Ward Statistics

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.

Inverness West is a mainly urban Ward with a population density well above the Highland average. The Ward has a “narrow” age profile with one of the lowest proportions of children in Highland but the second highest proportion in the 16 to 49 age group. The total population was stable between 2004 and 2009 but with the third largest percentage fall in Highland in the under 16 age group: this is almost certainly the result of a maturing population with relatively little housebuilding in this period and relatively low inward migration.

Total Population

	Ward	Highland	Scotland
Total Population	8,159	220,490	5,194,000
Source: GRO(S) 2009 mid-year estimates

Age Structure

Age	Ward (%)	Highland (%)	Scotland (%)	Ward (No.)	Highland (No.)	Scotland (No.)
0-15	14.5	17.7	17.6	1,187	39,120	912,340
16-49	44.8	41.7	46.4	3,652	92,009	2,411,340
50-64	22.2	22.0	19.3	1,812	48,487	1,001,808
65-74	9.2	10.2	9.0	749	22,491	469,991
75-84	6.3	6.1	5.7	512	13,534	295,004
85+	3.0	2.2	2.0	247	4,849	103,517
Source: GRO(S) 2009 mid-year estimates

Population Density

	Ward	Highland	Scotland
Number of persons per square kilometre	587.6	8.3	66.7
Area (square kilometres)	14	26,489	77,925
Source: GRO(S) 2008 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 Inverness West is slightly above the Highland average

	Ward	Highland	Scotland
Percentage of total population:
with a limiting long-term illness	19.1	18.4	20.3
without a limiting long-term illness	80.9	81.6	79.7
Source: Census 2001

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 total number of new homes built during the last five years was around half the Highland average. The Local Plan identifies large areas for future development but with the lergest site delendent on a new additional river & canal crossing before construction can start.

Number of households

	Ward	Highland	Scotland
Number of households	3,575	89,528	2,192,246
Source: Census 2001

House Prices

	Ward	Highland	Scotland
Number of private house sales in 2009	109	2,490	55,349
Average house price	£139,860	£156,113	£153,057
Median (midpoint) house price	£125,000	£140,000	£134,100
Source: Communities Scotland/Registers of Scotland 2009

House Completions

	Ward	Highland	Scotland
Number of house completions between 2006-2010	126	7,329	n/a
Average number of completions per year	25	1,466	n/a
Source: Highland Council

Housing Land Audit

	Ward	Highland
*Number of new homes that potentially will be built between 2010-2014 :**	1,304	24,178
* 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	426	13,581	323,138
Source: Highland Council / Scottish Executive April 2011

Housing Tenure

	Ward	Highland	Scotland
Percentage of households that are:
owner occupied	73.9	65.7	62.6
rented from the Council/Scottish Homes	14.2	18.0	21.6
rented from housing association	3.3	3.6	5.6
privately rented	6.2	8.5	6.7
other	2.3	4.2	3.5
Source: Census 2001

Housing Occupancy

	Ward	Highland	Scotland
Percentage of housing stock that is:
occupied	96.9	89.8	94.9
second/holiday homes	0.4	6.2	1.3
vacant	2.7	4.0	3.8
Percenatges are based on housing stock figures of 3,689 (Ward), 99,739 (Highland) and 2,308,939 (Scotland) from the Census 2001

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.

6.2% of working age people in Inverness West are self -employed (Census 2001), one of the lowest proportions in Highland. The Ward has the highest proportion of jobs in the public sector in Highland, and the lowest proportion in tourism.

Number of People in Employment

	Ward	Highland	Scotland
Number of people in employment *	4,100	109,300	2,420,400
* Rounded to nearest 100 people Source: Annual Business Inquiry 2008

Employment by Sector

	Ward	Highland	Scotland
Percentage of people employed in:
Agriculture & fishing	0.5	1.7	1.7
Energy & water	0.0	0.8	1.8
Manufacturing	0.6	8.0	8.7
Construction	3.3	6.7	5.9
Distribution, hotels and restaurants	5.1	25.6	22.2
Transport and communications	1.3	6.0	5.1
Banking, finance & insurance, etc.	11.1	14.9	19.1
Public admin., education & health	62.6	31.1	30.0
Other services	15.5	5.3	5.4
Source: Annual Business Inquiry 2008

Economic Activity

	Ward	Highland	Scotland
Percentage of 16-74 year olds *
Economically active	72.4	68.1	65.0
Full-time employees	46.0	38.9	40.3
Part-time employees	14.0	12.9	11.1
Self employed	6.2	10.2	6.6
Full-time student	2.3	1.8	3.0
Unemployed	3.8	4.3	4.0
* total 16-74 year olds	6,311	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	27.7	26.1	24.7
Group 2	16.4	15.3	15.7
Group 3	7.3	6.4	7.0
Group 4	16.8	19.6	19.5
No qualifications	31.8	32.6	33.2
* total 16-74 year olds	6,311	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

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 and long term unemployment claim rates are slightly below the Highland average but the Incapacity Benefit claim rate is above average. The Council Tax Benefit claim rate is slightly below the Highland average.

Latest unemployment rates ( August 2011 )

	Ward	Highland	Scotland
Unemployment rate *	2.8	2.8	4.5
Long term unemployment rate **	0.7	0.9	1.7
* 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 Source: Department for Work and Pensions date from NOMIS

Figure 1: Unemployment Rates (October 2004 to August 2011 )

Figure 2: Long-term Unemployment Rates (October 2004 to August 2011 )

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

	Ward	Highland	Scotland
Incapacity Benefit / Severe Disability Allowance claimant rate *	6.9	5.4	6.3
Employment and Support Allowance Claimant Rate *	0.0	0.0	0.0
* Percentage of resident working age population Source: Department for Work and Pensions data from NOMIS

Figure 3: Incapacity Benefit / Severe Disability Allowance / Employment and Supprt Allowance claimant rates (February 2001 to February 2011 )

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 income deprived is slightly below the Highland average but the proportion who are employment deprived is just above the average. Average household incomes are close to the Highland average.

	Ward	Highland	Scotland
Number of income deprived people *	970	27,260	779,135
Percentage of income deprived people *	11.9	12.5	15.1
Number of employment deprived people *	550	12,165	373,100
Percentage of employment deprived people *	10.5	9.2	11.6
Number of candidate Data Zones for Regeneration Funding	0	16	976
Average annual income **	£31,221	£31,368	£33,207
Percentage of households earning less than £10k per year **	12.5	12.8	12.6
* Source: Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2009updated ** Source: CACI Paycheck 2009