National flood resilience strategy: equality impact assessment and fairer Scotland duty assessment

Section 2: Literature Review

Demographic information on the population of Scotland

In the 2022 Census, Scotland’s population had the following demographic features:

• People aged 65 and over made up 20.1% of the population and 15.3% of the population were under the age of 15.
• The population was made up of 51.4% females and 48.6% males.
• 4.0% of people aged 16 and over identified with a sexual orientation other than “straight/heterosexual”³.
• 0.44% of people aged 16 and over identified as trans or having a trans history⁴.
• For the first time in Scotland’s Census, the majority of people (51.1%) said they had no religion. The next largest religious groups were ‘Church of Scotland’ (20.4%), ‘Roman Catholic’ (13.3%), ‘Other Christian’ (5.1%), and ‘Muslim’ (2.2%).
• The percentage of people in Scotland with a minority ethnic background was 12.9%.⁵
• 2.5% of people aged three and over had some skills in Gaelic. In Na h-Eileanan Siar the majority had some Gaelic skills (57.2%). This was far higher than the next highest council areas, Highland (8.1%) and Argyll and Bute (6.2%).

In the 2011 census, Scotland’s population had the following demographic features:

• 45.4% of the population were married or in a civil partnership.
• 20% of the population identified as having a long-term health problem or disability.

During the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023, the homeless population⁷ in Scotland was made up of the following demographic features:

• 32,242 households were assessed as homeless (intentional or unintentional). This was made up of 36,848 adults and 16,263 children.
• The homeless population was younger than the overall Scottish population. 62% of homeless households were aged 25 to 49.
• Rough sleeping is most common amongst 35 to 64 year olds.
• Homeless households are more likely to be single adult or single parent compared to overall population. 66% of homeless households were made up of a single person and 29% contained children.
• 84% of homeless households had white ethnicity.
• 51% of homeless households had at least one support need.

Flooding and Flood Resilience Impacts on Protected Characteristics

The risks and negative impacts of flooding on groups with certain protected characteristics that the Flood Resilience Strategy (FRS) will seek to address are set out below.

Age

Flooding is accepted as having greater impacts on the elderly and children and young people^[1][2]. Many older people are more vulnerable to flooding, especially those who live with health conditions, such as disabilities, dementia, or in particular circumstances, such as living alone. This can mean that they are less able to prepare, protect themselves and recover from flooding.

Many older people live in coastal and rural areas, which may further increase their vulnerability and exposure to flooding. If flooding makes roads impassable, those with caring or medical needs can be cut off, causing potential harm and distress^[3]. According to research done by Age UK, older people are most concerned about losing power in a flood, and many are unaware of the Priority Service Register Scheme^[4].

Older people can be less able to prepare for and respond to flooding, and many struggle with the process of taking stock of damage and claiming insurance cover, as well as with accessing help in the event of a flood. However, research conducted in Scotland highlights that the determinants of vulnerability are multiple and complex and advanced age does not necessarily equate to vulnerability to flooding. For example, some older people may be better equipped to deal with power cuts resulting from flooding as a result of their experiences in Britain in the 1970s^[5].

However, the intersection of advanced age with isolation and long-term illness substantially increases the vulnerability of older people to flooding. Nearly half (49%) of people aged 75+ live alone, and it is estimated that 47% of those aged 75+ have a limiting longstanding illness. Over 25% of people over 85 live with frailty, where their wellbeing can decline rapidly after even mild disruption or stress^[6].

Young and older people (aged 16-29 and 60+) are more likely to use the public transport and less likely to use privately owned cars, meaning that they may be impacted more by disruptions to these services^[7].

Research also identifies children and young people as most vulnerable to negative, long-term impacts of flooding, alongside older people, those living alone and those dealing with pre-existing stressful life events or medical conditions^[8], and that the greatest impacts on people was on their mental health and wellbeing^[9]. According to the Scottish Government’s Mapping Flood Disadvantage in Scotland 2015 report, flooding has been associated with increased mental health and behavioural problems in children, and cold or damp housing that may result from a flood can increase the incidence of minor illnesses and exacerbate the severity of others^[10].

