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Publication - Statistics

Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2023 - Attitudes to Government, the Economy, and the Health Service

Published
16 July 2024
From
Director of Performance, Delivery and Resilience
Directorate
Performance, Delivery and Resilience Directorate
ISBN
9781836014935

Findings from the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey core module 2023.

In 2023, SSAS was run as a push-to-web survey for the first time in its history.

These questions covered attitudes to: government, the standard of living, the health service, and tax, spending, and redistribution.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Annex B – Subgroup tables

This annex presents the subgroup analysis referenced in this report. The full statistical tables for the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2023 are published alongside this report on the Scottish Government website.

Table B.1: ‘How much do you trust the Scottish Government to work in Scotland’s best interest?’ subgroup analysis
Just about always Most of the time Only some of the time Almost never Just about always/Most of the time Only some of the time/almost never Unweighted bases
Age 16-24 14% 55% 23% 5% 70% 28% 102
Age 25-34 11% 43% 22% 22% 54% 44% 242
Age 35-44 9% 38% 31% 20% 47% 51% 260
Age 45-54 10% 31% 39% 17% 41% 56% 249
Age 55-64 9% 31% 36% 23% 40% 59% 310
Age 65+ 11% 27% 41% 21% 38% 62% 408
Left-right scale Left 12% 41% 29% 18% 53% 47% 960
Left-right scale Neither 6% 32% 41% 18% 38% 59% 442
Left-right scale Right 12% 13% 41% 34% 25% 75% 137
Support/Oppose Scottish Independence Independence 20% 49% 21% 9% 69% 31% 755
Support/Oppose Scottish Independence Union 3% 24% 44% 28% 27% 72% 778
Party political identification Conservative 3% 15% 45% 37% 18% 82% 196
Party political identification Labour 3% 31% 43% 23% 34% 66% 359
Party political identification Lib Dem 6% 30% 45% 18% 36% 63% 90
Party political identification SNP 25% 50% 19% 6% 75% 25% 489
Party political identification Green 11% 66% 21% 3% 76% 24% 98
Party political identification Other/None 5% 28% 34% 29% 34% 63% 292
Table B.2: ‘How much do you trust the UK Government to work in Scotland’s best long-term interest?
Just about always Most of the time Only some of the time Almost never Just about always/Most of the time Only some of the time/almost never Unweighted bases
Left-right scale Left 2% 13% 28% 57% 15% 85% 960
Left-right scale Neither 3% 21% 43% 30% 25% 73% 442
Left-right scale Right 24% 37% 26% 14% 60% 40% 137
Support/oppose Scottish Independence Independence 1% 5% 22% 71% 6% 93% 755
Support/oppose Scottish Independence Union 8% 29% 41% 21% 36% 63% 778
Party political identification Conservative 14% 54% 22% 9% 68% 32% 196
Party political identification Labour 5% 21% 43% 31% 26% 74% 359
Party political identification Lib Dem 5% 16% 45% 32% 21% 78% 90
Party political identification SNP 1% 4% 22% 73% 5% 95% 489
Party political identification Green 1% 3% 25% 71% 4% 96% 98
Party political identification Other/None 3% 16% 37% 40% 19% 77% 292
Table B.3: ‘In general how good would you say the Scottish Government is at listening to people's views before it takes decisions?’ subgroup analysis
... very good, quite good, not very good or, not at all good? very/quite good not very good/not at all good Unweighted bases
Party political identification Conservative * 6% 43% 49% 6% 92% 196
Party political identification Labour 2% 21% 50% 26% 23% 76% 359
Party political identification Lib Dem 20% 53% 23% 20% 76% 90
Party political identification SNP 9% 57% 28% 4% 66% 32% 489
Party political identification Green 4% 52% 34% 2% 55% 37% 98
Party political identification Other/None 2% 19% 42% 32% 21% 74% 292
Do you have any physical or mental health conditions or illnesses lasting or expected to last 12 months or more? Yes 4% 37% 33% 21% 42% 55% 477
