Draft Disability Assistance for Older People (Scotland) Regulations 2024: Draft Island Communities Impact Assessment

Demography and Health

51. According to the 2011 Census, 83% of island residents reported their health as being ‘Very good’ or ‘Good’ compared with 82% for Scotland as a whole.^[14] The proportion of island residents with a long-term health problem or disability that limited their day-to-day activities was just under 20%, including 9% who reported their daily activities were limited a lot.^[15] The corresponding proportions for Scotland as a whole were very similar. 21% of island residents were aged 65 and over, whereas the proportion nationally was 17%.^[16]

52. Across the United Kingdom, disabled people have higher poverty rates than the general population. 24% of people over State Pension age with a disability are in poverty compared with 17% of those without a disability.^[17] Data related to disability specific to island communities is not available.

53. In Scotland, 410,000 households in poverty (42%) include a disabled person. 1 in 8 people aged over 65 in Scotland experience poverty in the last year of their life. The impact of social inequalities on health outcomes in older people is well documented.^[18]

54. As of August 2022, around 16,500 individuals had an entitlement to Attendance Allowance within the entirety of the six island local authority areas, with around 3,500 of those individuals residing on the islands. This accounts for around 2.4% of those with an entitlement to Attendance Allowance within Scotland.^[19]

55. Although Pension Age Disability Payment is not intended to be an income replacement benefit, it is intended to provide support with helping to meet the extra costs associated with having a disability. The Scottish Government’s approach to delivery is expected to improve outcomes for older people across Scotland, including in island communities, by starting from a position of trust and listening to what individuals tell Social Security Scotland about their personal circumstances while endeavouring to make the right determination at the first opportunity.