A 2016 report by Lancaster University and Save the Children highlighted the importance of including children and young people in decisions about flood resilience, which can enhance the recovery and resilience of children who have been affected by flooding. The report includes recommendations made by flood-affected children in the UK, such as that policy should recognise that flooding can entrench poverty without appropriate support; schools should set up groups for flood-affected children; and that flood education should be given in all schools^[11]. The report asserts that recognising that children have a role to play in preparing for, responding to and recovering from flooding can mitigate the impacts of a flood event on their lives.

Disability

People with disabilities are disproportionately negatively affected by environmental hazards, including floods and storms. However, taking a social model of disability approach, this does not mean that disabled people are inherently vulnerable, but are made vulnerable by the social, physical and structural constraints in which they live^[12]. The impacts of storms and flooding, and the secondary impacts on infrastructure and services on people with disabilities remain underexamined. Such events can result in significant disruption, difficulties adapting to changed environments, and fear and trauma^[13].

People with disabilities or pre-existing health conditions are more likely to be at risk of energy poverty and often have greater energy needs. These can include a requirement to heat the home for longer hours, or to power medical or assistive equipment. These increased needs can lead to increased energy costs and greater vulnerability to a disruption in the energy supply^[14], and it is therefore vital that disabled people are signed up to the Priority Services Register to ensure that they receive priority support in the event of a disruption to the electricity supply.

Disabled adults are also slightly more likely to use the bus than those who are not disabled, meaning that they may be more affected by flood-related disruptions to the bus system^[15].

The Glasgow Disability Alliance, a disabled people’s organisation with more than 5,500 members, produced a report responding to the draft National Adaptation Plan 3, some elements of which are relevant to the FRS. The report, entitled “The Impact of Climate Change on Disabled People: Scotland’s National Adaptation Plan 3”, highlighted the issue of Eco-ableism, where a failure to recognise that changes to habits/lifestyle needed to address climate change can in some cases be difficult or impossible for disabled people. Advice and support for communities needs to reflect this reality^[16].

One example of this is the requirement of mobility-impaired disabled people for a ground floor, accessible property, which increases their vulnerability to flooding. This is one of a number of instances where the requirements of a disabled person conflict with recommendations for increasing flood resilience^[17].

The GDA report highlights concerns that Scottish National Adaptation Plan (SNAP3) focuses on place-based and local solutions rather than engaging with communities of identity and interest, stating that emphasis on geographical communities can potentially increase inequalities for disabled people. GDA emphasise the importance of engagement through skilled practitioners in order to make sure disabled peoples’ voices are heard.

Finally, the report also notes that there is an assumption that the current system works well for disabled people, stating that this is misplaced and that climate plans should take into account the patchy, underfunded and fractured nature of social care and healthcare provision for disabled people^[18].

Gender Reassignment

In 2013, the Scottish Government Equality Outcome Evidence Review, noting severe limitations in data size, highlighted evidence demonstrating that transgender people were more likely to be living on lower incomes^[19]. Recent research by ClimateXChange on the effects of climate change, including flooding, on different population groups in Scotland, indicates that low income and poor health are strong drivers of social vulnerability to climate hazards in Scotland^[20]. It is possible, therefore, that transgender people are more likely to be more vulnerable to flooding than the general population, though limited data means that more research is needed.

Pregnancy

There is evidence that flooding has a significant impact on the health of pregnant women and children and may exacerbate a number of negative psychological and physiological child and reproductive health outcomes^[21].

Race

Exposure to flood risk varies significantly across ethnic groups in Scotland. The most socially vulnerable of all ethnicities experience systemic flood disadvantage (experiencing risk that is greater than the average), with Black, African and Caribbean Ethnic Groups particularly disadvantaged. Flood disadvantage exists across all ethnicities, but Black and Other Minority Ethnic Groups are more likely to have a lower income and to live in rented accommodation. These two factors lead to significantly lower levels of flood insurance and higher levels of disadvantage^[22].

