Scottish House Condition Survey: 2022 Key Findings

Notes

[note 1]: For 2022 onwards, the 2020 urban rural classification is used for reporting. The 2013/14 urban rural classification (2011 data zone edition) is used for reporting 2016 to 2019 data. Prior to 2016, 2001 data zones are used. Further information is available in section 2.3 of the Methodological and Technical notes.

[note 2]: Gas grid coverage is determined on the basis of the distance of the dwelling from a low / medium / intermediate pressure gas distribution pipe. Based on the usual maximum distance for standard domestic connection (63 m), dwellings are classified as being “on” or “off” the grid.  This does not reflect whether the dwelling is actually connected to the grid. For 2021 an improvement has been introduced whereby a dwelling is classified as “on” the grid if a mains gas connection has been recorded in the physical survey. Further details on the method for estimating distance to the gas grid are available in section 2.4 of the Methodological and Technical notes. 

[note 3]: Dwellings without loft spaces are excluded. 

[note 4]: Dwellings built post-1983 are presumed insulated when built. 

[note 5]: No A-rated properties were sampled between 2010 and 2019 

[note 6]]: Data prior to 2014 does not include households living rent free. Figures for 2014-2022 are therefore not fully comparable to previous years. Rent free households accounting for: 

• 2% of the stock in 2013 (around 42,000 households) 

• 2% of the stock in 2012 (around 40,000 households) 

• 1% of the stock in 2011 (around 30,000 households) 

• 1% of the stock in 2010 (around 33,000 households). 

[note 7]: Due to issues with tenure, as laid out in section 1.1.5 of the Methodological and Technical notes, national level estimates of fuel poverty may be slightly under-estimated, However, as laid out in the fuel poverty key points we expect any effects to be minor. 

[note 8]: There are some discontinuities in the underlying methodologies used to calculate fuel poverty therefore: the 2012-2017 estimates were updated in 2019 and are not comparable to those in the 2012-2017 Key Findings reports, see section 3.1 for more details. 

[note 9]: Based on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 2020. 

[note 10] There were 2 cases in 2022 with unobtainable pre-payment meter values which have been excluded from the table but included in the Scotland statistics. 

[note 11]: Some tables in this report have cells with no data. When this is the case, the cells are marked up with shorthand: 

• [low] indicates a value is less than 0.5% or 500 households 

• [w] indicates there are no sample cases 

• [c] indicates that the base sample is too small to report (below 30 cases) or the estimate represents 2 or fewer sampled households 

• [z] indicates that a value is unavailable as it is not applicable  

These conventions are consistent with the guidance on using symbols and shorthand when publishing data tables on public sector websites.  

[note 12]: For a very small number of cases, it was not possible to obtain the disrepair status of every element of the property. Where that element feeds into one of the disrepair categories the result is recorded as unobtainable.  

[note 13]: Urgent disrepair concerns only external and common elements which are a mixture of critical and non-critical. Urgent disrepair to critical elements and extensive disrepair to critical elements have been calculated for the first time in 2019 and back updated for 2018 to allow a comparison. Back updating to previous years is complex and work will be taken forward to ensure that a longer trend can be presented in the next report.  

[note 14]: Dwellings which have disrepair to critical elements may also have instances of disrepair to basic elements. Similarly, dwellings which have urgent or extensive disrepair to critical elements may also have urgent or extensive disrepair to basic elements which is not captured in this table. Table HC3a and HC3b in the SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’ provides rates of urgent and extensive disrepair regardless of element type. 

[note 15]: The percentage of disrepair is calculated considering only dwellings where the element is present. 

[note 16]: Median extent of disrepair by area of the element. 

[note 17]: The Tolerable Standard was amended by the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 (Tolerable Standard) (Extension of Criteria) Order 2019 and now includes a new element covering smoke, heat, and carbon monoxide alarms. For the first time, in SHCS 2022 assessors considered the presence, type and condition of smoke and heat alarms in a house when deciding if the house meets the Tolerable Standard.  

[note 18]: Figures on SHQS failure rates for 2014 onwards are not entirely comparable to previous years published in key findings reports from the SHCS. Because of missing tenure information, a small number of dwellings (see the subsection on missing tenure information for more detail) are excluded from tenure breakdowns in figures relating to years prior to 2014. In addition, small changes to data processing relating to failure thresholds for the energy efficiency criterion, as well as other minor data processing corrections were introduced in 2014. Although the effect of these corrections on the overall failure rates in the social sector was neutral, some discontinuities with previous years cannot be ruled out, especially when considering more detailed breakdown. 

[note 19]: Due to issues with tenure, as laid out in section 1.1.5 of the Methodological and Technical notes, national level estimates of EPC ratings, loft and solid wall insulation should be treated with caution. However, as set out in the key points of the housing conditions chapter we expect any differences to be minor. 

[note 20]: Due to issues with tenure, as laid out in section 1.1.5 of the Methodological and Technical notes, national level estimates of elements of disrepair, including the tolerable standard with the two new criteria, should be treated with caution. However, as set out in the key points of the housing conditions chapter we expect any differences to be minor.  

[note 21]: Due to issues with tenure, as laid out in section 1.1.5 of the Methodological and Technical notes, national level estimates households of exceeding or failing to meet the bedroom standard may be slightly underestimated.  

[note 22] There was one dwelling in the 2023 SHCS sample which did not provide values to the energy perceptions questions. They are excluded from these tables.