Ukraine - Super Sponsor Scheme review: equality impact assessment

Stage 2: Data and evidence gathering, involvement and consultation

Include here the results of your evidence gathering (including framing exercise), including qualitative and quantitative data and the source of that information, whether national statistics, surveys or consultations with relevant equality groups.

Protected Characteristic: Age

Evidence gathered and strength/quality of evidence

Age Demographics – Super Sponsor Scheme^[1]

The highest proportion of both male and female applicants has been in the ’18 to 64’ age group, for the Scottish Super Sponsor Scheme since March 2022.

The highest proportion of arrivals in the UK under the Scottish Super Sponsor Scheme (those sponsored by the Scottish Government) were aged between 18 and 64 for both males and females across all reporting periods between 18 March 2022 and 31 December 2022.

Please note that age and sex demographics are extracted from the visa application form, and will reflect the individual’s travel documentation and their age when first arriving to the UK under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

Between March to September 2022 across the UK, the most common age bracket for Ukrainian nationals in employment across both genders was 35-44 with around 8,250 (29%) individuals in this age range having, been employed at some point. This is followed by those aged 25-34 with around 8,000 (28%) individuals having been employed.

Across the UK, the most common age bracket for males in employment was 25-34 (2,300 individuals) and the most common age bracket for females in employment was 35-44 (6,450 individuals) between March and September 2022.

Following a Scottish Government survey of local authorities, data indicates that as at 31 March 2023, 3,124 Ukrainian children were enrolled in primary and secondary schools across Scotland.

Data gaps identified and action taken

These demographics were published by DLUHC up to 31 December 2022. Analysis of Ukrainian nationals in employment in the UK was released by DLUHC and HMRC on 23 March 2023.

Ukraine Population^[2]

According to data available on Statista website, 18% of Ukraine population is under 18 years of age. This compares to 22% of under 18 arrivals in the UK under the Scottish Super Sponsor Scheme in the latest reporting period 1 October to 31 December 2022.

82% of Ukraine population is 18 years of age and over. This compares to 78% of arrivals in the UK with a Scottish sponsor between 1 October and 31 December 2022 for equivalent age band.

Almost 14% of Ukraine population is ages 0-14, while 12% is 15-24 years of age. And 57% of the population is 25-64 years of age, while 15% is 65 years and over.

Scottish Population^[3]

Scotland’s population is aging with an increasing number of people in older age groups compared with previous decades.

In 2021, 17% of Scotland’s population were 0-15 years (decreased from 19% since 2001).

In 2021, 20% of Scotland’s population were 65 years and older (increased from 16% since 2001).

The percentage of 16-64 year olds has decreased from 65% in 2001 to 64% on 2021.

Scottish population – age and location^[3]

More rural council areas tend to have an older age profile. Dumfries and Galloway, and Na h-Eileanan Siar had the highest proportion of people aged 65+ at 27%, in mid-2021. These were followed by Argyll and Bute, South Ayrshire and Scottish Borders at 26% each, and Orkney and Angus at 25% each in mid-2021.

Scotland’s cities have the lowest proportion of people aged 65+. Glasgow City had the lowest proportion in mid-2021, at 14%, followed by City of Edinburgh (15%) and Aberdeen City (16%).

Scottish population – age and employment^[4]

The youth (16-24) employment rate in Scotland decreased by 2.1 percentage points over the year from 59.3 per cent in 2017 to 57.2 per cent in 2018.

88,600 people aged 65 years and over were in employment in Scotland in 2018, almost twice as many as ten years ago.

The employment rate for those aged 65 years and over increased from 5.9 per cent in 2008 to 8.8 per cent in 2018* * Statistically significant.

Data gaps identified and action taken

This information doesn’t show full picture of employment in each local authority area.

Scottish population – age, employment and location^[5]

The local authority areas with the highest youth (16-24) employment rates in Scotland in 2018 were Orkney Islands (89.9 per cent), Na h-Eileanan Siar (72.9 per cent) and Highland (70.4 per cent).

