Scottish Surveys Core Questions 2014

Annex A: Comparison with Census

In this chapter we compare estimates produced from the SSCQ 2014 data with the population of Scotland on census day 2011. The census tables used for the following comparisons are available to download from the Scotland-level bulk data file ^[60] .

Table A.1: Tenure of Scottish households

Tenure	Census 2011	SSCQ 2014
Owned	27.80%	30.6%	± 0.8%
Mortgaged	34.20%	29.4%	± 0.8%
Social rented	24.30%	24.9%	± 0.8%
Private rented	11.10%	14.7%	± 0.6%
Other rented	2.60%	0.1%	± 0.1%

Census source table: KS402SC

Census figures are close to being within the confidence intervals of the SSCQ tenure estimates. However, SSCQ estimates there to be fewer mortgage-holders (-3 p.p.) and more private renting tenants (+2.4 p.p.) than reported by census. Some of the differences are likely to be as a result of changes in the underlying composition of household tenure between 2011 and 2014. The Scottish Household Survey Annual Report 2014 ^[61] sets out trends in tenure between 1999 and 2014. This highlights for example that the proportion of households in the private rented sector has estimated to have grown steadily from 5 per cent in 1999 to 14 per cent in 2014.

Table A.2: Number of cars accessible by household members

Car Access	Census 2011	SSCQ 2014
None	30.50%	31.8%	± 0.8%
1	42.20%	43.5%	± 0.8%
2	21.60%	19.9%	± 0.7%
3+	5.60%	4.7%	± 0.3%

Census source table: KS404SC

Estimates of car access by household are very accurate compared to census figures.

Table A.3: Country of birth of adult population

Country of Birth	Census 2011	SSCQ 2014		SSCQ 2013
Scotland	81.50%	80.3%	± 0.8%	81.1%	± 0.7%
Rest of UK	10.80%	10.5%	± 0.6%	10.8%	± 0.5%
Rest of EU	3.30%	4.5%	± 0.4%	3.7%	± 0.3%
Rest of World	4.40%	4.6%	± 0.4%	4.4%	± 0.4%

Census source table: DC2103SC

Estimates of country of birth from the SSCQ are in very close agreement with census figures. SSCQ noted an increase in respondents born in the EU outside the UK. An increase in people born in the EU outside the UK in 2014 was also noted in the Annual Population Survey at the UK level ^[62] .

Table A.4: Ethnic group of adult population

Ethnicity	Census 2011	SSCQ 201
White Scottish	83.40%	78.4%	± 0.8%
White other British	8.60%	12.3%	± 0.6%
White Polish	1.10%	1.8%	± 0.3%
White other	3.30%	3.8%	± 0.4%
Asian	2.50%	2.4%	± 0.3%
All Other	1.10%	1.1%	± 0.2%

Census source table: DC2101SC

83% of census respondents were white Scottish, and 8.6% white other British. SSCQ puts these at around 78% and 12% respectively. Other ethnicities are in line with census figures.

Table A.5: Religion of adult population

Religion	Census 2011	excl. Missing	SSCQ 2014
Refused/ DK	6.70%	-	0.7%	± 0.1%
None	34.30%	37%	44.1%	± 0.9%
Church of Scotland	34.80%	37%	29.0%	± 0.8%
Roman Catholic	16.00%	17%	15.5%	± 0.7%
Other Christian	5.80%	6%	7.7%	± 0.5%
Muslim	1.20%	1%	1.4%	± 0.2%
Other	1.20%	1%	1.7%	± 0.2%

Census source table: DC2107SC

A large proportion (6.7%) of census respondents did not provide information about their religious belief. Excluding these missing cases from census responses indicates that SSCQ picks up fewer Church of Scotland respondents, and more non-religious, non-Church of Scotland Christians and "Other".

Table A.6: Economic activity

Economic Activity	Census 2011	SSCQ 2014
In Employment	57.70%	55.8%	± 0.9%
Unemployed	5.10%	3.5%	± 0.4%
Inactive	37.20%	40.6%	± 0.9%

SSCQ reported marginally lower levels of employment and unemployment, and higher levels of inactivity than the census estimates.

Table A.7: Highest achieved qualification

Top Qualification	Census 2011	SSCQ 2014
No qualifications	26.80%	18.2%	± 0.7%
Other qualifications	-	4.5%	± 0.3%
Level 1	23.10%	20.4%	± 0.8%
Level 2	14.30%	16.2%	± 0.7%
Level 3	9.70%	11.4%	± 0.6%
Level 4 and above	26.10%	28.6%	± 0.9%

Census source table: DC5102SC

SSCQ reported similar levels of higher qualifications and a distinction between 'no qualifications' and 'other qualifications' when compared to census estimates.

Table A.8: Self-assessed general health

General Health	Census 2011	SSCQ 2014
Very good	46.00%	34.9%	± 0.9%
Good	33.00%	38.8%	± 0.9%
Fair	14.30%	18.9%	± 0.7%
Bad	5.10%	5.6%	± 0.4%
Very bad	1.60%	1.7%	± 0.2%

Census source table: DC310SC

Reported levels of 'very good' general health were higher in census responses than in the SSCQ. However further reports of 'good' general health in SSCQ bring the National Indicator combining these top two categories close (79% versus 74%). The responses were similar in reporting 'bad' and 'very bad' general health.

Table A.9: Adults providing unpaid care

Unpaid care	Census 2011	SSCQ 2014
Provides Care	11.22%	17.7%	± 0.7%
No care	88.78%	82.3%	± 0.7%

Census source table: DC6301SC

The proportion of adults providing unpaid care was significantly higher in the SSCQ and the three constituent surveys than in the census. This may be because carer were more accessible to interviewers whereas no bias of this sort would be expected in the census. However it may also be due to proxy respondents in census. When SHS moved from a proxy respondent in 2013 to the random adult respondent in 2014 the measured rate of care provision increased dramatically (from 8.6% in 2013 to 17.2% in 2014). It may be that the proxy respondent (giving information on behalf of all members of the household) perceives this activity differently to the individual providing care.