Scottish household survey 2019: key findings

Section Four - Neighbourhoods and Communities

94% of households rated their neighbourhood as a very or fairly good place to live.

This rating had increased since 1999/2000, from 91% to the 94% in 2019.

In 2019, 57% of households rated their neighbourhood as a very good place to live, and 37% rated it as a fairly good place to live.

In the 20% least deprived areas in Scotland almost 77% rated their neighbourhood as a very good place to live, whereas only 32% did so in the 20% most deprived areas.

In the 20% most deprived areas, 15% of households rated their neighbourhood as a fairly or very poor place to live.

This bar chart shows the proportion of adults who rate their neighbourhood as a “very good place to live”, a “fairly good place to live”, a “fairly poor place to live”, and a “very poor place to live”. In each of these categories, it also shows the difference between the 20% most and 20% least deprived areas. It shows that most adults generally thought that their neighbourhood was either a very or fairly good place to live. It also shows that more adults in the least deprived areas thought that their neighbourhood was a very good place to live, while adults in the most deprived areas were more likely to say that their neighbourhood was a fairly good place to live or rate it negatively.

Households in rural areas were significantly more likely to rate their neighbourhood as a very or fairly good place to live than households in urban areas

The deprivation measurement is from the SIMD.

Over three-quarters (78 per cent) of adults felt a very or fairly strong sense of belonging to their neighbourhood.

This differed across the different housing sectors. Among owner occupiers, 84% reported that they felt a very or fairly strong sense of belonging, while the equivalent number in the social rented sector was 73%.

In the private rented sector, only 59% reported that they felt a very or fairly strong sense of belonging.

Similarly, people living in less deprived areas were more likely to report a strong sense of belonging than those is more deprived areas.

This bar chart shows the proportion of adults who felt a very or fairly strong sense of belonging to their neighbourhood, as well as those who did not, within each of the main types of tenure (Owner Occupier, Social Sector and Private Rent). It highlights that a larger proportion of adults in owner occupier households felt a very or fairly strong sense of belonging as opposed to the other types of tenure, while a smaller proportion of adults felt a strong sense of belonging in the private rented sector as opposed to the other types of tenure.

Older people and women were more likely to report a strong sense of belonging to their neighbourhood

57% of adults agree that there were places in their neighbour-hood where people could meet up and socialise.

This impression changed significantly with the level of deprivation of the area that the adult lived in.

Among adults in the 20% least deprived areas in Scotland, 63% said that there were places where people could meet up a socialise. The equivalent number in the 20% most deprived areas was 48%.

The differences in agreement with neighbourhood strengths seen here is often associated with a lack of investment and relevant infrastructure in more deprived areas.

This vertical bar chart shows the proportion of people agreeing with a set of statements about neighbourhood strengths. For each question it shows the proportion of agreement in both the most and least deprived areas in Scotland. The questions are in the following order, organised from the question with the highest average agreement to the lowest: “People are kind to each other”, “Most people can be trusted”, “People from different backgrounds get on well together”, “Local people take action to improve the neighbourhood”, “There are places where people can meet up and socialise”, and “There are welcoming places and opportunities to meet new people.” The graph highlights that a larger proportion of adults agree with these statements in the less deprived areas.

52% of adults in Scotland reported that they have perceived at least one common problem in their neighbourhood.

The most commonly reported problems were animal nuisance and rubbish or litter lying around, followed by rowdy behaviour and drug misuse.

These problems were perceived by significantly more people in the 20% least deprived areas in Scotland.

This bar chart lists the four most commonly perceived neighbourhood problems, and for each problem, it shows the proportion of adults in both the most and least deprived areas reporting that it was common. Ordered by how common the problems were, they are arranged in the following order: “Animal nuisance”, “Rubbish/litter lying around”, “Drugs misuse”, and “Rowdy behaviour”. It highlights that the first two were the most common, and that all problems were more common in the most deprived areas.

3 in 10 adults in the 20% most deprived areas reported that there was a problem with drug misuse in their neighbourhood

The graph includes adults that have reported these problems as a very or fairly common problem.

61% of adults who rated their neighbourhood as a very poor place to live felt a bit or very unsafe walking alone after dark in their neighbourhood.

38% of adults who rated their neighbourhood as very poor felt fairly or very safe in this situation.

Among adults who rated their neighbourhood as a fairly or very good place to live, 85% felt fairly or very safe walking alone after dark.

The proportion of adults reporting to feel a bit or fairly unsafe walking alone after dark was larger among those who had experienced discrimination (25%) or harassment (30%), as opposed to the average of 13% among all adults.

This bar chart shows the proportion of people feeling either “fairly or very safe” or “a bit or very unsafe” walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark. It shows this breakdown depending on how the respondent has rated their neighbourhood as a place to live, as “very/fairly good”, “fairly poor”, or “very poor”. It highlights that adults who rated their neighbourhood as very or fairly good feel significantly safer walking alone after dark, than those who rated their neighbourhood as a fairly or very poor place to live.

29% of adults who rated their neighbourhood as a very poor place to live felt a bit or very unsafe at home alone at night
Among those who rated their neighbourhood as a fairly or very good place to live, this figure was 2%

8% of adults in Scotland report to having experienced discrimination in the past twelve months.

Discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably because of a protected characteristic.*

The graph to the right shows some of the most common reasons for discrimination in 2019, and all of them were experienced by at least 1 in every 10 adult that had been discriminated against.

These reasons included someone’s sex or gender, their nationality, their mental ill-health, other health problems or disability, and their age.

This bar chart shows the most common reasons why those who have been discriminated against believe that they were discriminated against, in the following order: “Their sex or gender”, “Their nationality”, “Any other health problems or disability”, “Their mental ill health”, and “Their age”.

*A full definition can be found at:
https://www.parliament.scot/abouttheparliament/32425.aspx

22% of Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual adults had experienced discrimination
19% of ethnic minorities had experienced discrimination

The graph shows the proportion of those who had experienced harassment reporting this as the cause. This graph excludes ‘other reason’, 15%.

In 2019, 6% of adults in Scotland experienced harassment in the past twelve months.

Harassment occurs where a person is subjected to unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic that violates their dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

The graph to the left shows some of the most common perceived reasons for harassment in 2019, and all of them were experienced by at least 1 in every 10 adult that had been harassed.

These reasons included someone’s mental ill-health, their sex or gender, ethnicity and other health problems or disability.

This bar chart shows the most common reasons why those who have been harassed believe that they were harassed, in the following order: “Their nationality”, “Their mental ill-health”, “Their sex or gender”, “Their ethnicity”, and “Any other health problems or disability.”

Adults who belonged to a religion other than a Christian denomination experienced significantly higher levels of both discrimination and harassment

The graph shows the proportion of those who had experienced harassment reporting these specific cause. This graph excludes ‘other reason’, 28%.