| Population | Households & Housing Stock | Employment & Economic Activity |
| Unemployment & Benefits | Income & Deprivation |
National Records of Scotland (NRS) supplies us with annual population estimates for small areas which we build up to give totals and changes at Ward level. These estimates aim to exclude short term migrants.
Wester Ross, Strathpeffer & Lochalsh is the largest Ward with the second lowest population density. The overall age profile is older than the Highland average with a below average proportion in the under 45 age groups. The total population showed a slight decrease of 0.8% between 2005 and 2010 despite inward migration, with over half of the house sales in some west coast settlements to buyers from outside Scotland.
Total Population
| |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| Total Population |
11,372
|
222,370
|
5,254,800
|
| Source: NRS
2011
mid-year estimates |
Age Structure
| Age |
Ward (%) |
Highland (%) |
Scotland (%) |
Ward (No.) |
Highland (No.) |
Scotland (No.) |
| 0-15 |
15.7
|
17.5
|
17.4
|
1,786
|
38,942
|
913,317
|
| 16-44 |
28.0
|
32.9
|
38.3
|
3,189
|
73,187
|
2,012,479
|
| 45-64 |
33.9
|
30.4
|
27.3
|
3,850
|
67,684
|
1,436,617
|
| 65-74 |
12.3
|
10.5
|
9.1
|
1,401
|
23,451
|
479,313
|
| 75-84 |
7.5
|
6.3
|
5.8
|
855
|
13,919
|
302,844
|
| 85+ |
2.6
|
2.3
|
2.1
|
291
|
5,187
|
110,230
|
| Source: NRS
2011
mid-year estimates |
Population Density
| |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| Number of persons per square kilometre |
2.3
|
8.4
|
67.4
|
| Area (square kilometres) |
4,948
|
26,489
|
77,925
|
| Source: NRS
2011
mid-year estimates |
Health
This Census response is one of the best simple measures we have of the health of our population. Wester Ross, Strathpeffer & Lochalsh has a relatively low rate of self-reported long term illness.
| Percentage of total population: |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| with a limiting long-term illness |
17.9
|
18.4
|
20.3
|
| without a limiting long-term illness |
82.1
|
81.6
|
79.7
|
| Source:
Census 2001
|
| Population | Households & Housing Stock | Employment & Economic Activity |
| Unemployment & Benefits | Income & Deprivation |
The following tables provide information on housing and household tenure in this Ward. Housing completions provide us with a picture of the growth of the local area whilst housing tenure and occupancy examine the nature of housing in the Ward.
The number of new homes built in Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh during the last five years was close to the Highland average. The Ward is a rural area which experiences a high rate of “windfall” planning applications for small developments and this, together with sites allocated in the Local Plan, could ensure an adequate supply of housing land. However, Scottish Water infrastructure improvements will be required before can be started.
Number of households
| |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| Number of households |
4,980
|
89,528
|
2,192,246
|
| Source:
Census 2001
|
House Prices
| |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| Number of private house sales in
2011
|
108
|
2,262
|
48,847
|
| Average house price |
£193,958
|
£172,254
|
£186,649
|
| Median (midpoint) house price |
£173,750
|
£152,000
|
£150,000
|
| Source: Communities Scotland/Registers of Scotland
2011
|
House Completions
| |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| Number of house completions between
2006-2010
|
353
|
7,329
|
n/a
|
| Average number of completions per year |
71
|
1,466
|
n/a
|
| Source: Highland Council |
Housing Land Audit
| |
Ward |
Highland |
| Number of new homes* that potentially will be built between
2010-2014
: |
728
|
11,312
|
* identified in the Local Plan or with planning permission
Source: Highland Council |
Further information about the Housing Land Audit is available on the Housing Land Audit webpage.
