Unemployment

There are low levels of economic inactivity within the Peak District and the area performs well with regards to income and employment deprivation, ranking amongst the least deprived areas in the country.

67% of economic inactivity is retired residents

29% of the Peak District working age population not participating in any form of economic activity. This is slightly lower than other national parks (30.9%), regionally across Derbyshire (30.1%) and the East Midlands (30.8%), as well as nationally across England (30.1%).

Economic Activity of Residents Census 2011 PDNP

A significant proportion of all economic inactivity within the Peak District is attributable to the retired, 67%, who account for almost a fifth of the working age population. This share of economic activity by the retired is broadly in line with the English national park average (20.3%), but higher than either the East Midlands (15%) or England overall (13.7%) averages

Unemployment rate is low but tracks the national trend

As of early 2020, there were 600 people unemployed within the Peak District, equating to an unemployment rate of 1.1% of the economically active population. This is the first time since 2014 the unemployment rate has gone above 1%. Between 2016 and 2020, unemployment increased by 57% amongst the 16-24 age group, by 77% amongst those aged 25-49, and by 60% amongst the over 50s. Rural unemployment has traditionally been high among the young, yet the 16-24 age group’s share of all unemployment across the Peak District has fallen from 27% in 2013 to 18% in 2020.

The Peak District unemployment rate of 1.1% is significantly lower than either East Midlands (3.4%) or England overall (3.7%). Overall unemployment levels declined across all areas between 2013 and 2016-17, but have increased year on year between 2017 and 2020.

Claimant Count as a percentage of Economically Active Residents aged 16+ (2013-2020)

IMD Income Domain

Income deprivation indicators show that the Peak District, ranking as one of the least income deprived areas in the country in 2019, in the 8th decile of income deprivation. Similarly, the Peak District ranked amongst the least employment deprived areas in the country, also in the 8th decile, during 2019. This equated to an estimated 5% of Peak District households with at least one adult of working age involuntarily excluded from the labour market.