ONS data shows near record levels of zero hours contracts – 1.2 million, an increase of 55,000 over the year
The data continues to suggest the jobs market held steady in June, with the employment rate up from 75.0% to 75.1% and the unemployment rate down from 5.0% to 4.9%.
Redundancies fell by 20,000 to 106,000 in the latest three-month period.
Youth unemployment remains high at 14.6 % – unchanged over the quarter.
Vacancies fell by 6,000 over the quarter to 707,000
Real pay growth was 0.7% against CPI inflation, down from 1.4% in the same period last year. Private sector real pay increased by just 0.1%
Responding to the latest labour market statistics, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Exploitative zero-hours contracts are endemic in this country, with more than 1.2 million people stuck not knowing how much they’re going to earn each week. That’s why the government must deliver on its promise of a right to guaranteed hours for everyone.
“Employers are addicted to this one-sided flexibility. But the vast majority of insecure workers have struggled to meet their basic living costs because they haven’t been offered enough hours – and one in three face a financial hit of at least £3000 a year from cancelled shifts and incurred costs.
“We need to get young people into work – but it isn’t good enough to push them from unemployment into rampant insecurity. No young person benefits from a race to the bottom – they deserve good, secure employment like anyone else.
“It’s time for the government to double down on its plans to make work pay, expand the youth jobs guarantee, and stamp out exploitative zero-hours contracts once and for all.”
New findings from neurodiversity charity Salvesen Mindroom Centre (Mindroom) highlight 88% say caring responsibilities have limited their career progression, while more than half provide the equivalent of a full-time working week of unpaid care.
Leading neurodiversity charity Salvesen Mindroom Centre (Mindroom) has published a pioneering national survey examining the workplace experiences of parents and carers of neurodivergent children, revealing thousands are being forced to reduce hours, turn down career opportunities or leave work altogether because of gaps in health, education and family support.
Based on responses from over 250 parents and carers surveyed across Scotland and the UK in Autumn 2025, Holding It All Together: Workplace Experiences of Parents and Carers of Neurodivergent Children (supported by Baillie Gifford’s Neurodiversity Network) suggests the biggest barriers to employment are not caring responsibilities alone, but delays in diagnosis, fragmented services and inconsistent support.
The full findings will be unveiled at an online launch event on 4 August, where Mindroom will present the research for the first time, explore what it means for families, employers and policymakers, and outline the action needed to tackle the issues identified. Registration is now open.
The report paints a stark picture of parents trying to balance employment with caring responsibilities:
88% said caring responsibilities had limited their career progression
80% reported a negative impact on household income.
98% said the experience had negatively impacted their mental health.
55% provide 30 hours or more of unpaid care each week.
74% have changed their working patterns, and 58% have reduced their hours.
Despite this, 69% continue to balance professional or management roles and 44% work in hybrid roles.
Mindroom’s report’s central message is that the difficulties experienced by parents and carers are not caused by neurodivergent children themselves, but by systems that fail to provide timely and coordinated support. The report is launched alongside Mindroom’s 2025 Impact Report, which highlights rising demand across Scotland.
In 2025 alone, the charity supported 2,172 children, young people and families, received 1,801 new enquiries, and has seen demand increase by 309% since 2020. *
Aileen Shrimpton, Mindroom’s Director of Development, says:“Supporting parents and carers is not a niche issue.
“When support is delayed or inconsistent, families carry the consequences, and so do workplaces. This report provides a baseline for action.”
Gill Christie, Baillie Gifford, Chair of employee-led Neurodiversity Network, on behalf of the project team, continues: “Parents and carers of neurodivergent children are still holding work, family life and overstretched systems together, often invisibly.
The challenges described in this report arise not from them or their children, but from the fallout of systemic pressures outwith their control.”
Alan Thornburrow, CEO of Mindroom, concludes:“This research exposes an invisible workforce issue that has been hiding in plain sight.
“Parents and carers of neurodivergent children are not stepping back from work because they lack ambition or ability. They are doing so because they are carrying the consequences of delayed diagnoses, fragmented services and inadequate support systems.
“When skilled people reduce hours, turn down progression opportunities or leave employment altogether, families lose income, employers lose experienced staff, and the economy loses valuable talent. Supporting these families isn’t simply a welfare issue, it’s an economic one.”
To register for the official online launch event for Holding It All Together and discover the full extent of the findings, please visit: ‘Holding It All Together’ Launch**
When John Aiken and Gary Burnett first crossed paths at Amazon’s Dunfermline fulfilment centre, they had more in common than either might have expected.
Both had arrived at Amazon via unconventional routes. Both had quietly wondered whether they were capable of completing a degree-level qualification while holding down demanding full-time roles. And both, it turned out, were more than capable.
Having recently completed the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA) – John through Glasgow Caledonian University and Gary through the University of Exeter – the pair are now among a growing number of Amazon employees demonstrating that higher education doesn’t have to mean stepping away from the workplace to achieve it.
John’s route to Amazon was a significant career change. Before joining the company in August 2021, he had spent years working in entertainment on cruise ships – a world away from the logistics industry.
“Coming to Amazon was very much a career change,” he says. “Obviously 2020 came around, COVID hit, and it was time to find a new career trajectory.”
The shift proved more natural than it might have seemed on paper. John draws parallels between his former life and his current role – particularly around managing people across diverse cultures and backgrounds, something he encountered daily at sea and now navigates as General Manager’s Assistant in the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and stakeholder management space.
When the Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship was launched in Scotland, John was part of the very first cohort.
He completed his dissertation in August 2025, choosing to evaluate Amazon’s community and social impact in Scotland – a topic he knew inside out. The paper was subsequently shared internally with Amazon’s Community Impact team for use with their own apprentices.
“What I really liked about it was the broad topics you were studying and being able to put them into practice literally the next day when you’re back on site,” he says. “It catapulted the visibility we have as CMDAs beyond the levels we’re currently sitting at.”
His advice to anyone considering the programme? “Jump in with both feet. It’s not something you just dip your toe into. You don’t know what you can do unless you try.”
Gary’s Amazon story began considerably earlier. He joined the company in 2012 as a temporary agency associate, fresh out of four years in the RAF, simply looking for work.
“When I joined Amazon, that’s exactly what I joined it for,” he admits. “It was supposed to be a stop-gap. I just needed a job.”
Twelve months later he was made permanent. Two years after that, he was a team lead. By 2020, he had stepped up into an area manager role – and for the first time, he started thinking seriously about his career trajectory. The problem was that a degree was a requirement for permanent promotion to level four area manager, and Gary had left school with only standard grades before joining the military.
Amazon’s solution was to offer him a pathway: first a Level 5 Operations Manager apprenticeship through the University of Exeter, and then a two-year fast-track CMDA programme at the same institution. The CMI accreditation was woven throughout both courses – a smoother, more integrated experience than John’s, though arriving at the same destination.
“I think 82% of people in management positions across all industries are accidental managers,” Gary says, referencing a CMI statistic that clearly resonated. “That’s exactly what I would have been. Now I’m fully trained and professionally accredited – and that gives me a level of confidence in my role.”
Balancing the programme with a full-time job and two young children at home – aged eight and four – was not without its challenges. But Gary credits a shared workplace mentor, who also happened to be his direct line manager for much of the programme, with helping him stay on track. He also leaned heavily on his cohort, forming a small group who would meet on weekends to work through assignments and support one another.
“Lean on your peers,” he urges. “Whether there was much academic value in those calls or not, pushing each other onward definitely helped. It was a problem we were all sharing together.”
Now 35, Gary is a living example that the CMDA is open to anyone willing to commit. “If I can do it – at my age, with a young family, in a full-time job – I think absolutely anybody could.”
Between them, John and Gary represent something broader than two personal success stories. They are the leading edge of a growing community at Amazon in Scotland – with around 30 others now following in their footsteps across first and third year cohorts – proving that professional development and operational excellence are not mutually exclusive.
Pay at Amazon starts from £13.95 or £14.96 per hour depending on location, equating to between £29,037 and £31,116 annually. Additionally, from day one, all employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, and an employee discount. Together, these benefits are worth more than £700 annually, and employees can take advantage of a company pension plan.
Applications are now open for Amazon’s apprenticeship programme.
More than one-quarter (26%) of workers feel their managers and employee representatives are ineffective at working together to prevent and resolve conflict, according to a new Acas survey.
The survey, carried out by YouGov, also found that nearly one in three (31%) workers do not have any employee representatives who could help prevent conflict.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 gives new access rights to trade unions which makes effective employer and trade union relationships critical.
The government has consulted on a Code of Practice on the new independent right of trade unions to access workplaces that is expected to come into force in October 2026. It will provide guidance on how access is requested, agreed and implemented.
Acas is calling on government, trade unions and employers to work together positively to achieve access and prevent conflict.
Kevin Rowan, Acas Director of Dispute Resolution, said: “We know there is a conflict management skills gap in Britain, and our survey shows too many cases where employee representatives and managers are not effective enough at working with each other, leading to conflict and disruption.
“Effective relationships between employee representatives and managers can help build trust, prevent disputes and contribute to productive organisations.
“I’m pleased the new draft Code recognises the valuable work that Acas collective conciliators do to build positive relationships between trade unions and employers. There is need for a balance on both sides on the right for trade union access outlined in the Code.”
Acas’s response to the Government’s consultation makes several recommendations, including how the Code should:
balance rights and responsibilities, clarifying that effective access arrangements be meaningful, regular and could be in-person or digital, and unions and employers should work together positively to achieve access
promote voluntary agreements on access between unions and employers, rather than rushing to formal procedures, and ensure the Code clearly signposts Acas services
Acas offers training, advice and a free service for managers and representatives to help prevent, manage and resolve conflict at work.
Acas collective conciliation involves working directly with employers and groups of workers or their representatives to settle a dispute. It gives both parties the chance to come to an agreement without taking legal or industrial action.
In 2024-25, Acas handled 522 collective conciliations and helped to resolve 93% of cases.
The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) has welcomed strong employer awareness of new paternity and parental leave rules coming into effect this month, while encouraging remaining businesses to get up to speed.
A new YouGov survey, commissioned by Acas, showed that 87% of employers were aware of the changes coming into effect next month, while 12% were unaware.
Major changes to employment law introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025 will come into effect on 6 April 2026.
Niall Mackenzie, Acas Chief Executive, said:“The Employment Rights Act 2025 represents a major shake-up in employment law, and employers and workers need to be prepared.
“It is encouraging that so many employers are aware of the new rules, but is clearly still an uncertainty for some. It is vital that all employers are aware of their obligations and are ready to act on them.
“Acas is best placed as the independent expert to provide advice and training to employers and workers navigating this period of change.”
Employment Rights Minister Kate Dearden said:“No new parent should miss out on time with their child because they haven’t been in their job long enough. Our reforms to parental leave are putting that right.
“I’m glad to see so many employers are prepared for the changes, to make sure workers get the benefits and security they deserve.”
Changes to employment law coming into effect on 6 April include:
employees will be eligible for paternity leave from the first day of employment- Currently they must have worked for their employer for 26 weeks
ordinary unpaid parental leave, will also become a day one right – currently, employees must have worked for their employer for 1 year to be eligible
the restriction on taking paternity leave after shared parental leave will be removed
eligible fathers and partners will be able to take up to 52 weeks of unpaid bereaved partner’s paternity leave if the mother or primary adopter dies – they must take this leave within 52 weeks of the child’s birth (including surrogacy), adoption placement, or entry to Great Britain for overseas adoptions
Thousands of families to gain new opportunities to learn, earn and thrive
As a result of £21 million of new, targeted investment in colleges and skills, families at risk of poverty will receive additional support to train, to help them enter stable, well-paid work or progress in their career.
The Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan includes £9 million for a Raising Income through Skills and Education (RISE) Fund, which will give parents and carers practical help to build new skills – offering training they can fit around family life, along with essential support with childcare, travel, and study costs.
A £2 million Training Access Fund will support working adult learners most at risk of poverty to access skills training, to give them the chance to earn more and build a stable career.
A new £10 million Flexible Workforce Development Fund will aim to incentivise businesses to offer training opportunities to parents earning low incomes in a way that meets employer needs while helping working parents and carers increase their earning potential and progress in their careers.
Further Education Minister Ben Macpherson said: “We are committed to making sure that education and training works for everyone, especially those who need it most, as part of our wider efforts to eradicate poverty in Scotland.
“Every person deserves opportunities to build a better future for themselves and their household. This £21 million package of targeted investment in skills will help remove barriers to training, such as childcare and transport costs, which can too often stand between parents and the skills that they need to get on in work.”
Gavin Donoghue, Chief Executive of Colleges Scotland, said: “Colleges are strong community anchors across the country, and the funding pledged kick starts a range of ways that colleges can accelerate and expand programmes that support people to leave poverty.
“The investment into more anti-poverty programmes is welcome recognition of the huge part that colleges play in making people’s lives better.
“Colleges are an opportunity that works, serving learners from some of Scotland’s most deprived communities and are a driving force for social good in every part of the country.”
Jacqui Brasted, Scottish Funding Council Director of Access, Learning and Outcomes, said: “Every child should have the opportunity to flourish. Scotland’s colleges can play a vital role in transforming lives by providing a lasting route out of poverty.
“They offer access to the skills and education needed to support families enter, remain and progress in work. We are delighted to be working with Colleges Scotland to ensure that the welcome funding provided by the Scottish Government is targeted where it is needed most.”
Scotland’s first Center Parcs resort will create 1,200 permanent new jobs First Minister John Swinney announced today, as he visited the site near Hawick in the Scottish Borders where the resort will be built.
The Scottish Government has committed up to £30 million over five years to deliver the essential infrastructure needed to make the resort possible. The funding, which will be delivered via South of Scotland Enterprise, unlocks more than £420 million in private funding from Center Parcs, which could not proceed without it.
Work is expected to begin on site in spring 2026, with the resort set to open in summer 2029. The development is expected to increase tourism to the area by 38%, generating £87 million annually for the Scottish economy.