Number of Council Houses
| |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| Number of Council owned houses |
472
|
13,581
|
323,138
|
| Source: Highland Council / Scottish Executive
April 2011
|
Housing Tenure
| Percentage of households that are: |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| owner occupied |
67.8
|
65.7
|
62.6
|
| rented from the Council/Scottish Homes |
13.4
|
18.0
|
21.6
|
| rented from housing association |
2.5
|
3.6
|
5.6
|
| privately rented |
10.4
|
8.5
|
6.7
|
| other |
6.0
|
4.2
|
3.5
|
| Source:
Census 2001
|
Housing Occupancy
| Percentage of housing stock that is: |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| occupied |
77.2
|
89.8
|
94.9
|
| second/holiday homes |
19.0
|
6.2
|
1.3
|
| vacant |
3.9
|
4.0
|
3.8
|
| Percenatges are based on housing stock figures of
6,452
(Ward),
99,739
(Highland) and
2,308,939
(Scotland) from the
Census 2001
|
| Population | Households & Housing Stock | Employment & Economic Activity |
| Unemployment & Benefits | Income & Deprivation |
The following series of tables provide information on employment status and the types of industries that provide jobs in the Ward. This information provides us with an understanding of the nature of employment within the Ward.
The rural nature of the Ward is reflected in highest proportion of self-employed workers in Highland, 16.1% (Census 2001). It has a large number of jobs in the health, retail and education sectors and few jobs in finance or property. It has the lowest number of jobs in highland in business administration & support services.
Number of People in Employment
| |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| Number of people in employment * |
4,400
|
106,100
|
2,456,000
|
* Rounded to nearest 100 people
Source:
Business Register and Employment Survey 2011
|
Employment by Sector
| Percentage of people employed in: |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing |
6.4
|
1.6
|
2.6
|
| Mining, quarrying & utilities |
0.7
|
2.1
|
2.6
|
| Manufacturing |
4.0
|
6.5
|
7.5
|
| Construction |
7.8
|
6.8
|
5.7
|
| Motor trades |
1.5
|
2.2
|
1.7
|
| Wholesale. |
1.8
|
2.6
|
2.9
|
| Retail |
10.5
|
11.2
|
10.2
|
| Transport & storage (inc postal) |
4.8
|
5.1
|
4.1
|
| Accommodation & food services |
24.3
|
11.6
|
7.1
|
| Information & communication |
2.9
|
2.0
|
2.4
|
| Financial & insurance |
0.8
|
1.1
|
3.5
|
| Property |
0.9
|
1.7
|
1.4
|
| Professional, scientific & technical |
4.0
|
4.7
|
6.3
|
| Business administration & support services |
1.1
|
5.4
|
7.4
|
| Public administration & defence |
5.6
|
5.6
|
6.0
|
| Education |
8.8
|
8.2
|
7.8
|
| Health |
8.8
|
17.1
|
15.8
|
| Arts, entertainment, recreation & other services |
5.4
|
4.5
|
4.4
|
| Source:
Business Register and Employment Survey 2011
|
Economic Activity
| Percentage of 16-74 year olds* who are: |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| Economically active |
66.8
|
68.1
|
65.0
|
| Full-time employees |
32.9
|
38.9
|
40.3
|
| Part-time employees |
12.0
|
12.9
|
11.1
|
| Self employed |
16.1
|
10.2
|
6.6
|
| Full-time student |
1.2
|
1.8
|
3.0
|
| Unemployed |
4.6
|
4.3
|
4.0
|
| * total 16-74 year olds |
8,455
|
152,675
|
3,731,079
|
Economically active people are defined as those aged 16 to 74 who are working, actively looking for work or full-time students
Source:
Census 2001
|
Qualifications
| Percentage of 16-74 year olds* whose highest qualification is: |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| Group 1 |
25.5
|
26.1
|
24.7
|
| Group 2 |
15.8
|
15.3
|
15.7
|
| Group 3 |
5.2
|
6.4
|
7.0
|
| Group 4 |
23.6
|
19.6
|
19.5
|
| No qualifications |
29.9
|
32.6
|
33.2
|
| * total 16-74 year olds |
8,455
|
152,675
|
3,731,079
|
Group 1: 'O' Grade, Standard Grade, Intermediate I or 2, City & Guilds Craft, SVQ level 1 or 2 or equivalent
Group 2: Higher Grade, CSYS, ONC, OND, City & Guilds Advanced Craft, RSA Advanced Diploma, SVQ level 3 or equivalent
Group 3: HND, HNC RSA Higher Diploma, SVQ level 4 or 5 or equivalent
Group 4: First degree, Higher degree, Professional qualification
Source:
Census 2001
|
| Population | Households & Housing Stock | Employment & Economic Activity |
| Unemployment & Benefits | Income & Deprivation |
The following tables provide information about the rate of unemployment and those receiving both Incapacity and Council Tax Benefits. One feature of Highland life is that employment is often dependent on seasonal industries such as tourism, and employment rates vary through the year as people take up seasonal jobs but are unemployed for the rest of the year.
