Ward Statistics


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


Population

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.

Aird and Loch Ness is our fifth largest Ward with a population density less than the Highland average. The population profile shows a lower than average proportion of people in the 0 to 44 and 75 plus age groups. The proportion aged 65 to 74 is very similar to the Highland average while those aged 45 to 64 are well above. The total population grew by 8.8% between 2005 and 2010, the second highest growth rate of all Highland Wards.

Total Population

  Ward Highland Scotland
Total Population 10,567 221,630 5,222,100
Source: NRS 2010 mid-year estimates

Age Structure

Age Ward (%) Highland (%) Scotland (%) Ward (No.) Highland (No.) Scotland (No.)
0-15 16.4 17.6 17.5 1,736 39,071 911,794
16-49 31.6 33.3 38.5 3,335 73,848 2,011,178
50-64 34.3 30.2 27.2 3,627 67,033 1,419,636
65-74 10.5 10.4 9.1 1,106 22,948 473,857
75-84 5.5 6.2 5.7 584 13,708 299,031
85+ 1.7 2.3 2.0 179 5,022 106,604
Source: NRS 2010 mid-year estimates

Population Density

  Ward Highland Scotland
Number of persons per square kilometre 4.3 8.4 67.0
Area (square kilometres) 2,453 26,489 77,925
Source: NRS 2010 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 Aird and Loch Ness is lower than the Highland average.

Percentage of total population: Ward Highland Scotland
with a limiting long-term illness 17.1 18.4 20.3
without a limiting long-term illness 82.9 81.6 79.7
Source: Census 2001

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| 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.

A large number of new homes were built during the last five years, the third highest rate in Highland. The Local Plan identifies sufficient land for this high rate to continue in principle but almost all of the sites will require improvements to Scottish Water infrastructure before they can be started.

Number of households

  Ward Highland Scotland
Number of households 4,003 89,528 2,192,246
Source: Census 2001

House Prices

  Ward Highland Scotland
Number of private house sales in 2010 131 2,739 61,092
Average house price £215,596 £165,833 £170,604
Median (midpoint) house price £190,000 £147,000 £137,000
Source: Communities Scotland/Registers of Scotland 2010

House Completions

  Ward Highland Scotland
Number of house completions between 2006-2010 556 7,329 n/a
Average number of completions per year 111 1,466 n/a
Source: Highland Council

Housing Land Audit

  Ward Highland
Number of new homes* that potentially will be built between 2010-2014 : 691 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 310 13,581 323,138
Source: Highland Council / Scottish Executive April 2011

Housing Tenure

Percentage of households that are: Ward Highland Scotland
owner occupied 72.4 65.7 62.6
rented from the Council/Scottish Homes 10.1 18.0 21.6
rented from housing association 1.0 3.6 5.6
privately rented 11.8 8.5 6.7
other 4.7 4.2 3.5
Source: Census 2001

Housing Occupancy

Percentage of housing stock that is: Ward Highland Scotland
occupied 86.0 89.8 94.9
second/holiday homes 9.4 6.2 1.3
vacant 4.6 4.0 3.8
Percenatges are based on housing stock figures of 4,656 (Ward), 99,739 (Highland) and 2,308,939 (Scotland) from the Census 2001

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| 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.

15.4% of working age people in Aird and Loch Ness are self-employed (Census 2001), one of the highest proportions in Highland, with a high dependency on part time jobs. The Ward is a commuter area to Inverness and has a relatively low number of jobs many of which are dependent on tourism and has the lowest proportion of jobs in the health sector in Highland.

Number of People in Employment

  Ward Highland Scotland
Number of people in employment * 2,500 105,200 2,451,800
* Rounded to nearest 100 people
Source: Business Register and Employment Survey 2010

Employment by Sector

Percentage of people employed in: Ward Highland Scotland
Agriculture, forestry & fishing 4.1 1.8 2.6
Mining, quarrying & utilities 7.2 2.4 2.6
Manufacturing 3.4 5.7 7.2
Construction 13.1 6.0 5.5
Motor trades 1.0 2.4 1.9
Wholesale. 1.8 2.6 3.0
Retail 9.7 10.8 10.1
Transport & storage (inc postal) 2.9 4.9 3.9
Accommodation & food services 18.4 10.7 7.2
Information & communication 0.7 2.4 2.7
Financial & insurance 1.3 1.1 3.5
Property 1.0 1.1 1.1
Professional, scientific & technical 4.7 4.6 6.2
Business administration & support services 8.1 5.6 7.2
Public administration & defence 2.8 6.3 6.4
Education 12.6 9.1 8.0
Health 3.0 17.8 15.7
Arts, entertainment, recreation & other services 4.2 4.6 4.4
Source: Business Register and Employment Survey 2010

Economic Activity

Percentage of 16-74 year olds* who are: Ward Highland Scotland
Economically active 68.5 68.1 65.0
Full-time employees 35.9 38.9 40.3
Part-time employees 12.4 12.9 11.1
Self employed 15.4 10.2 6.6
Full-time student 1.5 1.8 3.0
Unemployed 3.4 4.3 4.0
* total 16-74 year olds 6,916 152,675 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 23.5 26.1 24.7
Group 2 15.6 15.3 15.7
Group 3 6.5 6.4 7.0
Group 4 25.8 19.6 19.5
No qualifications 28.6 32.6 33.2
* total 16-74 year olds 6,916 152,675 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.

Unemployment is the third lowest in Highland. Long Term Unemployment, Incapacity Benefit and Employment and Support Allowance are also all below the Highland average.

Latest unemployment rates ( April 2012 )

  Ward Highland Scotland
Unemployment rate * 1.8 2.9 4.4
Long term unemployment rate ** 0.4 1.1 2.0
* 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 April 2012 )
Graph showing unemployment rates

 

Figure 2: Long-term Unemployment Rates (October 2004 to April 2012 )
Graph showing long-term unemployment rates

Incapacity Benefit / Severe Disability Allowance / Employment and Support Allowance ( November 2011 )

  Ward Highland Scotland
Incapacity Benefit / Severe Disability Allowance claimant rate * 2.9 4.6 5.5
Employment and Support Allowance Claimant Rate * 1.7 2.3 2.7
* 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 2011 )
Graph showing Incapacity / Severe Disability Allowance / Employment and Support Allowance claimant rates

| 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 deprived and the proportion of people classed as employment deprived and income deprived are both well below the Highland average. Average household incomes are well above the Highland average.

  Ward Highland Scotland
Number of income deprived people * 930 27,260 779,135
Percentage of income deprived people * 9.1 12.5 15.1
Number of employment deprived people * 365 12,165 373,100
Percentage of employment deprived people * 5.8 9.2 11.6
Number of candidate Data Zones for Regeneration Funding 0 16 976
Average annual income ** £36,668 £32,113 £33,907
Percentage of households earning less than £10k per year ** 10.7 13.9 13.6
* Source: Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2009updated
** Source: CACI Paycheck 2010

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