Do you have any physical or mental health conditions or illnesses lasting or expected to last 12 months or more? No 4% 30% 43% 22% 33% 64% 1079
Table B.4: ‘And how good would you say the UK government is at listening to people's views before it takes decisions?’ subgroup analysis
... very good, quite good, not very good or, not at all good? very/quite good not very good/not at all good Unweighted bases
Party political identification Conservative 30% 49% 18% 30% 67% 196
Party political identification Labour 1% 8% 54% 37% 9% 91% 359
Party political identification Lib Dem 7% 61% 31% 7% 92% 90
Party political identification SNP 1% 8% 36% 54% 9% 90% 489
Party political identification Green 5% 32% 61% 5% 93% 98
Party political identification Other/None 1% 11% 51% 33% 11% 84% 292
Table B.5: ‘Do you think the Scottish Parliament is giving ordinary people…’ subgroup analysis
... more say in how Scotland is governed less say or, is it making no difference? Unweighted bases
Highest educational qualification attained (Scotland) Degree or equivalent, and above 58% 11% 29% 697
Highest educational qualification attained (Scotland) Other Higher Education, including Diplomas in Higher Education, HNC and HND 38% 19% 42% 292
Highest educational qualification attained (Scotland) Higher grade or advanced higher, International Baccalaureate, A-level, or SVQ level 3 or equivalent 40% 12% 42% 214
Highest educational qualification attained (Scotland) Qualification below Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher, such as GNVQ/GSVQ Foundation or Intermediate, SVQ Level 1 or 2 38% 15% 43% 218
Highest educational qualification attained (Scotland) No qualifications 41% 16% 41% 112
Libertarian-authoritarian scale Libertarian 79% 4% 14% 390
Libertarian-authoritarian scale Neither 43% 15% 40% 648
Libertarian-authoritarian scale Authoritarian 25% 20% 52% 505
Table B.6: ‘Which of the following do you think has most influence over the way Scotland is run?’ subgroup analysis
... the Scottish Government the UK Government at Westminster local councils in Scotland or, the European Union? Unweighted bases
Age 16-24 34% 48% 9% 0% 102
Age 25-34 34% 53% 9% 1% 242
Age 35-44 37% 52% 7% 1% 260
Age 45-54 45% 46% 5% 0% 249
Age 55-64 45% 45% 6% 1% 310
Age 65+ 55% 37% 7% 0% 408
Support/oppose Scottish Independence Independence 29% 62% 6% 0% 755
Support/oppose Scottish Independence Union 58% 32% 8% 1% 778
Table B.7 ‘And which do you think ought to have most influence over the way Scotland is run?’ subgroup analysis
... the Scottish Government the UK Government at Westminster local councils in Scotland or, the European Union? Unweighted bases
Age 16-24 55% 10% 25% 2% 102
Age 25-34 61% 17% 17% 2% 242
Age 35-44 65% 11% 18% 4% 260
Age 45-54 63% 21% 13% 0% 249
Age 55-64 61% 18% 19% 0% 310
Age 65+ 61% 22% 15% 408
Support/oppose Scottish Independence Independence 77% 7% 12% 2% 755
Support/oppose Scottish Independence Union 47% 29% 22% 1% 778
Table B.8: ‘Here is a list of things the Scottish Government could try and achieve. Which do you think should be its highest priority, that is the most important thing it should try and do?’ subgroup analysis
Improve standards of education Improve housing Improve the economy Improve people’s health Cut crime Reduce environmental problems Improve public transport Reduce inequality Other Unweighted bases
Urban or Rural Rural 8% 4% 42% 14% 6% 8% 2% 10% 2% 365
Urban or Rural Urban 10% 12% 42% 16% 4% 4% 2% 8% 2% 1209
Left-right scale Left 8% 11% 40% 15% 4% 6% 2% 12% 2% 960
Left-right scale Neither 9% 9% 48% 16% 5% 3% 3% 2% 2% 442
Left-right scale Right 23% 6% 39% 9% 10% 5% 1% 2% 1% 137
Table B.9: ‘How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the way the National Health Service runs nowadays?’ subgroup analysis
Very satisfied Quite satisfied Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied Quite dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Unweighted bases