The areas with the lowest youth employment rates during this period were East Renfrewshire (37.3 per cent), Glasgow City (40.2 per cent) and East Ayrshire (47.1 per cent). It should be noted that youth employment rates in university cities are likely to be lower due to higher levels of economically inactive students.

The local authorities with the highest employment rate for those aged 50 years and over were: Shetland Islands (57.8 per cent), Orkney Islands (46.7 per cent) and Highland (45.8 per cent).

Scottish population – age, employment and sex^[5]

The employment level for those aged 50 to 64 years increased by 131,600 from 640,300 in 2008 to 771,900 in 2018. The employment rate increased from 65.2 per cent in 2008 to 69.7 per cent in 2018*. Women accounted for approximately two thirds (64.1 per cent) of the increase in employment for those aged 50-64.

Protected Characteristic: Disability

Evidence gathered and strength/quality of evidence

Disability Demographics – Super Sponsor Scheme^[6]

Almost three-quarters (74%) of respondents to the ONS survey reported their physical health as "good or very good", and 67% marked their mental health as "good or very good".

Around one in ten (12%) adults reported a physical or mental health condition or illness lasting or expected to last 12 months or more.

Data gaps identified and action taken

ONS survey of visa holders entering the UK under the Ukraine Humanitarian Schemes provides an insight into self-reported health of Ukrainian respondents.

Scottish Population^[7]

32% of adults in Scotland had a long-term limiting mental or physical health condition or disability in 2017

In 2017, 34% of women were disabled and 29% of men were disabled.

In 2021, almost half (47%) of the adult population in Scotland reported living with a long-term health condition.

Women were more likely than men to report having such a condition (52%, compared with 43%).

Scottish Population – Disability and Age^[8]

In 2021, 13,255 children in Scotland were looked after. An estimated 10 per cent of Scotland's 13,255 looked after children were recorded as having a disability. This is the same as the overall proportion of children with a disability (10 per cent) found in the Scottish Health Survey 2017.

In 2017, the Scottish Health Survey (SHeS) estimated that 45% of adults (16+ years of age) (and 17% of children) had a long term condition or illness, and that 32% of adults (16+ years of age) (and 10% of children) had long-term conditions that were also limiting.

Protected Characteristics: Sex

Evidence gathered and strength/quality of evidence

Sex Demographics – Super Sponsor Scheme^[9]

The largest proportion of the Scottish Super Sponsor Scheme applications, visas issued and arrivals were from female applicants in the period 18 March to 31 December 2022.

Visa Applicants

• Male: 16,625
• Female: 21,800

Visas Issued

• Male: 13,835
• Female: 17,995

Arrivals

• Male: 7,670
• Female: 10,750

As at September 2022 across the UK, around 76% (20,150) of Ukrainian nationals in employment were female and around 24% (6,250) were male. In Scotland, the gender split is slightly narrower compared to the UK split with 69% female (1,350) and 31% male (600) as at September 2022. The number of Ukrainian nationals in active employment in Scotland has increased from 250 individuals for females in May and from 200 individuals for males as recorded in June 2022. While the data set published covers period between March and September 2022 across the UK, most of the data for March, April and May 2022 has not been provided for Scotland to protect taxpayer confidentiality.

Data gaps identified and action taken

These demographics were published by DLUHC up to 31 December 2022.

In addition, Analysis of Ukrainian nationals in employment in the UK was released by DLUHC and HMRC on 23 March 2023.

Sex and Age – Super Sponsor Scheme^[9]

The highest proportion of both male and female applicants under the Scotland’s Super Sponsor Scheme was in the ’18 to 65’ age group from 18 March to 31 December 2022.

The proportion of Super Sponsor visa applications, visas issued and arrivals for under 18s was similar for males and females.

Data gaps identified and action taken

These demographics were published by DLUHC up to 31 December 2022.

Scottish Population^[10]

The latest estimate of Scotland's population (on 30 June 2021) is 5,479,900.

Scotland had a relatively even split between sexes in 2021, with 51% women and 49% men, although this varied amongst age groups.

