| Population | Households & Housing Stock | Employment & Economic Activity |
| Unemployment & Benefits | Income & Deprivation |
The General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) 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.
Wick has a young age profile with one of the highest proportions of under 15s and an above average proportion in the 16 to 49 age group. However, there has been a significant overall population decline in four areas of Wick since the 2001 Census and an overall fall in the Ward of 5%, the most significant in Highland. 120 overseas migrant workers moved into the Ward between 2002 and 2006, just over half from eastern Europe.
Total Population
| |
Ward |
Highland |
Scotland |
| Total Population |
6,780 |
217,440 |
5,144,200 |
| Source: GRO(S) 2007 mid-year estimates |
Age Structure
| Age
| Ward (%)
| Highland (%)
| Scotland (%)
| Ward (No.)
| Highland (No.)
| Scotland (No.) |
| 0-15 |
19.8 |
18.0 |
17.8 |
1,340 |
39,221 |
916,951 |
| 16-49 |
43.8 |
42.4 |
46.8 |
2,968 |
92,089 |
2,406,262 |
| 50-64 |
17.9 |
21.8 |
19.0 |
1,213 |
47,303 |
975,374 |
| 65-74 |
10.0 |
9.8 |
8.9 |
675 |
21,249 |
457,376 |
| 75-84 |
6.3 |
6.1 |
5.6 |
427 |
13,168 |
289,967 |
| 85+ |
2.3 |
2.0 |
1.9 |
157 |
4,410 |
98,270 |
| Source: GRO(S) 2007 mid-year estimates |
Population Density
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Number of persons per square kilometre |
286.2 |
8.2 |
66.0 |
| Area (square kilometres) |
24 |
26,489 |
77,925 |
| Source: GRO(S) 2007 mid-year estimates |
Health
This Census response is one of the best simple measures we have of the health of our population. The rate of self-reported long term illness in Wick is slightly above the Highland average.
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Percentage of total population: |
|
|
|
| with a limiting long-term illness |
19.6 |
18.4 |
20.3 |
| without a limiting long-term illness |
80.4 |
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.
A low number of new homes were built in Wick during the last five years. The Local Plan also shows a modest supply of land zoned for housing development within the next four years but more sites will be available in the longer term. The overall supply is adequate and there are no Scottish Water infrastructure constraints.
Number of households
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Number of households |
3,375 |
89,528 |
2,192,246 |
| Source: Census 2001 |
House Prices
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Number of private house sales in 2007 |
145 |
4,930 |
133,609 |
| Average house price |
£88,424 |
£168,090 |
£164,165 |
| Median (midpoint) house price |
£75,000 |
£150,500 |
£136,800 |
| Source: Communities Scotland/Registers of Scotland 2007 |
House Completions
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Number of house completions between 2002-2007 |
162 |
8,547 |
n/a |
| Average number of completions per year |
27 |
1,425 |
n/a |
| Source: Highland Council |
Housing Land Audit
|
| Ward
| Highland |
| Number of new homes* that potentially will be built between 2008-2011 : |
258 |
17,575 |
* 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 |
976 |
13,803 |
329,524 |
| Source: Highland Council / Scottish Executive 2008 |
Housing Tenure
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Percentage of households that are: |
|
|
|
| owner occupied |
58.8 |
65.7 |
62.6 |
| rented from the Council/Scottish Homes |
30.9 |
18.0 |
21.6 |
| rented from housing association |
3.2 |
3.6 |
5.6 |
| privately rented |
3.1 |
8.5 |
6.7 |
| other |
4.0 |
4.2 |
3.5 |
| Source: Census 2001 |
Housing Occupancy
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Percentage of housing stock that is: |
|
|
|
| occupied |
95.1 |
89.8 |
94.9 |
| second/holiday homes |
0.6 |
6.2 |
1.3 |
| vacant |
4.3 |
4.0 |
3.8 |
| Percenatges are based on housing stock figures of 3,549 (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.
9% of all workers in Thurso are self employed (Census 2001), one of the lowest rates in Highland. Wick has one of the highest dependencies on the public sector, and a low proportion of jobs in distribution & hotels and banking & finance.