Age 16-24 2% 21% 35% 30% 12% 102
Age 25-34 2% 15% 29% 42% 12% 242
Age 35-44 2% 18% 22% 37% 20% 260
Age 45-54 1% 21% 29% 35% 14% 249
Age 55-64 1% 22% 26% 30% 21% 310
Age 65+ 4% 26% 15% 37% 17% 408
Support/Oppose Scottish Independence Independence 3% 23% 28% 34% 12% 755
Support/Oppose Scottish Independence Union 2% 20% 21% 36% 21% 778
Table B.10: ‘Thinking back over the last twelve months, would you say that since then the standard of the health service in Scotland has increased or fallen?’ subgroup analysis
Increased a lot Increased a little Stayed the same Fallen a little Fallen a lot Increased Stayed the same Fallen Unweighted bases
Monthly Household income Less than £1,411 1% 11% 20% 37% 31% 12% 20% 68% 224
Monthly Household income £1,411 - £2,560 3% 20% 42% 33% 3% 20% 75% 316
Monthly Household income £2,561 - £4,350 1% 3% 29% 39% 28% 4% 29% 67% 388
Monthly Household income £4,351 or more 3% 27% 48% 22% 3% 27% 70% 366
Party political identification Conservative 2% 18% 37% 41% 2% 18% 78% 196
Party political identification Labour 0% 2% 23% 42% 32% 3% 23% 74% 359
Party political identification Lib Dem 24% 43% 32% 0% 24% 75% 90
Party political identification SNP 0% 9% 28% 41% 20% 9% 28% 61% 489
Party political identification Green 3% 34% 50% 12% 3% 34% 62% 98
Party political identification Other/None 1% 6% 24% 33% 35% 7% 24% 68% 292
Table B.11: ‘Thinking back over the last 12 months, would you say that since then the general standard of living in Scotland has increased or fallen?’ subgroup analysis
Increased a lot Increased a little Stayed the same Fallen a little Fallen a lot Increased Stayed the same Fallen Unweighted bases
Self-rated hardship Living really comfortably on present income 3% 1% 14% 38% 43% 3% 14% 82% 85
Self-rated hardship Living comfortably on present income 2% 3% 11% 51% 32% 5% 11% 83% 509
Self-rated hardship Neither comfortable nor struggling on present income 4% 1% 12% 43% 39% 5% 12% 82% 546
Self-rated hardship Struggling on present income 4% 2% 6% 29% 57% 6% 6% 87% 299
Self-rated hardship Really struggling on present income 15% 3% 3% 13% 65% 18% 3% 79% 97
Left-right scale Left 5% 2% 6% 38% 48% 6% 6% 87% 960
Left-right scale Neither 3% 2% 15% 46% 33% 5% 15% 79% 442
Left-right scale Right 1% 3% 25% 41% 30% 4% 25% 71% 137
Table B.12: Suppose the government had to choose between the following three options. Which do you think it should choose?
Reduce taxes and spend less on health, education and social benefits Keep taxes and spending on these services at the same level as now Increase taxes and spend more on health, education and social benefits None Don't know Prefer not to answer Unweighted bases
Age 16-24 14% 39% 42% 0% 5% 0% 102
Age 25-34 23% 40% 37% 0% 0% 0% 242
Age 35-44 15% 34% 49% 1% 2% 0% 260
Age 45-54 14% 40% 43% 1% 3% 0% 249
Age 55-64 6% 45% 46% 1% 1% 0% 310
Age 65+ 5% 32% 60% 1% 1% 0% 408
Do you have any physical or mental health conditions or illnesses lasting or expected to last 12 months or more? Yes 7% 35% 57% 1% 1% 0% 477
Do you have any physical or mental health conditions or illnesses lasting or expected to last 12 months or more? No 14% 39% 44% 1% 2% 0% 1079
Left-right scale left 10% 33% 55% 1% 1% 0% 960
Left-right scale neither 13% 47% 37% 0% 2% 0% 442
Left-right scale right 27% 44% 26% 2% 0% 0% 137
Support/Oppose Scottish Independence Independence 11% 33% 54% 0% 1% 0% 755
Support/Oppose Scottish Independence Union 13% 43% 41% 1% 1% 0% 778
Table B.13: Government should redistribute income from the better-off to those who are less well off
Agree strongly Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Disagree strongly Don't know Prefer not to answer Unweighted bases
Left-right scale left 31% 39% 21% 8% 1% 0% 0% 960
Left-right scale neither 2% 18% 40% 26% 14% 0% 0% 442
Left-right scale right 0% 4% 12% 36% 49% 0% 0% 137

Contact

Email: CIMA@gov.scot

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