Scottish Population – Sex and Age

The youngest age groups had a higher proportion of males as more boys are born than girls, whilst the oldest age groups had a lower proportion of men because women have a longer life expectancy in Scotland. ^[11]

On 31st July 2021, of the estimated 13,225 children who were looked after in Scotland, 54 per cent were male and 46 per cent were female.^[12]

Scotland’s Gender Index Scores^[13]

Scotland’s Gender Equality Index is designed to represent gender equality numerically, with a score of one indicating no gender equality and a score of 100 indicating full gender equality. Scotland’s baseline score for 2020 is 73, which indicates there is some way to go before full gender equality is reached.

Work domain: 76

Money domain: 85

Time domain: 84

Knowledge domain: 78

Power domain: 44

Health domain: 99

Scottish Population – Sex and Employment^[14]

The employment rate for women in 2021 was 70.7 per cent, lower than the employment rate for men (75.8 per cent).

The gender employment gap increased from 4.7 percentage points in 2020 to 5.1 percentage points (pp) in 2021. However, the 2021 gap is smaller than the gap of 6.3 pp in 2019. This is the second smallest gap in the calendar series behind 2020.

86.3 per cent of men in employment are in full time employment compared to 61.6 per cent of women.

Protected Characteristics: Sexual Orientation

Evidence gathered and strength/quality of evidence

Demographics – Super Sponsor Scheme

• None published

Data gaps identified and action taken

• This data is not being collected.

Scottish Population^[15]

Around 3% of adults self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or other.

95% of adults self-identified as straight or heterosexual.

Scottish Population – Sexual Orientation and Discrimination^[16]

In 2019 adults identified themselves as ‘gay, lesbian or bisexual’ were more likely to have experienced discrimination in the previous 12 months (22 per cent) compared to only (7 per cent of heterosexual or straight adults.

LGBT adults were also more likely to have experienced harassment (16 per cent) than heterosexual or straight adults (6 per cent).

Scottish Population – Sexual Orientation and Employment^[17]

In 2018, people who identified as 'LGB and other' were twice as likely to be unemployed compared to those who identified as 'heterosexual' (4.0 percent versus 2.0 per cent). It is important to note that a higher proportion of those identifying as 'LGB and other' were in the age groups 16-24 and 25-34, which were also the age groups where unemployment was higher.

Sexual Orientation and Human Rights^[18]

Offence aggravation data indicate that in 202021, 255 people were convicted in Scottish courts of crime or an offence with an associated sexual orientation aggravation. The number of convictions with a sexual orientation aggravation decreased by 40% in the past year, and is 65% higher than in 2011-12 (155 convictions).

87% of these were for charges of breach of the peace.

Protected Characteristics: Gender Reassignment

Evidence gathered and strength/quality of evidence

Demographics – Super Sponsor Scheme

• None published

Data gaps identified and action taken

• This data is not being collected.

Scottish Population^[19]

• GIRES estimated that between 0.6% and 1.0% of the population were trans
• As of 2011, 12,500 adults in the UK had sought medical interventions related to their gender dysphoria. The number of trans people accessing Gender Identity Clinics each year is increasing.

More recent data would be preferable.

Scottish Population – Gender Reassignment and Age

Trans people seek medical assistance with their transition at any age. The median age is 42.

More recent data would be preferable.

Gender Reassignment and Human Rights^[20]

A survey of 71 respondents show that:

• 46% of respondents had previously experienced transphobic abuse in domestic relationships: mostly this took the form of verbal abuse but 17% experienced threatening behaviour; 11% experienced physical abuse and six percent experienced sexual abuse.
• 62% of respondents stated that they had experienced transphobic harassment from strangers in public places who perceived them to be Transgender: mostly this took the form of verbal abuse but 31% experienced threatening behaviour, 17% experienced physical assault and four percent experienced sexual assault.
• Although 38% did not describe experiencing transphobic harassment from strangers, it must be taken into account that 23% of respondents stated they have never been perceived to be Transgender by any strangers. Therefore, just 15% of respondents had been perceived as Transgender by strangers on one or more occasion but never experienced any transphobic harassment.
• Only 15% of respondents had ever reported any transphobic harassment to the police. Of those 11 respondents, only five stated they were satisfied with the response they received from the police.