The resort will offer families across Scotland a high-quality staycation option closer to home, reducing the need to travel abroad for short breaks.
First Minister John Swinney said: “Economic growth must reach the people and places that need it most. Investing in the South of Scotland through this project is a direct expression of our belief that every part of Scotland deserves to benefit from a growing economy.
“Investing here is a deliberate statement that we are serious about reducing regional inequality and creating genuine opportunity for young people — 30% of these 1,200 jobs are targeted at 16-to-24-year-olds.
“It is a privilege to be here with local school children to start planting new trees for the site and I look forward to seeing the development of the project before the resort opens in 2029.”
Center Parcs CEO Colin McKinlay said: “We are very grateful for the support of the Scottish Government, as well as South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Borders Council, and the many other partners who have worked with us to unlock the potential of this project.
“Center Parcs will have a transformational effect on the South of Scotland, bringing jobs, tourism, supply chain opportunities and significant economic benefits. It is incredibly exciting for work on site to now be getting underway and we were delighted that the First Minister could join us to commemorate this key milestone.”
Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise Russel Griggs said: “This is a significant moment for the South of Scotland, with Center Parcs being one of a number of big investments we are currently welcoming to our region.
“Center Parcs presents massive opportunities and will help diversify the visitor economy, attract new people, deliver inclusive growth and provide significant supply chain opportunities for SMEs and entrepreneurs.
“This investment also provides a chance to tackle head-on the economic challenges of the past which still impact communities such as Hawick.”
Planning permission for Center Parcs was granted by Scottish Borders Council in December 2025.
Debbi McCulloch, Chief Executive Officer of the Spartans Community Foundation, gave evidence in the Parliament yesterday, where she spoke extensively to the Education, Children and Young People’s Committee about the Foundation’s work in Pilton and the wider community.
During the evidence session Ms McCulloch said that North Edinburgh has fantastic networks and collaboration, referring to R2 and that network’s ability to signpost and help individuals and directly help individuals who might otherwise be missed:
Ms McCulloch said that 94% of young people surveyed by the Spartans said that they felt like they had a trusted adult at the foundation.
"It gives people a chance and a place where they can feel safe and they can feel that they ultimately belong to something that can give them hope." – Debbi McCulloch, @Spartans_CF at our meeting on community sporting initiatives for young people: https://t.co/ep3Vl7OxoSpic.twitter.com/t4GZGQ8DAz
— Education, Children and Young People Committee (@SP_ECYP) March 19, 2026
She says the Foundation’s work has increased employment and volunteering opportunities and has provided families with a place where they can come and be listened to in a dignified way:
Ms McCulloch also gave examples of the impact of the Foundation’s work, referring to Naomi Hume, who is now the Assistant Operations Manager, who started off attending the Foundation’s Street Football offering:
Over a third of workers (35%) think that their employer is ineffective at training managers to support neurodiversity at work, according to a new Acas survey.
The survey, carried out by YouGov, of 1,000 employees across Great Britain found that just 32% think their organisation effectively trains managers to make reasonable adjustments for neurodivergent colleagues.
By contrast, 35% said their employer was ineffective, with 18% of those describing their employer as “very ineffective.” Almost one-third (32%) of respondents said they didn’t know how effective their employer was at supporting neurodivergent staff, pointing to a potential lack of understanding of neurodiversity at work.
Julie Dennis, Acas Head of Inclusive Workplace Strategy and Policy said: “These stats show a potentially worrying lack of knowledge when it comes to supporting neurodivergent colleagues, and how to put support at the centre of workplace policies and training.
“Supporting neurodivergent staff can be simple and cost-effective, and it should be integral to any business. When everyone is given the chance to thrive, every business can too.
“Acas has advice and training for employers on how to raise awareness, be inclusive, sensitive, and stay within the law when managing neurodiversity at work.”
Neurodiversity describes the natural differences in how people’s brains behave and process information. Well-known types of neurodivergence include neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia and dyspraxia.
A lot of neurodivergent people do not see themselves as disabled but will often be considered as having a disability under the Equality Act.
The Equality Act gives disabled employees protection against discrimination and the right to reasonable adjustments at work. A reasonable adjustment is a change that an employer makes to remove or reduce a disadvantage related to someone’s disability.
According to Acas figures, around 15-20% of adults experience and process the world differently. Acas advice is that employers should make their organisation more inclusive, so that staff feel comfortable sharing and talking about neurodiversity.
Acas has some top tips for employers:
Support line managers: Give managers the skills and confidence to recognise needs, agree adjustments and help people perform at their best.
Build real knowledge: Provide practical training so everyone understands how to support neurodivergent colleagues.
Co‑create guidance: Work with neurodivergent staff to design policies, guidance and training that reflect real experiences and needs.
Acas has training in the year ahead on neurodiversity and advice too:
Anyone legally classed as an employee
