | 39,582 | +0.2% | £2,536 | +4.4% |
| 4 | Inverness and Nairn, Moray, and Badenoch and Strathspey | 93,425 | +0.1% | unknown | unknown |
| 5 | Glasgow City | 276,199 | +0.1% | unknown | unknown |
| 6 | North Lanarkshire | 157,840 | +0.1% | unknown | unknown |
| 7 | South Ayrshire | 44,789 | +0.0% | unknown | unknown |
| 8 | Clackmannanshire and Fife | 182,544 | +0.0% | £2,631 | +4.8% |
| 9 | City of Edinburgh | 252,583 | +0.0% | unknown | unknown |
| 10 | West Lothian | 87,689 | +0.0% | unknown | unknown |
| 11 | North Ayrshire and East Ayrshire | 104,380 | -0.2% | £2,649 | +5.4% |
| 12 | East Lothian and Midlothian | 94,863 | -0.2% | £2,710 | +5.1% |
| 13 | Perth and Kinross, and Stirling | 107,794 | -0.2% | £2,628 | +4.0% |
| 14 | Angus and Dundee City | 113,509 | -0.3% | £2,556 | +5.1% |
| 15 | Falkirk | 74,473 | -0.4% | unknown | unknown |
| 16 | Lochaber, Skye and Lochalsh, Arran and Cumbrae, and Argyll and Bute | 41,507 | -0.4% | £2,466 | +5.2% |
| 17 | Dumfries and Galloway | 58,524 | -0.4% | unknown | unknown |
| 18 | Scottish Borders | 47,125 | -0.7% | unknown | unknown |
| 19 | East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, and Helensburgh and Lomond | 10,024 | -0.9% | £2,776 | +3.8% |
| 20 | Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire | 225,510 | -1.1% | £2,779 | +3.9% |
Notes to editors
Figures from WageSight, derived from ONS / HMRC PAYE Real Time Information. Full method at wagesight.com/methodology.
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