Offshore wind energy – sectoral marine plan: further research for social impact assessment

Appendix B: Socio-economic profiles

The research team conducted a desk-based research activity to capture the socio-economic profiling of the five coastal locations. During the focus group discussions, these profiles provided local context and facilitate discussions by prompting relevant factors.

The following profiles utilise current publicly available datasets, including the Scottish Census, National Records for Scotland and Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, as well as economic datasets such as the Rural Business Survey and Labour Force Survey. In-text referenced are provided for all datasets, including the author and date. Please note that wherever data was not available for the specific location, data for the wider local authority was included instead.

The selection of factors to consider were informed by Equality Impact Assessments, Socioeconomic Impact Assessments and the Scottish Index for Multiple Deprivation (SIMD^[10]) itself which was established to compare the levels of deprivation across Scotland’s data zones^[11].

Key findings from these profiles were used in the focus group introductions to provide tailored demographic and deprivation context to support the deliberation of local impacts relating to OWF. A high-level summary is provided in the main body of this report.

Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire

Stonehaven is a town within the local authority of Aberdeenshire located on Scotland’s northeast coast. According to the 2022 rounded estimates, Aberdeenshire has a population of 263,900 (Scotland’s Census, 2023).

Age

As reported in the 2022 Census, the largest proportion of Aberdeenshire’s population were 45–64 years old (29.2), closely followed by 21.1% of the population aged 65 and over. Young people, aged 15-24, compose the smallest proportion of the population (9.4%).

The local authority is experiencing an ageing population, alike Scotland as a whole, with a 4.9% increase in people aged 65 and over between 2011 and 2022 Census.

Gender

The 2022 Census reveals a gender split of 51.2% females and 48.8% males.

Disability

The latest available data on disability is the 2011 Census (Scotland’s Census, 2011). This dataset reveals that over 15% of Aberdeenshire’s population have a disability or long-term health problem. A larger percentage of these (9.2%) have a disability which limits their day-to-day activities a little, while 6.3% have a disability which limits their day-to-day activities a lot. This sits below the national average of 19.7%, composed of 9.6% whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot and 10.1% limited a little.

Deprivation

Aberdeenshire is relatively affluent, as only 2.6% of data zones sit within the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland, representing only 0.6% of the national share (Aberdeenshire Council, 2020). On the other hand, 29% of data zones are the least deprived 20% in Scotland and Aberdeenshire’s highest ranking data zone, indicating low levels of deprivation, is found in Stonehaven (6,959 out of 6,976).

In terms of deprivation domains, Aberdeenshire has relatively low levels of income, employment and housing deprivation, while access deprivation displays significantly higher levels of deprivation compared to the other domains.

In terms of access to services, over 40% of Aberdeenshire’s data zones sit within the 20% most deprived in Scotland. Further, 15.3% are considered to sit within the 5% most deprived areas in terms of access to key services. The poor performance in this domain, indicating a lack of access to services across Aberdeenshire, could be expected due to the predominant rurality of this local authority.

Contrastingly, the SIMD 2020 shows low levels of health deprivation in Aberdeenshire with only 1 data zone falls into the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland. This indicates that the population of Aberdeenshire are relatively healthy compared to other data zones.

Notably, Stonehaven is captured within the 24.7% of data zones falling within the 20% most crime deprived areas, indicating high levels of crime. Further, 2% of data zones sit within the 5% most crime deprived areas and Peterhead Harbour is scored as the 30th most deprived area in terms of crime across Scotland.

Employment

In Aberdeenshire, 2.4% of the economically active population are unemployed, which sits below the national average of 3.5% (ONS, 2023a). There are higher-than-national average proportions of retired (28.7% compared to 14.2%) and caring or family/home (19.6% compared to 16.8%) contributing to economic inactivity.

Labour market statistics further reveal that the median gross weekly pay of employees sits above the national average. In Aberdeenshire, gross weekly pay is £709.40 compared to £640.30 in Scotland.

In terms of employment by industry, manufacturing sits almost 6% above the national average at 13%. Similarly, construction contributes 9% of employment compared to 6.1% nationally.

Education

In Aberdeenshire, 2019 estimates reveal that the percentage of working age adults with low or no educational qualifications sits below the national average at 6.7% compared to 11.64%.

Further, the percentage of school leavers entering positive destinations^[12] in 2021/22 was high, at 96.65%. The percentage of school leavers living in the most deprived 20% with one or more qualifications at level 6 on the Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (SCQF^[13]) was 1% higher at 97.65%.

Health

The low levels of health deprivation in Aberdeenshire are further evidence through the above average healthy life expectancy^[14] of males (67.2 years) and females (67.4 years) as reported in 2019-21 (ScotPHO, 2023).