Sex

The gender pay gap for all employees in Scotland is 8.7%. Women are therefore more likely to be living on lower incomes and may therefore be more vulnerable to flooding^[23].

There is also evidence that women have different transport needs to men. Women are more likely to be the primary care givers in their families, and to be single parents. These caring responsibilities require women to make multiple short journeys a day and they are reliant on resilient, reliable transport to make these journeys^[24].

Unreliable public transport can substantially reduce women’s access to paid employment, education, retail options, social activities as well as essential services such as welfare services, hospitals and GP surgeries (both for themselves and those they care for). This is particularly the case for women from lower income families, who are more likely to use public transport, and especially buses, compared to higher income households^[25].

Religion or Belief

No specific research has been identified showing the impact of flooding on different religions in Scotland or the wider UK.

Sexual Orientation

There is limited evidence about whether flooding affects sexual minorities in Scotland to a greater extent than other groups. However, according to a 2013 study on poverty and sexual orientation in the UK, gay men are somewhat more likely to experience poverty than heterosexual men^[26], and low incomes are a key driver of social vulnerability^[27], so it is possible that gay men are therefore as a group more vulnerable to flooding.

Socioeconomic Disadvantage

One of the primary factors affecting vulnerability to flooding is income and financial circumstances. People on low incomes living in areas exposed to flooding may not be able to afford Property Level Protection (PLP) measures and are less likely to have home contents insurance^[28]. As people on low incomes are likely to have less access to financial reserves or credit to replace lost possessions, make repairs or pay for temporary housing and transport costs associated with relocation or evacuation, flooding is more likely to have a longer-term impact on them than those with the economic means to respond.

The rate of poverty tends to be higher among renters than homeowners, with social tenants having the lowest incomes. Tenants therefore generally have fewer resources to invest in PLP measures and may require the permission of the property manager or owner and may be reluctant to spend the money on PLP when the property does not belong to them^[29]. Tenants are also much less likely to have home contents insurance, with two-thirds of all the UK households without basic contents insurance being occupied by tenants^[30].

Private tenants may also have less local knowledge as they tend to have shorter lengths of residence in areas when compared to owner-occupiers, which in turn may affect their awareness of the likelihood of being affected by flooding, how to respond and how to seek support^[31].

A recent report published by ClimateXChange in 2021 highlights the impacts of climate change on different population groups in Scotland. The report investigated three climate hazards: flooding, poor air quality and high temperatures, and found that low income and poor health were strong drivers of social vulnerability to all three. The report also notes that local authorities faced with the greatest disadvantage today will likely continue to do so into the future, and that different ethnic groups experience different levels of risk, with Black ethnic groups experiencing higher risk than any other ethnic groups^[32].

Research Gaps

Currently there is a lack of research available regarding the impact of flooding and climate change upon certain protected characteristics and their ability to adapt to the impacts of climate change (religion or belief, sexual orientation and/or gender reassignment). As such we are unable to ascertain any clear-cut impacts on these protected characteristics.

There is also a lack of detailed and robust research that is specific to Scotland available regarding the impact of climate change upon certain protected characteristics and their ability to adapt to the impacts of climate change (age, disability, pregnancy, race or sex). As such we are only able to assess any impacts on these protected characteristics in relation to the wider UK evidence base or using international studies, which should be considered when analysing the strength of the evidence base.

This EQIA and FSDA has been developed through a review of the evidence and relevant literature, the expertise of the Scottish Government Flooding Team and consultation with relevant Scottish Government policy teams.

Are there any other groups to be consulted?

The Scottish Government Flooding Team has conducted a substantial programme of engagement with a diverse range of stakeholders, engaging with a variety of third sector groups and community organisations. Through the FRS public consultation the team has sought to engage with organisations facing people with protected characteristics, including the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, though targeted engagement with all groups has not been possible due to resource constraints. However, evidence gathered by the Climate Change Adaptation Team in their work on SNAP3 has been utilised, which presents a substantial amount of information relevant to the FRS.