More recent data would be preferable. A small number of respondents.

Protected Characteristics: Race

Evidence gathered and strength/quality of evidence

Demographics – Super Sponsor Scheme

• None published

Data gaps identified and action taken

• This data is not being collected.

Scottish Population^[21]

In 2019, the largest ethnic group was 'White Scottish' at 75.9%

Other white ethnicities made up 19.3%, Asian (including Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British) was 2.9%, and all other ethnic groups (including categories within the 'Mixed or Multiple Ethnic Group', ‘African’, ‘Caribbean or Black’, and ‘Other Ethnic Group’ sections)- made up 1.8%

Scottish Population – Race and Age^[22]

In 2021 8.9% of early learning and childcare registrations had a home language other than English.

Scottish Population – Race and Discrimination^[23]

In 2019 minority ethnic adults were more likely to have experienced discrimination in the previous 12 months (19 per cent) compared to white adults (7 per cent).

Minority ethnic adults were also more likely to have experienced harassment (17 per cent) than adults from 'White' ethnic groups (6 per cent).

Scottish Population – Race and Employment^[24]

The employment rate for the minority ethnic population aged 16-64 was 62.1 per cent which is lower than the white population with an employment rate of 73.9 per cent.

The minority ethnic employment gap (difference between the employment rates for white and minority ethnic people) was 11.7 percentage points, higher than the gap in 2020 (9.7 percentage points), but lower than 2019 (16.4 percentage points)

Scottish Population – Race, Employment & Sex^[24]

In 2021, the ethnicity employment rate gap for women was estimated at 23.1 percentage points (pp). While the gap for men was estimated at -1.5 percentage points (pp). A negative ethnicity employment rate gap is where the rate for the minority ethnic group is higher than the rate for the white group.

Scottish Population – Race, Employment & Age^[24]

• In 2021, the ethnicity employment rate gap was largest for those aged 16 to 24 (19.6 pp) followed by those aged 25 to 34 (18.9 pp). The gap for 35 to 49 year olds was 17.9 pp and the gap for those aged 50 to 64 was -8.4 pp.
• Estimates for 16 to 24 year olds are based on small sample sizes. They may be less precise and users should be cautious when quoting them.

Scottish Population – English Language Skills^[25]

Ninety four per cent of Scotland’s population aged 3 and over could speak, read and write English.

This proportion was highest for the ‘White: Other British’, ‘White: Irish’ and ‘White: Scottish’ ethnic groups (97, 96 and 94 per cent of people, respectively).

The ‘White: Polish’ group reported the lowest proportion (71 per cent) of people who were able to ‘speak, read and write English’, with a further 14 per cent who could speak, but not read or write English.

Five per cent of people who identified as ‘White: Gypsy/Traveller’ and 5 per cent of people who identified a ‘White: Polish’ ethnicity recorded their English language skills as able to understand ‘spoken English only’.

Scottish Population – Proficiency in Spoken English Language^[26]

89 per cent of Scotland’s population spoke English ‘very well’ and a further 10 per cent spoke English ‘well’.

People from minority ethnic groups reported lower levels of proficiency in spoken English compared to the population as a whole.

The ‘Chinese’ and ‘White: Polish’ groups reported the lowest levels of spoken English proficiency. Within the ‘White: Polish’ ethnic group, only 30 per cent of people reported that they could speak English ‘very well’ and 28 per cent reported that they could speak English ‘not well or not at all’.

Ukrainian Population – Spoken Languages^[27]

The major language is Ukrainian, spoken by 67% of the population, while the second most common language is Russian, spoken by 24% of the total population. The remaining 9% is comprised of various other languages.

ONS survey of visa holders entering the UK under the Ukraine Humanitarian Schemes estimated that:

Over half (56%) of adults considered themselves fluent or said they can speak a fair amount of English, while 41% said they can speak a little English or say just a few words.

