Framing a Minimum Income Guarantee
On behalf of the independent Minimum Income Guarantee Expert Group, Progressive Partnership conducted market research in order to test levels of support for a Minimum Income Guarantee and to support future communication and framing around it.
Quantitative research method and sample
Research method
An online self-completion survey was administered via sample panels. The survey collected views from a representative sample of 1,053 adults aged 18+ in Scotland, with fieldwork conducted between 7th and 13th October 2024. A copy of the survey questionnaire is included in Appendix 1.
Quotas were set to ensure the sample was representative of the Scottish adult population in terms of gender, age and socio-economic group, and the final data was weighted to adjust for very slight variations in the final achieved samples against quota targets.
Sample profile
An overview of the weighted sample profile is outlined in Table 4a-c below, the base number of this sample is 1,053. Detailed sample tables are included in Appendix 2.
| Age group | No. | % |
|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 105 | 10% |
| 25-34 | 168 | 16% |
| 35-44 | 159 | 15% |
| 45-54 | 168 | 16% |
| 55-64 | 189 | 18% |
| 65+ | 264 | 25% |
| Prefer not to say | 1 | <1% |
| Gender | No. | % |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 504 | 48% |
| Female | 545 | 52% |
| Non-binary | 3 | <1% |
| Prefer to self-describe | 1 | <1% |
| SEG | No. | % |
|---|---|---|
| AB | 200 | 19% |
| C1 | 336 | 32% |
| C2 | 231 | 22% |
| DE | 284 | 27% |
| Prefer not to say | 3 | <1% |
Analysis and reporting
Analysis has been conducted looking at various sub-groups, including demographics (age, gender, SEG, children in the household, priority families), economic factors (working status, household income, how people feel they are managing financially) and geography (urban/rural classification, SIMD profile). Unweighted base sizes for sub-groups used in the analysis are included in the sample profile tables in Appendix 2.
The sampling technique used was quota controlled to achieve a representative sample of the Scottish general public. Use of quotas means it was a non-probability sample, so the margins of error should therefore be treated as indicative, based on an equivalent probability sample. The overall sample size of 1,053 provides a dataset with an approximate margin of error of between ±0.60% and ±3.02%, calculated at the 95% confidence level (market research industry standard).
Only significant differences are reported (at the 95% level, i.e. results indicate 95% confidence that the difference is not due to chance or sampling error). Not every significant difference is noted – results are highlighted where they are notable/meaningful, part of a clear pattern of results across the reporting as a whole, and/or where they add insight in relation to the research objectives.
For ease of reading the results, percentage labels have been left off some of the charts where small percentages are charted. In instances where percentages quoted in the text do not match the sum of two figures in the charts, this is due to rounding.
Limitations
There are limitations associated with any survey method. For example, as the survey was conducted online, the sample necessarily excludes people who do not have internet access. However, the sample does include robust sub-samples of respondents from lower socio-economic groups, those living in the most deprived SIMD quintile, and those on lower incomes (see Appendix 2) – it is no longer the case that online samples are heavily weighted towards more affluent respondents. The sample design provides as representative a sample as possible within the constraints of the available timescale and budget.
Contact
Email: MIGSecretariat@gov.scot