Abstract
Economic inactivity has historically been high in Northern Ireland (NI) when compared to the other United Kingdom (UK) countries. The following Research Bulletin sheds light on this phenomenon by drawing on recent research conducted by the Economic & Social Research Institute (ESRI) and Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) on behalf of the Department for the Economy. The Bulletin examines both headline inactivity rates and more granular patterns of inactivity (i.e., heterogeneity between inactivity forms). Inactivity patterns in NI are compared with the UK average and Ireland. The Bulletin also examines inactivity by gender and age, and provides a focus on post-Covid-19 pandemic inactivity rates. Finally, qualitative work is drawn upon to shed light on reasons behind the high rates of inactivity, providing insights into different barriers people face in accessing the labour market.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Volume | 23 |
| No. | 10 |
| Specialist publication | Northern Ireland Department for Economy Research Bulletin |
| Publication status | Published - 19 Dec 2023 |