Scotland's People Annual report: Results from 2009/2010 Scottish Household Survey

A National Statistics publication for Scotland, providing reliable and up-to-date information on the composition, characteristics, behaviour and attitudes of Scottish households and adults


2 The Composition and Characteristics of Households and Adults in Scotland

Introduction and context

The Scottish Household Survey ( SHS) collects information from the household respondent about all household members including children. This information is used principally for selecting the data of particular groups for further cross-cutting analysis or for use as background variables when analysing other topics.

The National Records of Scotland ( NRS) uses the SHS to publish household estimates based on SHS data. Estimates of total numbers of households derived from the 2009/2010 SHS, using the household grossing weight [24], are the same as the 2010 household estimates from NRS. Estimates for particular types of household, as described in this chapter, are likely to differ from NRS due to differences in weighting.

The characteristics of adults and the Highest Income Householder ( HIH) [25] are used in this report as variables to examine SHS questions in the chapters that follow. The age and number of people in the household are combined in 'household type', a variable which is used to examine the relationship of household composition with a number of different topics throughout this report.

To set the scene for the subsequent analysis, this chapter briefly presents information on selected characteristics of all household members and of adults. It examines household types and considers the relationship between household type and degree of rurality.

All Household Members

The gender and age of all household members, including children, are presented in Table 2.1. There are more female (52%) than male (48%) household members, similar to previous years. Just under a fifth (18%) of household members is aged under 16, while just under a quarter (23%) is 60 or over.

Table 2.1: Characteristics of household members

Column percentages, 2009/2010 data

All household members

Gender
Male 48
Female 52
All 100
Base 63,459
Age
0-15 18
16-24 12
25-34 12
35-44 15
45-59 20
60-74 16
75+ 7
All 100
Base 63,459

Adults in private households

Table 2.2 presents the characteristics of adults, based on those selected to take part in the 'random adult' interview. As with all household members, 52% of adults are female and 48% are male. Those aged 16-24 represent 15% of adults. Those aged 45 to 59 make up a quarter (25%) of all adults, while those 75 or over represent just under one-tenth (9%) of adults.

Table 2.2: The characteristics of adults

Column percentages, 2009/2010 data

Adults

Gender
Male 48
Female 52
All 100
Base 24,982
Age
16 to 24 15
25 to 34 15
35 to 44 18
45 to 59 25
60 to 74 19
75 plus 9
All 100
Base 24,982
Marital status
Married and living with spouse 51
In a same-sex civil partnership 0
Single, never been married / in civil partnership 32
Widowed 8
Divorced 7
Separated 3
Bereaved civil partner 0
All 100
Base 24,982
Ethnicity
White 96.8
Scottish 81.5
Other British 11.7
Irish 0.7
Any other White background 2.9
Any mixed background 0.2
Asian* 2.1
Indian 0.5
Pakistani 0.7
Bangladeshi 0.1
Chinese 0.4
Any other Asian background 0.4
Black* 0.4
Caribbean 0.1
African 0.3
Any other Black background 0
Any other background 0.5
All 100
Base 24,982

Asian includes Asian Scottish or Asian British.

Black includes Black Scottish or Black British.

*sub-totals of ethnic groups that follow.

Just over half (51%) of adults are married and living with a spouse, while just under a third (32%) are single and have never been married. The majority of adults (96.8%) are of white ethnic origin with Scottish being the predominant ethnic group (81.5%). The next biggest group is 'other British' (11.7%), while 3.2% of adults are non-white. Adults of Asian ethnic origin represent the biggest non-white group (2.1%).

Figure 2.1 examines the relationships between current marital status and adults of different ages. Of those adults aged 16-24, the majority (94%) are single. By the time adults reach the age of 35-44, the majority are married and living with spouse or in a civil partnership (60% in total). Being single declines throughout all age groups until the 75 and over, at which point it remains constant at 7%.

From the ages of 35 to 74, marriage is the predominant current status. Those aged 75 or over are more often 'widowed' (45%) although around four in ten (43%) are still married.

Figure 2.1: Current marital status of adults by age

2009/2010 data, Adults (min base: 2,060)

SHS 2009/2010 Figure 2.1: Current marital status of adults by age

The data underlying Figure 2.1 are presented in Table 2.3. As well as showing the percentages of each age group who are single, married, divorced etc., [23] it also shows the percentage of each marital status category who are aged 16-24, 25-34 and so on. [24] Over two thirds (69%) of those who are single are under 35, whilst just under eight in ten (79%) of married people are aged between 35 and 74.

Like marriage, being divorced or separated is more common than average between the ages of 35-74, and also like marriage, this peaks between the ages of 45-59 (43%).

Table 2.3: Age and marital status of adult population

Row and column percentages, 2009/2010 data

Adults Single, never married / civil partnership Married / civil partnership Divorced / Separated Widowed / Bereaved civil partner Row total Row base
16 to 24 Row 94 6 0 0 15 100 2,060
Column 43 2 1 0
25 to 34 Row 56 41 4 0 15 100 3,358
Column 26 12 6 0
35 to 44 Row 27 60 12 1 18 100 4,183
Column 15 21 23 2
45 to 59 Row 13 67 17 3 25 100 6,098
Column 10 32 43 8
60 to 74 Row 7 67 11 15 19 100 6,003
Column 4 26 23 38
75+ Row 7 43 5 45 9 100 3,280
Column 2 7 4 51
All 32 51 9 8 100
Column total 100 100 100 100 100
Column base 7,266 10,915 3,406 3,395 24,982

Household Type

Household type is derived from the details collected from the household respondent about all household members, using a combination of age and number of people in the household. Combining the data in this way provides, in effect, an indicator of the life stage and family circumstance of households.

Figure 2.2: Household type
2009/2010 data, Households (base: 28,404)

SHS 2009/2010 Figure 2.2: Household type

The structure of households, as represented by household type, is illustrated in Figure 2.2 and full definitions are included in the Glossary ( Annex 2). A third of households in Scotland contain only one adult, split as 19% of those below pensionable age and 14% above pensionable age. Small families without children also account for one-third of households (small adult, older smaller), while almost a quarter (24%) are families with children aged under 16 (single parent, small family, large family).

Having identified the percentage of households accounted for by different household types, Table 2.4 shows the extent to which household type varies according to degree of rurality, as defined using the Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification. [25] In general the differences between different types of area are relatively small. Exceptions are higher than average levels of single adults in large urban areas (22%) and of older smaller households in remote rural areas (19%). A slightly increased amount of small adult households (21%) can be found in accessible rural areas.

Table 2.4: Household type by Urban Rural Classification
Column percentages, 2009/2010 data

Households Large urban areas Other urban areas Accessible small towns Remote small towns Accessible rural Remote rural Scotland
Single adult 22 18 15 17 13 15 19
Small adult 20 18 18 16 21 19 19
Single parent 5 5 5 4 4 3 5
Small family 12 13 13 13 15 12 13
Large family 5 7 8 7 7 7 6
Large adult 10 10 9 10 9 9 10
Older smaller 12 15 16 17 17 19 14
Single pensioner 14 14 15 17 14 16 14
All 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
Base 10,113 8,355 2,444 1,560 3,348 2,568 28,388

Additional tables providing further information on the composition and characteristics of households are available on the SHS website. [26]

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