Six in 10 (60%) of adults said they can read and understand most things or a fair amount in English, while 36% said they can read and understand some simple sentences or some basic words and phrases in English.

Almost half (45%) of adults said they can write most things or a fair amount in English, while 47% said they can write some simple sentences or basic words in English.

Three-quarters (75%) of adults felt that their overall English has significantly or moderately improved since coming to the UK.

Data gaps identified and action taken

ONS survey of visa holders entering the UK under the Ukraine Humanitarian Schemes provides an insight into self-reported language skills.

Protected Characteristics: Religion Or Belief

Evidence gathered and strength/quality of evidence

Demographics – Super Sponsor Scheme

• None published

Data gaps identified and action taken

• This data is not being collected.

Ukrainian Population^[28]

The people in Ukraine are known to be from several religious affiliations. These include the most common ones - the Kiev Patriarchy Orthodox Church, the Moscow Patriarchate Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, Protestant churches, the Roman Catholic Church, Islam, and Jewish - and some other minority religions as well.

Scottish Population^[29]

In 2019, Christian (Church of Scotland, Roman Catholic and Other Christian) represented 43% of the adult population.

Over the past decade there has been an increase in the proportion of adults reporting not belonging to a religion, from 40% in 2009 to over half of adults (53.7%) in 2019.

There has also been a corresponding decrease in the proportion reporting belonging to 'Church of Scotland', from 32% to 21.5%.

Scottish Population – Religion / Belief and Discrimination^[30]

In 2019 adults belonging to the Church of Scotland were least likely to have experienced discrimination in the previous 12 months (4%).

In contrast, 10% of Roman Catholics, and 9% of other Christians had experienced discrimination.

Adults belonging to religions other than Christianity or no religion were most likely to have experienced discrimination (24%).

Scottish Population – Religion / Belief and Employment^[31]

The highest employment rates were seen for those with no religious beliefs (74.7 per cent) followed by Christians (72.3 per cent), Other religion (68.7 per cent), Hindus (68.4 per cent), Buddhists (66.5 per cent), and Muslims (46.5 per cent). The employment rate for Scotland as a whole was 73.2 per cent.

Over the year, there were decreases in the employment rates for all religious groups except for the employment rate for Buddhists which increased 3.4 percentage points since 2019.

Religion / Belief and Human Rights^[32]

There were 123 convictions with the racial aggravation, 42% lower than last year, and the lowest level in the past 10 years

Protected Characteristics: Pregnancy and Maternity

Evidence gathered and strength/quality of evidence

Demographics – Super Sponsor Scheme^[33]

As per the latest findings reported in the ONS UK Humanitarian outcomes survey, conducted over a two week period between 27 February – 13 March 2023, 45% of visa holders entering the UK under the Ukraine Humanitarian Schemes live with dependent children. Of those living with dependent children, 49% reported that their current childcare responsibilities limit their ability to take up work in the UK. Of those whose childcare responsibilities limit their ability to take up work, 78% stated that this is because they can only work part-time.

Data gaps identified and action taken

ONS survey of visa holders entering the UK under the Ukraine Humanitarian Schemes provides an insight into self-reported household composition and dependents. This data is not available at Scotland level.

Scottish Population

• This data is not available

Scottish Population – Pregnancy / Maternity and Age^[34]

Pregnancies in young people aged under 20 are at their lowest level since reporting began in 1994.

In 2016, there were 4,622 pregnancies in young women aged under 20.

• 66% were in those aged 18 and 19
• 5% were in those aged under 16

Of the 4,622 conceptions in young women aged under 20 in 2016, 43% ended in termination (increasing to 47% in those aged under 18 and 55% in those aged under 16), although the latest ISD statistics show that there has been a significant decline in the number of terminations in the under 20s over the last decade.

Scottish Population – Pregnancy / Maternity & Socio-Economic Status^[34]

The absolute gap in teenage pregnancy rates between the most and least deprived is narrowing. Rates of pregnancy have reduced across all levels of deprivation in recent years, with those in the most deprived areas falling more.

However, those living in areas of highest deprivation still have pregnancy rates five times higher than those in the least deprived.