Scottish Surveys Core Questions 2013

3 Core Household Questions

This chapter presents breakdowns of SSCQ data on:

• household type (section 3.1)
• household tenure (section 3.2)
• car access (section 3.3)

All reported differences are statistically significant unless otherwise stated.

Household type

The household type categories provided by SSCQ mirror those used by constituent surveys in reporting. These categories encode information about the number and ages of individuals in the surveyed address as follows:

• Single adult: 1 adult of non-pensionable age and no children. Pensionable age is set at 65 for men and 60 for women^[25]
• Small adult: 2 adults of non-pensionable age and no children
• Large adult: 3 or more adults and no children
• Single parent: 1 adult of any age and 1 or more children
• Small family: 2 adults of any age and 1 or 2 children
• Large family: 2 adults of any age and 3 or more children or 3 or more adults of any age and 1 or more children
• Single pensioner: 1 adult of pensionable age and no children.
• Older smaller: 2 adults at least one of whom is of pensionable age and no children

Household tenure

Tenure information was collected to inform housing policy and to provide a socioeconomic comparison. The Scottish Household Survey reports on tenure annually (in broader categories)^[26] and every ten years, the Scottish Census publishes tenure information with detailed breakdowns^[27]. SSCQ provides more frequent and detailed estimates, distinguishing between the private and social rental sector.

A comparison of SSCQ and census findings is provided in Annex A, Table A.1.

Car access

Transport is essential to Scotland's economy, communities, environment, health and general well-being. Transport is important to everybody in Scotland, allowing them to reach workplaces or schools, have access to shops or services, visit friends and family and enjoy leisure services. Improving transport and the associated transport choices in Scotland plays an important role in achieving the Scottish Government's overall Purpose: to focus Government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. An understanding of people's access to cars is an important factor in understanding broader trends in transport choices, improving people's access to economic opportunities and key services, mitigating transport's impact on the environment and improving the health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland.

Data on car access, collected in the Scottish Household Survey, is published annually in "Transport and Travel in Scotland".^[28] The precise question, rolled out to the SSCQ surveys from 2013 includes vans and company cars: "In total, how many cars or vans are owned, or are available for private use, by members of your household? Include any company cars or vans available for private use". Every ten years, the Scottish Census publishes information on car ownership at a range of detailed geographies.

A comparison of SSCQ and census findings is provided in Annex A, Table A.2.

3.1 Household type

Most Scottish households in 2013 were composed of single adults (19%).The largest groups of single adult households were in the fifth most deprived areas (26%) and the smallest group of single adult households were in the fifth least deprived areas (12%). Similar comparisons were observed for single parents (10% and 1.9%). Most Scottish households in the least deprived fifth of areas were composed of small adult and older smaller households (both 18%).

Single adults made up the largest group in large urban areas (23%), dropping to 14% in remote rural areas. Conversely, older smaller households made up 23% of remote rural areas but only 11% of large urban areas. Other household types were evenly distributed.

Single pensioners and adults were least likely to have access to a car, making up 32% and 29% of the "no car access" group.