The percentage of people aged 65+ who are receiving home care, hospice care or are a long-term resident in hospital is slightly higher than the national average (36.97% compared to 35.31% respectively). In Aberdeenshire, this percentage has fluctuated over time and continually increased since 2018/19.

Active travel levels to school are reported below the national average for 2022/23, at 47.3% compared to 50.18%. Similarly, active travel to work sits 1.2% below the average for Scotland at 13.4%.

Dundee City

Dundee City is a local authority located on the east coast and is Scotland’s fourth largest city with a population of over 148,100 according to the 2022 Census rounded population estimates (Scotland’s Census, 2023).

Age

The 2022 Census reports the majority of the population as 45-64 years old (24.3%), followed by those ages 65 and over (18%).

Dundee City has a relatively stationary population, although still showing signs of ageing in line with the other local authorities. Those aged 65 and over increased by 1.3% between the two Census’, while the proportion of 0–24-year-olds decreased (by 2.2%).

Gender

According to the 2022 Census, Dundee City has a split of 51.4% females to 48.7% males.

Disability

In 2011, 20.9% of the population were disabled or had a long-term health problem which sits just above the national average of 19.7%. Of these, half (10.5%) had a disability which limited their day-to-day activities a lot and half (10.4%) had a disability which limited their day-to-day activities a little (Scotland’s Census, 2011).

Deprivation

Dundee City has the 5th highest levels of deprivation across all local authorities in Scotland, accounting for 37.2% of the national share of the 20% most deprived data zones in Scotland (Scottish Government, 2020d).

According to the SIMD 2020, 36.6% of Dundee City’s population live within the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland, this includes 43.8% of children in the local authority (Dundee City Council, 2020a). Further, 11.2% of Dundee City’s population fall within the 5% most deprived areas in Scotland.

In terms of deprivation domains, education and housing deprivation are highest across Dundee City (Dundee City Council, 2020c). Over 47% of children (0-15 years) live in data zones within the 20% most education deprived, which is an increase from 45% in 2016, and 45.5% of the population reside in data zones considered 20% most deprived in the housing domain.

The percentage of the population living within data zones ranked within the 20% most deprived are similar for health (36.6%), employment (36.4%), income (36.6%) and crime (33.1%) deprivation.

Employment

In Dundee City, 5.6% of the economically active population are unemployed, which is above the national average of 3.5% (ONS, 2023b). In terms of economic inactivity, the percentage of students in Dundee (33.8%) is higher than the national average (22.6%).

Labour market statistics further display trends of underemployment, low income and workless households. In 2020, 11% of Dundee City was underemployed compared to 8.1% nation-wide (Dundee City Council, 2023); in 2022, median gross weekly pay across full-time workers in Dundee was £584.20 compared to £640.30 in Scotland; and in 2021, 21.9% of households in Dundee City were workless compared to 18.6% across the country (ONS, 2023b).

In regard to child poverty, 2021/22 estimates report that 27.1% of children in Dundee City were living in poverty after housing costs, sitting 2.6% above the national average (Dundee City Council, 2023). Further, 24.5% of children (aged 0-15) were living in relative low-income families in 2021/22, 49.6% of which were lone parent families.

Education

The latest available estimates from 2019 reveal the percentage of working age adults with low or no educational qualifications is 10.1%, sitting below the national average of 11.64% (ScotPHO, 2023).

The percentage of school leavers living within the most deprived 20% with one or more qualifications at SCQF level 6 is 93.26%, according to 2021/22 estimates. Although this is slightly lower than the national average of 96.41%.

Health

In 2019-21, the health life expectancy for both males and females in Dundee City sit below the national average (ScotPHO, 2023). For women the difference is marginal, with a local life expectancy of 59.5 years compared to 61.1 years in Scotland, while men reported a larger difference of 55.9 years compared to 60.4 years.

The percentage of people aged 65+ with high levels of home, hospice or hospital care in 2021/22 was 35.61% in Dundee City, almost identical to the national average. This has experienced a decrease from 40.34% in 2020/21.

Active travel to school in Dundee City represents roughly 50% of travel, similar to Scotland as a whole. Active travel to work sits 5.6% above the national average at 20.2%, however composes a smaller percentage of travel.

Buckie, Moray

Buckie is a town within the Moray local authority located on the northeastern coastline. The 2022 Census rounded population estimated report a population of 93,400 for Moray (Scotland’s Census, 2023).

Age

The largest proportion of Moray’s population sit within the 45-64 age group (28.9%), while young people aged 15-24 represent the smallest proportion (10.1%), according to the 2022 Census.