Number of People in Employment
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Number of people in employment * |
3,300 |
104,800 |
2,370,600 |
* Rounded to nearest 100 people
Source: Annual Business Inquiry 2006 |
Employment by Sector
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Percentage of people employed in: |
|
|
|
| Agriculture & fishing |
0.8 |
3.6 |
1.5 |
| Energy & water |
0.0 |
0.7 |
1.6 |
| Manufacturing |
2.6 |
8.9 |
9.4 |
| Construction |
7.1 |
6.5 |
5.8 |
| Distribution, hotels and restaurants |
19.2 |
26.7 |
22.4 |
| Transport and communications |
2.5 |
4.5 |
5.1 |
| Banking, finance & insurance, etc. |
5.7 |
11.3 |
18.3 |
| Public admin., education & health |
54.1 |
32.8 |
30.4 |
| Other services |
7.0 |
4.9 |
5.4 |
| Source: Annual Business Inquiry 2006 |
Economic Activity
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Percentage of 16-74 year olds * |
|
|
|
| Economically active |
66.2 |
68.1 |
65.0 |
| Full-time employees |
38.8 |
38.9 |
40.3 |
| Part-time employees |
13.9 |
12.9 |
11.1 |
| Self employed |
6.2 |
10.2 |
6.6 |
| Full-time student |
1.7 |
1.8 |
3.0 |
| Unemployed |
5.7 |
4.3 |
4.0 |
| * total 16-74 year olds |
5,584 |
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
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Percentage of 16-74 year olds* whose highest qualification is: |
|
|
|
| Group 1 |
26.8 |
26.1 |
24.7 |
| Group 2 |
13.2 |
15.3 |
15.7 |
| Group 3 |
5.5 |
6.4 |
7.0 |
| Group 4 |
11.8 |
19.6 |
19.5 |
| No qualifications |
42.6 |
32.6 |
33.2 |
| * total 16-74 year olds |
5,584 |
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.
Wick has the highest unemployment rate and long term unemployment rate of all Highland Wards, and both have increased recently (at a time when rates throughout Highland and the rest of Scotland are generally decreasing). Both the Incapacity Benefit and Council Tax Benefit claim rates are much above the Highland average.
Latest unemployment rates ( October 2008 )
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Unemployment rate * |
3.3 |
1.8 |
2.6 |
| Long term unemployment rate ** |
1.0 |
0.3 |
0.6 |
* 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
Source: Department for Work and Pensions date from NOMIS |
| Figure 1: Unemployment Rates (October 2004 to October 2008 ) |
 |
| Figure 2: Long-term Unemployment Rates (October 2004 to October 2008 ) |
 |
Incapacity Benefit / Severe Disability Allowance ( May 2008 )
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Incapacity Benefit / Severe Disability Allowance claimant rate * |
10.7 |
7.5 |
9.2 |
* Percentage of resident working age population
Source: Department for Work and Pensions data from NOMIS |
| Figure 3: Incapacity Benefit / Severe Disability Allowance claimant rates (February 2004 to May 2008 ) |
 |
Council Tax Benefit ( 2004 )
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Number of claimants |
890 |
17,475 |
518,935 |
| Council Tax Benefit take-up rate * |
26.2 |
17.0 |
21.8 |
* Percentage of working age population
Source: Department for Work and Pensions data from NOMIS |
Further information on unemployment in Highland is available on the Unemployment webpage.
| 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 Communities Scotland to help with housing analysis.
Three datazones in Wick are identified as severely deprived (Wick Pulteneytown South, Wick South and Wick Hillhead North) and the proportion of people classed as employment deprived and income deprived are both well above the Highland average. Average household incomes are slightly below the Highland average.
|
| Ward
| Highland
| Scotland |
| Number of income deprived people * |
1,215 |
23,874 |
707,728 |
| Percentage of income deprived people * |
18.0 |
11.1 |
13.8 |
| Number of employment deprived people * |
661 |
13,552 |
409,907 |
| Percentage of employment deprived people * |
16.2 |
10.6 |
12.9 |
| Number of candidate Data Zones for Regeneration Funding |
3 |
17 |
976 |
| Average annual income ** |
£27,681 |
£30,510 |
£32,118 |
| Percentage of households earning less than £10k per year ** |
11.5 |
9.9 |
9.6 |
* Source: Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2006
** Source: CACI Paycheck 2007 |
| Population | Households & Housing Stock | Employment & Economic Activity |
| Unemployment & Benefits | Income & Deprivation |
You can also view a profile of Wick Multi-Member Ward at the Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics website by clicking the link below: