Ward Statistics


| Population | Households & Housing Stock | Employment & Economic Activity |
| Unemployment & Benefits | Income & Deprivation |


Population

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.

The Black Isle Ward is a rural ward with a large number of individual settlements and an overall population density above the Highland average. The proportion of people in the 16 to 49 age group is the lowest in Highland, with the second highest proportion in the 50 to 64 age group. The population grew by 7% between 2001 and 2005 (with an increase in all age groups), the highest growth rate outside Inverness. Moderate numbers of overseas migrant workers have registered in the Ward, almost all from eastern Europe.

Total Population

  Ward Highland Scotland
Total Population 9,573 215,310 5,116,900
Source: GRO(S) 2006 mid-year estimates

Age Structure

Age Ward (%) Highland (%) Scotland (%) Ward (No.) Highland (No.) Scotland (No.)
0-15 18.9 18.5 18.2 1,801 39,392 921,833
16-49 39.5 42.6 46.9 3,739 91,485 2,397,345
50-64 24.2 21.3 18.5 2,357 46,396 959,754
65-74 9.6 9.7 9.0 918 20,786 455,744
75-84 6.0 6.0 5.6 574 12,997 287,021
85+ 1.8 1.9 1.8 184 4,254 95,203
Source: GRO(S) 2006 mid-year estimates

Population Density

  Ward Highland Scotland
Number of persons per square kilometre 33.8 8.1 65.7
Area (square kilometres) 284 26,489 77,925
Source: GRO(S) 2006 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 the Black Isle is below the Highland average.

  Ward Highland Scotland
Percentage of total population:      
with a limiting long-term illness 17.2 18.4 20.3
without a limiting long-term illness 82.8 81.6 79.7
Source: Census 2001


| Population | Households & Housing Stock | Employment & Economic Activity |
| Unemployment & Benefits | Income & Deprivation |


Households & Housing Stock

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 during the last five years was around the average. The Local Plan shows an adequate supply of housing land zoned for development although Scottish Water infrastructure will constrain some local developments.

Number of households

  Ward Highland Scotland
Number of households 3,739 89,528 2,192,246
Source: Census 2001

House Prices

  Ward Highland Scotland
Number of private house sales in 2006 151 3,921 110,604
Average house price £198,339 £147,217 £141,830
Median (midpoint) house price £185,000 £130,000 £114,000
Source: Communities Scotland/Registers of Scotland 2006

House Completions

  Ward Highland Scotland
Number of house completions between 2002-2007 335 8,547 n/a
Average number of completions per year 56 1,425 n/a
Source: Highland Council

Housing Land Audit

  Ward Highland
Number of new homes* that potentially will be built between 2007-2011 which are:    
constrained by water supply and/or sewerage infrastructure 38 1,422
unconstrained by infrastructure 244 5,445
* 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 345 14,889 351,925
Source: Highland Council / Scottish Executive 2007

Housing Tenure

  Ward Highland Scotland
Percentage of households that are:      
owner occupied 77.3 65.7 62.6
rented from the Council/Scottish Homes 10.1 18.0 21.6
rented from housing association 0.4 3.6 5.6
privately rented 8.1 8.5 6.7
other 4.1 4.2 3.5
Source: Census 2001

Housing Occupancy

  Ward Highland Scotland
Percentage of housing stock that is:      
occupied 93.3 89.8 94.9
second/holiday homes 3.2 6.2 1.3
vacant 3.5 4.0 3.8
Percenatges are based on housing stock figures of 4,007 (Ward), 99,739 (Highland) and 2,308,939 (Scotland) from the Census 2001


| Population | Households & Housing Stock | Employment & Economic Activity |
| Unemployment & Benefits | Income & Deprivation |


Employment & Economic Activity

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.

20% of workers in the Black Isle are self employed (Census 2001), well above the Highland average. The Ward is a commuter area to Inverness and has the lowest number of jobs in Highland, with a low proportion in manufacturing and a high proportion in the public sector.

Number of People in Employment

  Ward Highland Scotland
Number of people in employment * 2,300 104,800 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 2.4 3.6 1.5
Energy & water 0.1 0.7 1.6
Manufacturing 3.7 8.9 9.4
Construction 7.7 6.5 5.8
Distribution, hotels and restaurants 15.4 26.7 22.4
Transport and communications 1.7 4.5 5.1
Banking, finance & insurance, etc. 10.6 11.3 18.3
Public admin., education & health 47.4 32.8 30.4
Other services 5.6 4.9 5.4
Source: Annual Business Inquiry 2006

Economic Activity

  Ward Highland Scotland
Percentage of 16-74 year olds *      
Economically active 67.3 68.1 65.0
Full-time employees 36.4 38.9 40.3
Part-time employees 12.1 12.9 11.1
Self employed 13.6 10.2 6.6
Full-time student 1.7 1.8 3.0
Unemployed 3.5 4.3 4.0
* total 16-74 year olds 6,649 152,675 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 22.0 26.1 24.7
Group 2 15.8 15.3 15.7
Group 3 6.3 6.4 7.0
Group 4 29.0 19.6 19.5
No qualifications 26.9 32.6 33.2
* total 16-74 year olds 6,649 152,675 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 |


Unemployment & Benefits

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.

The Black Isle is the least dependent on seasonal employment. Both the unemployment and long term unemployment rates are around the lowest in Highland. The Incapacity Benefit Claim rate is the lowest in Highland and the Council Tax Benefit claim rate is well below the Highland average.

Latest unemployment rates ( June 2008 )

  Ward Highland Scotland
Unemployment rate * 0.7 1.6 2.3
Long term unemployment rate ** 0.1 0.4 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 June 2008 )
Graph showing unemployment rates

 

Figure 2: Long-term Unemployment Rates (October 2004 to June 2008 )
Graph showing long-term unemployment rates

Incapacity Benefit / Severe Disability Allowance ( November 2007 )

  Ward Highland Scotland
Incapacity Benefit / Severe Disability Allowance claimant rate * 5.1 7.9 9.6
* 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 November 2007 )
Graph showing Incapacity / Severe Disability Allowance claimant rates

Council Tax Benefit ( 2004 )

  Ward Highland Scotland
Number of claimants 460 17,475 518,935
Council Tax Benefit take-up rate * 11.3 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 |


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.

No datazones within the Ward are identified as severely and the proportion of people classed as income deprived and employment deprived are the second lowest in Highland. Average household incomes are well above the Highland average.

  Ward Highland Scotland
Number of income deprived people * 629 23,874 707,728
Percentage of income deprived people * 6.6 11.1 13.8
Number of employment deprived people * 364 13,552 409,907
Percentage of employment deprived people * 6.6 10.6 12.9
Number of candidate Data Zones for Regeneration Funding 0 17 976
Average annual income ** £32,724 £30,570 £31,406
Percentage of households earning less than £10k per year ** 8.7 9.9 10.2
* Source: Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2006
** Source: CACI Paycheck 2006


| Population | Households & Housing Stock | Employment & Economic Activity |
| Unemployment & Benefits | Income & Deprivation |


You can also view a profile of Black Isle Multi-Member Ward at the Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics website by clicking the link below:

 

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