Alike wider Scotland, Moray displays an ageing population. Between 2011 and 2022, those aged 65 and over increased by 4.4% from 18.5% to 22.9%.

Gender

As reported in the 2022 Census, Moray has a higher proportion of females (50.4%) to males (49.3%).

Disability

As reported in the 2011 Census, the percentage of disabled people whose day-to-day activities are limited a little (10.2%) sits above the percentage of those whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot (7.6%) (Scotland’s Census, 2011). This percentage of people in Dundee who have a long-term health problem or disability (17.8%) sits below the national average of 19.7%.

Deprivation

Moray is one of six local authorities to experience an increased share of the 20% most deprived data zones in Scotland between the SIMD 2016 and 2020. Despite this increase, only 3% of Moray’s data zones are considered the 20% most deprived in Scotland (Scottish Government, 2020).

SIMD 2020 data reveals that Moray has particularly low levels of income, employment and housing deprivation (Scottish Government, 2020e). Moray represents the fourth lowest levels of deprivation in terms of income and employment, with 2.38% and 3.17% of data zones falling within the 20% most deprived in Scotland. Housing deprivation records lower levels of deprivation with 1.59% of data zones within the 20% most deprived.

Contrastingly, access deprivation records the largest share of data zones (30.95%) within the 20% most deprived in Scotland across all domains in Moray.

Employment

In Moray, 3.2% of the population are unemployed which is marginally lower than the national average (3.5%) (ONS, 2023c). The largest percentage are economically inactive residents are long-term sick (29.1%) followed by students (27.7%).

Labour market statistics further reveal trends of low income and part-time work. In Moray, the median gross weekly pay for full time workers in Moray is £598.80 compared to £640.30 nationally. Full time jobs represent the majority of employment in Moray (62.9%), while levels of part time work sit higher than the national average, at 40% compared to 33.6% respectively.

Further, in 2022 Moray had significantly higher levels of employment in manufacturing (16.7%) than in Scotland (6.9%). On the other hand, financial and insurance activities (0.3%), administrative and support service activities (4.2%) and professional, scientific and technical activities (4.2%) all sit below the country-wide levels (3.3%, 8.1% and 7.4% respectively).

Education

In 2019, 11.6% of working age adults had low or no educational qualifications. This is a marginal increase from 2018 (11.2%) (ScotPHO, 2023).

In 2021/22, 96.2% of school leavers were in positive destinations at a 9-month follow-up. In the same year, 97.3% of school leavers living in the most deprived 20% had one or more qualifications at SCQF level 6. Both of these percentages sit alongside the national average.

Health

In Moray, the healthy life expectancy of both females (62.7 years) and males (62.4 years) sit above the national average for 2019-2 (ScotPHO, 2023).

The population aged over 65+ who receive high levels of care at home, in a hospice or in hospital has fluctuated since 2018/19, from a low of 33.6% in 2019/20 to a high of 40.8% in 2020/21. The latest figures in 2021/22 sits slightly above the national average, at 36.9% compared to 35.3% respectively.

Active travel to school has represented roughly 50% of travel since 2010/11, sitting alongside the national average, while active travel to work composed only 12.9% of travel modes in 2018/19 after a steep reduction from 21.5% in 2016/17.

Lewis, Na h-Eileanan Siar

The Isle of Lewis is located off the northwest coast of Scotland within the Na h-Eileanan Siar local authority. As reported in the 2022 Census, Na h-Eileanan Siar has a rounded population of 26,200 and experienced the largest decrease (-5.5%) in population across all 17 local authorities since 2011 (Scotland’s Census, 2023).

Age

According to the 2022 Census, the largest proportion of Na h-Eileanan Siar’s population sit within the 45-64 age category (30.5%), while the population of 15–24-year-olds is the smallest (8%).

Na h-Eileanan Siar has an ageing population. Between 2011-2022, the proportion of people aged 65 and over increased by 4.7%, while those aged 0-24 reduced by 3.6%.

Gender

Na h-Eileanan Siar has a larger percentage of females, at 50.4%, than males, 49.6%, according to the 2022 Census.

Disability

The 2011 Census reveals that 9.8% of the population have a long-term health problem or disability which limits their day-to-day activities lot compared to a higher 10.8% which are limited a little (Scotland’s Census, 2011). This composes over 20% of the population, sitting slightly above the national average of 19.7%.

Deprivation

Na h-Eileanan Siar has no areas among the 20% most deprived in Scotland, however, groups of the population may still be experiencing deprivation (Scottish Government, 2020e).

A breakdown of deprivation domains reveals that Na h-Eileanan Siar is one of few local authorities that records a 0% share within the 20% most deprived areas in terms of income, employment, education, health and housing.