Table 3.1: Household type

	Response %								Totals
	Single adult	Small adult	Large adult	Single parent	Small family	Large family	Single pensioner	Older smaller	Households	Sample
All	18.8	17.1	10.1	5.1	12.5	5.5	16.4	14.6	2,386,200	20,137
Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
1: most deprived fifth of households	25.6	13.7	7.4	9.6	10.7	4.9	17.7	10.3	508,000	3,868
2	21.5	16.9	10.0	6.2	9.7	4.3	18.6	12.8	492,300	4,107
3	18.5	18.7	9.9	4.2	12.5	5.9	15.4	14.9	487,100	4,385
4	14.6	18.5	10.1	3.0	14.6	6.3	15.1	17.7	462,000	4,248
5: least deprived fifth of households	12.4	18.0	13.3	1.9	15.3	6.1	15.1	17.9	436,700	3,529
Urban/Rural Classification
Large Urban Area	22.6	18.1	10.1	5.4	11.5	4.5	16.6	11.0	958,800	6,808
Other Urban Area	17.9	15.9	10.3	5.7	12.9	5.5	16.2	15.6	716,300	6,120
Accessible Small Town	14.3	17.6	10.7	4.7	12.9	6.9	16.7	16.2	211,400	1,830
Remote Small Town	18.6	15.1	10.8	4.4	11.3	6.2	16.4	17.3	89,600	1,122
Accessible Rural	13.8	18.1	8.3	4.2	14.8	6.8	16.0	18.0	259,300	2,231
Remote Rural	14.0	15.0	10.1	2.7	12.3	6.8	16.6	22.6	150,900	2,026
Detailed Tenure
Owned outright	8.2	10.2	10.0	0.8	3.2	2.1	30.5	35.0	713,200	6,558
Mortgaged	16.5	24.0	13.9	3.5	24.9	10.0	2.7	4.5	732,600	6,064
Social rented	27.6	11.0	6.4	10.5	8.5	5.0	22.5	8.6	582,800	4,775
Private rented	30.4	28.7	7.9	8.9	12.4	3.8	4.8	3.1	323,000	2,478
Unknown rented	32.6	8.6	11.1	3.8	5.4	4.5	21.6	12.4	30,600	232
Car Access
No car	29.0	11.2	4.5	8.5	4.6	2.0	32.4	7.8	741,400	5,716
1 car	21.1	16.6	6.7	5.7	12.2	4.6	14.3	18.8	1,021,900	8,832
2 cars	2.8	27.7	15.3	0.3	25.3	10.4	0.8	17.4	507,700	4,594
3 or more cars	2.7	13.3	52.8	.	8.7	14.1	0.7	7.7	115,100	994

3.2 Household tenure

The most common forms of tenure across Scotland in 2013 were mortgaged (31%) and owned outright (30%), followed by social rented (24%). A further 14% were private rented.

Some tenure types varied strongly across deprivation areas, with the proportion of outright ownership increasing from 15% in the most deprived areas to 45% in least deprived areas. Mortgaged households similarly increased from 19% to 38%. Conversely, social rented accommodation made up over half the households in the most deprived areas (55%) and only 3.0% in the least deprived areas.

Nearly half of households in remote rural areas owned outright (45%),compared to a quarter (25%) in large urban areas. Conversely, social rental housing made up 27% in large urban areas and only 16% in remote rural areas.

Nearly half of households with no access to a car were social tenants (49%). Similarly, half of single parents (50%) and around third of single pensioners (34%) and single adults (36%) were social tenants.

Table 3.2: Household tenure

	Response %					Totals
	Owned outright	Mortgaged	Social rented	Private rented	Unknown rented	Households	Sample
All	29.9	30.7	24.4	13.5	1.3	2,386,200	20,137
Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
1: most deprived fifth of households	15.0	18.9	54.6	9.8	1.6	508,000	3,868
2	24.5	28.1	32.2	13.7	1.2	492,300	4,107
3	31.1	33.1	18.6	15.8	1.3	487,100	4,385
4	36.8	36.8	9.4	15.4	1.4	462,000	4,248
5: least deprived fifth of households	44.6	38.2	3.0	13.1	0.8	436,700	3,529
Urban/Rural Classification
Large Urban Area	25.2	29.1	27.1	16.7	1.6	958,800	6,808
Other Urban Area	29.3	32.5	26.2	11.3	0.7	716,300	6,120
Accessible Small Town	32.9	31.9	23.8	10.2	0.9	211,400	1,830
Remote Small Town	33.6	27.9	26.4	10.9	1.3	89,600	1,122
Accessible Rural	36.6	34.3	14.4	12.6	1.8	259,300	2,231
Remote Rural	44.6	25.9	15.8	11.7	1.9	150,900	2,026
Household Type
Single adult	13.0	27.0	35.8	21.9	2.2	448,200	3,319
Small adult	17.9	43.0	15.7	22.7	0.6	408,000	3,312
Large adult	29.6	42.5	15.5	10.6	1.4	240,300	1,940
Single parent	4.9	20.8	49.9	23.4	1.0	122,100	1,038
Small family	7.8	61.3	16.7	13.4	0.6	297,300	2,643
Large family	11.2	55.9	22.3	9.5	1.1	130,900	1,225
Single pensioner	55.5	5.1	33.5	4.0	1.7	391,800	3,265
Older smaller	71.8	9.6	14.4	2.9	1.1	347,700	3,395
Car Access
No car	20.8	9.0	49.1	18.8	2.1	741,400	5,716
1 car	34.9	32.3	18.4	13.3	1.0	1,021,900	8,832
2 cars	31.5	54.0	5.2	8.4	0.7	507,700	4,594
3 or more cars	37.4	53.0	3.4	5.0	1.0	115,100	994

