A range of statistics about inequalities in Scotland.

1. 1

2. Background Information of Change in
Scotland
Contents
1. Purpose of the analysis
2. Definitions and terms
3. Inequality and the economy
4. Income and wealth inequality
5. Poverty
6. Health
7. Education
8. Social inclusion
9. Crime and justice
10. Human Rights
2

3. The aim of this document is to provide a range of information to support
discussions about how Scotland is changing, and what sort of country we
would like to live in.
The material seeks to:
• Define key concepts
• Provide a brief overview of the progress that is already being made in
Scotland; and
• Outline some of the key challenges we face in tackling inequalities to
help you and your group think about how we might change to make
things better
The information is intended to support conversations about priorities and
responses. Through these facilitated conversations we are seeking to build a
shared view about how we might collectively act to create a Fairer Scotland.
Further information is available on the Social Justice website at
http://fairer.scot/
1. Purpose of the analysis
3

4. • Social justice: an umbrella term referring to a commitment to tackling
poverty, disadvantage and inequality - and to promoting and furthering
equality. It is concerned with the distribution of wealth and opportunities in
society, and involves working to create the conditions for everyone to
succeed in life.
• Equality: ensuring that every individual has an equal opportunity to make
the most of their lives and believing that no one should have poorer life
chances because of who they are, where they were born, what they
believe, or whether they have a disability.
• Human Rights: the wider set of fundamental rights to which everyone in
society is entitled. Human rights are not just about things like privacy or
freedom of expression. They also include economic and social rights – like
decent housing, an adequate standard of living or the best attainable
standard of physical and mental health. Achieving social justice requires
public authorities to meet established human rights obligations.
2. Definitions and terms
4

5. • Inclusive growth: growth that combines increased prosperity with greater
equity; that creates opportunities for all and distributes the dividends of
increased prosperity fairly.
• Inequalities: While the population of Scotland as a whole is benefiting
from better circumstances, greater opportunities and improved outcomes,
these benefits are not shared equally. Inequalities are the systematic
differences that we observe between groups in society.
• Inequalities affect people according to their social and economic status
and demographic factors (e.g. age; gender; ethnicity etc.). Inequalities
are also evident between geographical areas and communities. Some
groups are particularly at risk due to a combination of these factors.
• Inequalities exist in a range of domains (health, education, wealth etc.).
They may be seen in the form of life-chances, conditions, opportunities,
rewards or outcomes.
5
Definitions and terms

6. 3. Inequality and the economy
6
• Recent international research suggests that inequality has a negative
impact on economic growth, performance and resilience. For instance,
analyses by researchers at the OECD estimate that rising inequality in the
UK reduced GDP per capita growth by 9 percentage points between 1990
and 2010¹.
• Together with other emerging international evidence, this suggests that
tackling inequality and improving social justice are important for improving
economic performance as well as for a wide range of other reasons
including:
• improved educational and health experiences and outcomes,
• more cohesive, connected and resilient communities, and
• greater equality of opportunity and life chances.
• The Scottish Economic Strategy is based on the recognition that improving
economic performance and tackling inequality are mutually supportive
processes.

7. Scotland’s economic framework
7

8. Scottish Government economic strategy
8

9. 9
Scotland has strong economic foundations
• Scotland is a wealthy and productive nation, with GDP per head that
ranks among the top 20 OECD countries.
• Scotland has a highly skilled workforce, with the highest rate of graduates
as a share of the 25-64 population in the EU.
• Scotland has the highest employment rate of the UK nations, and
outperforms the UK on female and youth employment.
• Scotland has a reputation for innovation, and world-renowned products
and companies competing successfully in global markets.
• These are strong starting points for building a more competitive
economy and a fairer society.

10. 4. Income and wealth inequality
10
• Although Scotland is less unequal than the UK, we would rank 20th in the OECD for
income inequality, as measured by the Gini Coefficient
The Gini coefficient is a measure of income inequality with lower values meaning greater equality.

11. Income distribution
• Over the long-term, income levels in Scotland have risen. However, the
distribution of income is skewed by a small proportion with very high incomes.
Focussing on low incomes alone is unlikely to reduce income inequality.
The bottom 40% of
households have just
over 20% of household
income in Scotland.
The middle 50% have approx.
half of all income. This is the
case across time and
internationally.
Inequality is driven by how the
remaining 50% is divided
between the top 10% and the
bottom 40%.
The top 10% of
households have
approx. 25% of
household income
in Scotland.
11

12. Wealth distribution
• Wealth is far more unequally distributed than income.
The bottom 40%
had 5% of wealth.
The middle 50%
had 51% of wealth.
The top 10% had
over 44% of wealth.
The top 2% alone
had 17% of all
wealth
12

13. 5. Poverty
13
• Standard definitions of poverty distinguish between different levels of poverty:
o Relative poverty equates to a household income which is less than 60%
of the UK average
o Severe poverty equates to a household income which is less than 50% of
the UK average
o Extreme poverty equates to a household income which is less than 40%
of the UK average
• In Scotland, living in relative poverty if you are a single person means a
household income of £9,200 per year; for a couple with two children, you have
a household income of £21,000.
• Minimum living costs for those living in remote rural Scotland are estimated to
be 10-40% higher than the equivalent in urban UK.