Parts of Wester Ross, Strathpeffer & Lochalsh have a high dependency on seasonal employment: the economy has proved reasonably resilient during the recent downturn and the Unemployment, Long Term Unemployment, Incapacity Benefit and Employment and Support Allowance claim rates are all well below the Highland average.
Latest unemployment rates (
April 2013
)
| |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| Unemployment rate * |
2.2
|
2.7
|
4.2
|
| Long term unemployment rate ** |
0.8
|
1.1
|
1.9
|
| Youth unemployment rate *** |
3.7
|
5.0
|
7.2
|
| Youth long term unemployment rate **** |
1.5
|
1.7
|
2.7
|
* Percentage of resident working age population claiming Job Seekers Allowance
** Percentage of resident working age population claiming Job Seekers Allowance for 6 months or more
*** Percentage of resident population aged 18 to 24 claiming Job Seekers Allowance
**** Percentage of resident population aged 18 to 24 claiming Job Seekers Allowance for 6 months or more
Source: Department for Work and Pensions date from NOMIS |
| Figure 1: Unemployment Rates (October 2004 to
April 2013
) |
 |
| Figure 2: Long-term Unemployment Rates (October 2004 to
April 2013
) |
 |
| Figure 3: Youth Unemployment Rates (October 2004 to
April 2013
) |
 |
| Figure 4: Youth Long Term Unemployment Rates (October 2004 to
April 2013
) |
 |
Incapacity Benefit / Severe Disability Allowance / Employment and Support Allowance (
November 2012
)
| |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| Incapacity Benefit / Severe Disability Allowance claimant rate * |
2.2
|
2.5
|
3.3
|
| Employment and Support Allowance Claimant Rate * |
3.2
|
4.1
|
4.7
|
* Percentage of resident working age population
Source: Department for Work and Pensions data from NOMIS |
| Figure 3: Incapacity Benefit / Severe Disability Allowance / Employment and Support Allowance claimant rates (February 2001 to
November 2012
) |
 |
| Population | Households & Housing Stock | Employment & Economic Activity |
| Unemployment & Benefits | Income & Deprivation |
The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, SIMD, is the Executive’s official measure for identifying small area concentrations of multiple deprivation. Household incomes are taken from CACI Paycheck, a commercial database based on lifestyle surveys and market research data, supplied by the Scottish Government's Centre for Housing Market Analysis to help with housing analysis.
No datazones within the Ward are identified as severely deprived and the percentages of people classed as employment deprived and income deprived are both below the Highland average. Average household incomes are well below the Highland average.
| |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| Number of income deprived people * |
955
|
23,495
|
700,475
|
| Percentage of income deprived people * |
8.3
|
10.6
|
13.4
|
| Number of employment deprived people * |
540
|
13,610
|
423,245
|
| Percentage of employment deprived people * |
8.0
|
10.1
|
12.8
|
| Number of candidate Data Zones for Regeneration Funding |
0
|
17
|
976
|
| Average annual income ** |
£30,547
|
£33,039
|
£34,569
|
| Percentage of households earning less than £10k per year ** |
17.9
|
16.3
|
16.5
|
* Source: Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
2009updated
** Source: CACI Paycheck
2011
|
| Population | Households & Housing Stock | Employment & Economic Activity |
| Unemployment & Benefits | Income & Deprivation |