Contrastingly, Na h-Eileanan Siar has the largest share of data zones (80.56%) within the 20% most deprived areas in terms of access across all local authorities.

Employment

In Na h-Eileanan Siar, 2.5% of the economically active population are unemployed, which falls 1% below the national average of 3.5% (ONS, 2023d). A breakdown of the economically inactive population is not available across the Scottish Islands.

Labour market statistics further reveal trends of low income and part-time work. In Na h-Eileanan Siar, the median gross weekly pay of full-time workers is £560,90 compared to a higher £640,30 nationally. Full-time work composes the majority of employment in Na h-Eileanan Siar (63.6%), while part time employment sits above the national average at 40.9% compared to 33.6% respectively.

Education

The latest education figures reveal above-average educational performance within Na h-Eileanan Siar (ScotPHO, 2023).

In 2017, only 8.7% of working age adults had low or no educational qualifications which falls below the national average of 10.8% for that year. Figures from 2016/17 further reveal that 98.5% of school leavers living in the most deprived 20% have one or more qualifications at SCQF level 6 compared to 96.3% nationally. Further, 98.4% of school leavers entered positive destinations compared to 95.1% nationally.

Health

In 2019-21, the healthy life expectancy in Na h-Eileanan Siar sits above the national average for both sexes, with men (67.5 years) reported to live longer than women (64 years) (ScotPHO, 2023).

People aged 65 and over in 2021/22 receiving high levels of care, either at home, in a hospice or in hospital, was recorded at 13.6%. This sits significantly below the national levels of 35.3%.

Active travel to school and work share similar percentages of travel, at 15.5% and 14% respectively. Active travel to school sits significantly below national levels of 50%.

Orkney Island

Orkney Island is a group of over 70 islands, 20 of which are inhabited, situated roughly 20 miles off the coast of Scotland. The 2020 Census reports a rounded population of 22,000 in the Orkney Islands (Scotland’s Census, 2023).

Age

The 2022 Censuses reveals that 30% of Orkney’s population are between the ages of 45 and 64, while young people represent only 8.6% of the population.

Population changes between 2011 and 2021 indicate an ageing population. Those aged 65 and over in Orkney experienced a 5.2% increase, accompanied by a 3.3% reduction in people aged 0-24.

Gender

In the Orkney Islands, females represent 50.9% of the population while males represent a lower 49.1%.

Disability

The latest available data on disability reveals that 18.9% of Orkney’s population have a long-term health problem or disability, sitting below the national average of 19.7%. Of these, 7.9% have a disability which limits their day-to-day activities a lot, while 11% have a disability which limits their day-to-day activities little (Scotland’s Census, 2011).

Deprivation

Orkney Islands displays similar deprivation trends as Na h-Eileanan Siar. Orkney has no areas among the 20% most deprived in Scotland, however, groups of the population may still be experiencing deprivation (Scottish Government, 2020e).

A breakdown of deprivation domains reveals that Orkney Islands is one of few local authorities that records a 0% share within the 20% most deprived areas in terms of income, employment and health.

Contrastingly, Orkney has the third largest share of data zones (58.62%) within the 20% most deprived areas in terms of access across all local authorities.

Employment

In Orkney, 2% of the population are unemployed which sits below the national average of 3.5% (ONS, 2023e). A breakdown of the economically inactive population is not available across the Scottish Islands.

Labour market statistics further reveal higher-than-average earnings in Orkney Islands. The median gross weekly pay for full-time workers is £660.50 in Orkney, compared to £640.30 across Scotland. The job density^[15] also sits above the national average at 1.03 compared to 0.81 respectively.

In terms of child poverty, 2021/22 estimates reveal that 20.1% of children across the Orkney Islands are living in poverty after housing costs (End Child poverty, 2023). This sits below the national average of 24.1%, however is an increase in poverty from 18.1% in 2020/21.

Education

The latest educational figures for Orkney Islands report the percentage of working age adults with low or no educational qualifications in 2010 is 10.8%, sitting below the national average for that year of 14.8% (ScotPHO, 2023).

School leavers entering positive destinations in 2021/22 (94.8%) and school leavers living in the most deprived 20% with one or more qualifications at SCQF level 6 (96.2%) sit alongside the average for Scotland.

Health

The healthy life expectancy of males (71.7 years) and females (76.4 years) sit significantly above the national average for 2019-21 and reveal that women are expected to live longer (ScotPHO, 2023).

The percentage of over 65’s receiving high levels of care has fluctuated over time to 33.3% in 2021/22, sitting slightly below the national average of 35.3%.

Active travel to school represents 33.7% of travel and sits below the national average (50%), while active travel to work sits above the national average (14.6%) and composes 25% of travel.