3.3 Car access

The majority (69%) of Scottish households had access to at least one car in 2013 - 43% had access to one car, 21% two cars and 4.8% three or more cars, see Table 3.3.

Figure 15: % households with access to one or more car, by deprivation and rurality

Car access tended to vary with deprivation; 85% of respondents living in the least deprived fifth of households in Scotland had access to a car, compared to only 46% of those living in the most deprived fifth of households (see Figure 15). People living in urban areas were much less likely to have access to a car than those living in rural areas, with 41% of those living in a large urban area having no access to a car, compared to only 14% of those living in a remote rural area.

Single-occupant households were the least likely to have access to a car, with 48% of single adult, 51% of single parent and 61% of single pensioner households having no access to a car for personal use. By comparison, only 11% of those living in small or large family households had no access to a car. Large adult households had the highest access to multiple cars, with 25% having access to 3 or more cars.

Car access also varied by tenure, with 91% of those living in a mortgaged household and 78% of those who owned their house outright having access to a car. This contrasted with only 38% in social rented and 57% in private rented having access to a car.

Table 3.3: Car access

	Response %				Totals
	No car	1 car	2 cars	3 or more cars	Households	Sample
All	31.1	42.8	21.3	4.8	2,386,200	20,137
Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
1: most deprived fifth of households	54.4	35.9	8.3	1.4	508,000	3,868
2	38.7	44.2	14.0	3.1	492,300	4,107
3	26.2	46.3	22.8	4.7	487,100	4,385
4	17.9	44.2	30.6	7.3	462,000	4,248
5: least deprived fifth of households	14.8	43.9	32.9	8.3	436,700	3,529
Urban/Rural Classification
Large Urban Area	41.1	40.8	15.3	2.8	958,800	6,808
Other Urban Area	30.1	44.4	21.5	3.9	716,300	6,120
Accessible Small Town	24.4	44.8	23.6	7.3	211,400	1,830
Remote Small Town	26.9	48.4	20.0	4.7	89,600	1,122
Accessible Rural	13.1	42.0	34.1	10.9	259,300	2,231
Remote Rural	14.4	43.7	33.5	8.4	150,900	2,026
Household Type
Single adult	47.9	48.2	3.2	0.7	448,200	3,319
Small adult	20.3	41.5	34.5	3.8	408,000	3,312
Large adult	14.0	28.4	32.3	25.3	240,300	1,940
Single parent	51.3	47.4	1.3	.	122,100	1,038
Small family	11.5	41.9	43.2	3.4	297,300	2,643
Large family	11.3	35.9	40.4	12.4	130,900	1,225
Single pensioner	61.4	37.4	1.0	0.2	391,800	3,265
Older smaller	16.7	55.4	25.4	2.6	347,700	3,395
Detailed Tenure
DK/Refused	35.0	31.4	28.0	5.6	4,000	30
Owned outright	21.6	50.0	22.4	6.0	713,200	6,558
Mortgaged	9.1	45.1	37.4	8.3	732,600	6,064
Social rented	62.5	32.3	4.5	0.7	582,800	4,775
Private rented	43.1	41.9	13.2	1.8	323,000	2,478
Unknown rented	51.4	33.3	11.5	3.7	30,600	232