14. 14
• Relative poverty has fallen over the last decade (despite a rise in the most
recent year compared to the previous 12 months).
Individuals in relative poverty, Scotland 2001/02-2012/13
Poverty

15. 15
• 1 in 6 Scots are living in poverty.
• People living in poverty now are more likely to be in severe or extreme
poverty than a decade ago. This is especially the case after housing costs.
• In 2012/13, 50 per cent of all people in poverty lived in extreme
poverty(after housing costs), compared with 36 per cent in 2002/03.
Poverty
Depth of poverty after housing costs (AHC), 2012/13

16. In-work poverty
• The nature of poverty in Scotland has changed. While employment
remains the best route out of poverty, employment is no longer a protection
against poverty.
There are three key factors influencing in-work poverty:
1. the hourly rate of pay
2. the number of hours worked by members of the household (work intensity)
3. income gained and lost through the welfare and tax systems.
16
52 per cent of working age adults in poverty were living in a working household in
2012/13
59 per cent of children in poverty were living in a working household in 2012/13

17. • The Scottish Government supports the Scottish Living Wage - £14,975 per year.
Estimates suggest that around 1 in 5 Scots earn below this.
• The pay gap has been closing over time and latest figures show an increase in earnings,
yet women in Scotland continue to earn less than men. On average, for every £ a man
earns, a woman earns 83p, with the gap being greater in the private sector.
• Scotland currently has the highest employment rate of the four countries in the United
Kingdom and latest figures show that the employment rate has increased. Youth
unemployment remains above the overall unemployment rate in Scotland making it
difficult for some young people to find the jobs that will lift them out of poverty.
• Some minority ethnic groups are less likely to be in employment and more likely to be
in poverty compared to the rest of the population in Scotland.
• Households with a disabled adult are more likely to be in poverty than those that do not.
Working age adults with a disability are less likely to be in employment than adults
without a disability.
17
Poverty and employment

18. 6. Health
18
• Improving Scotland’s health has been a key challenge over a number of
decades, and the national health profile is changing for the better on
various fronts. For example:
• Life expectancy continues to increase for both men and women, and has
risen from 73 to 77 years for men and from 78 to 81 years for women since
1998.
• Smoking prevalence has declined from 31% to 23% of adults since
1999.
• Fewer people are drinking alcohol outwith government guidelines - down
from 53% to 45% of men and from 42% to 35% of women since 2003.
• The prevalence of overweight and obesity has stabilised over the last
five years following a period of increase.

19. Healthy Life Expectancy
19
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Males Females
Age
Healthy Life Expectancy in Scotland 2011-12
Most Deprived Decile
Least Deprived Decile
Scotland
• Healthy life expectancy has been gradually increasing in Scotland, yet there
remains a significant gap between the most and least deprived areas.
• Men and women in the 10% most deprived areas live in good health for over 20
years less than those in the 10% least deprived areas.
• 10% of men in Scotland can expect to live for only 46 years in good health, and
10% of women in Scotland can expect to live for only 50 years in good health.

20. Mortality
20
• Premature mortality rates (deaths before age 75) have improved every
year in recent decades.
Most deprived decile
Least deprived decile
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Rateper100,000
Premature mortality, ages <75: Scotland, 1997-2012
• However, from age 20, those in the 10% most deprived areas
are more likely to have two or more health conditions.

21. Mental health
21
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Score
Average score of adults on the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing
scale
Scotland
1 (most deprived)
5 (least deprived)
• National mental wellbeing scores have not changed in recent years though
there remains a gap between people in the most and least deprived parts
of the country.

22. Alcohol and drug misuse
22
• Alcohol related hospital admissions for both men and women have been
falling since 2007 but they are consistently higher for men than for women
by a ratio of around 2.5:1
Estimated 2012/13 data show that men are also around 2.5 more likely
than women to have a problem drug issue
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
Per 100,000 of
population
Alcohol Related Hospital Admissions
Scotland
Men
Women

23. 7. Education - Early years
23
• At the point of entry to primary school, the vast majority of children do not
show any signs of social, emotional or behavioural difficulties
• Children from the poorest income group are twice as likely to have
developmental problems than those from the wealthiest income group.
• On average, children from more advantaged households have better
vocabulary and problem solving ability at ages 3 and 5 than children
from the less advantaged
• By age 5, the gap in vocabulary between children from low-income and
high-income households is already 13 months.
• Children who experience multiple disadvantage in the early years are
more likely to have poorer social-behavioural development and lower
attainment at age 14.

24. School attainment
24
• 58.8% of school leavers had one of more passes at Higher or Advanced
Higher equivalent in 2013/14, an increase on the previous year (55.8%).
• There remains a significant deprivation gap. Over 80% of school leavers
from the least deprived decile gained 1 or more Higher or Advanced Higher
equivalent in 2013/14, compared with just over a third of those from the
most deprived decile.

25. School leavers
25
• The proportion of all school leavers entering positive destinations is at its
highest level since 2008/09
• However, there remains a gap between those most deprived and least
deprived
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15
Percentage in a positive follow up destination
Most deprived quintile Least deprived quintile Total

26. Looked After Children
26
• Though improving, looked after children continue to have a lower level of
school attainment compared to the rest of the population.
• Looked after children are also less likely to go into employment, work or
training.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13
%inpositivedestinations
Chart 2: Looked after children in postive destinations
three months after leaving school, 2009/10 to 2012/13
Looked after children
All school leavers

27. Higher education
27
• Historically, young people in Scotland are more likely to participate in HE by the
age of 30 than those in England. In 2012-13, the likelihood in Scotland was 55%
compared to 43% in England.
• The likelihood of those from the most deprived areas entering higher education
between the ages of 16 and 30 the likelihood has increased by 4 percentage points
between 2006/07 and 2012/13. Yet, the likelihood of entering higher education is 20
percentage points higher for those from the least deprived areas compared to
those from the most deprived areas.
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
55%
60%
65%
2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13
ParticipationRate(%)
Higher Education Initial Participation Rate
Scotland
Least Deprived 20%
Most Deprived 20%

28. 8. Social inclusion - Democracy
28
• Recent events have demonstrated a high level of political engagement
among the Scottish population. Voter turnout from the Independence
Referendum was 85%; and Scottish voter turnout in Scotland for the
recent General Election was 71%.
• In elections in Scotland and the UK, turnout is lowest among younger age
groups, those who do not own their homes, and those from a black or
minority ethnic group.
• Income also makes a difference in voter turnout. In the United
Kingdom, voter turnout for the 20% of the population with the highest
incomes is an estimated 73%, whereas the participation rate of the
poorest 20% is an estimated 50%.
• Levels of voter registration are also generally lower among these
groups.

29. 29
Democracy
• Despite the increased political engagement during the referendum, the
population in Scotland continued to have a low level of satisfaction with
democracy (22% in Scotland compared with 23% for the whole UK).
• Only 22% of people in Scotland feel that they can influence decisions in
their local area.
• People in lower socio-economic groupings and those with lower incomes
feel that they have lower levels of influence on politicians and the
government, than those from higher socio economic backgrounds/income
groups.

30. Community connectedness
30
• In 2013, a majority of people living in Scotland (52%) said that ‘most
people can be trusted’ while 46% said ‘you can’t be too careful dealing
with people’.
• People living in the least deprived areas were nearly twice as likely (61%)
to say that most people can be trusted compared with those living the most
deprived areas (34%). Levels of trust were also higher in remote rural
areas and small towns than in large urban areas.
• In 2013 about one quarter (24%) of the public said they had volunteered
at least once in the last 12 months.
• People who are the least socially connected and those least trusting of
others, have lower life satisfaction than other people.
• In 2012, 79% of adults in the 10% most deprived areas of Scotland rated
their neighbourhood as either good or fairly good compared to almost all
(99%) of those in the 10% least deprived areas.

31. 9. Crime and justice
31
• Recorded crime in Scotland has reduced by 36% since 2006-07 and is at its
lowest level for 40 years.
• The risk of being a victim of crime has also fallen over recent years. However,
the risk of being a victim of crime remains higher in the most deprived areas
than the rest of Scotland.
• Fear of crime has also reduced but is higher in the 15% most deprived than
elsewhere – only 57% feel safe walking in their neighbourhood after dark
compared to 75% in the rest of Scotland
0
5
10
15
20
25
All Crime Property Crime Violent Crime
%
Risk of Crime by Deprivation
Most Deprived 15%
Rest of Scotland
All Scotland

32. 32
• The risk of crime is slightly higher for males than for females.
• The risk of being a victim of crime decreases with age.
• However, the fear of crime (feeling safe walking home after dark) is
significantly higher for women than men, and for older people than
younger people
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Risk of All Crime Feeling unsafe walking alone after dark
%
Risk and Fear of Crime
Male
Female
16-24
60+
Risk and fear of Crime

33. Youth crime
33
• Between 2008/09 and 2012/13 the number of recorded crimes committed
by children and young people fell by 52%. The proportion of crimes
committed by children and young people decreased from 22% to 14%.
• The number of young people in prison has fallen. The population of young
offenders under 21 has been falling steadily since the late 2000s. This has
been particularly marked over the past 2 years.
• There has been a fall of 83% in children referred to Scottish Reporter since
2006 – 07.

34. 10. Human Rights
34
Human rights are the fundamental rights to which everyone is entitled. They are
defined in international treaties and domestic law, and provide a benchmark for
social justice. Despite progress in many areas, barriers to realising human rights
continue to create and deepen poverty and social exclusion.
• The UN Committee on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights has called for human rights
based anti-poverty strategies to address
the persistence of poverty and social
exclusion, as a matter of ‘high priority’.
• It has also has expressed particular concern
at the continued wage gap between men
and women.
• The European Committee on Social Rights
found the UK minimum wage “manifestly
unfair” and in breach of Article 4 of the
European Social Charter.

35. Additional information
35
If you would like to access further information, please visit the Fairer
Scotland Website at:
http://fairer.scot/