Response to NRS consultation on Scotland's census 2031 topics

Consumer Scotland is the statutory body for consumers in Scotland. Established by the Consumer Scotland Act 2020, we are accountable to the Scottish Parliament. The Act defines consumers as individuals and small businesses that purchase, use or receive in Scotland goods or services supplied by a business, profession, not for profit enterprise, or public body.

Our purpose is to improve outcomes for current and future consumers, and our strategic objectives are:

• to enhance understanding and awareness of consumer issues by strengthening the evidence base
• to serve the needs and aspirations of current and future consumers by inspiring and influencing the public, private and third sectors
• to enable the active participation of consumers in a fairer economy by improving access to information and support

Consumer Scotland uses data, research and analysis to inform our work on the key issues facing consumers in Scotland. In conjunction with that evidence base we seek a consumer perspective through the application of the consumer principles of access, choice, safety, information, fairness, representation, sustainability and redress.

We work across the private, public and third sectors and have a particular focus on three consumer challenges: affordability, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and consumers in vulnerable circumstances.

Consumer Scotland welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation on topics for Scotland’s census 2031. To inform this response we held internal evidence gathering sessions with colleagues in research, analysis and policy teams to understand how census outputs have been used in the past, and to gather views on potential topics that are being, or could be, considered for inclusion.

In summary, Consumer Scotland considers the census an invaluable source of robust and reliable data on Scotland’s demographics. We primarily use it in our research and analysis work to ensure that this is representative of, and therefore relevant to, Scottish consumers, however have also used it in the policy context to understand the impact of a policy.

We would strongly support the inclusion of income data as a variable collected in the census, albeit are agnostic about whether this is collected via the questionnaire or through administrative data solutions. The important point for us is to have a census base rather than a survey base for this data. If collecting income, we also see benefit in collecting Council Tax details for a household, with this being particularly helpful for water affordability policy.

Our final suggestion for a new topic would be to collect data on the number of Electric Vehicles in use by households in Scotland, as this data is not currently available elsewhere.

Your use of the 2022 Census outputs

Question 1. Have you used any outputs from the 2022 Census? (tickbox response)

Yes

Question 2. Ethnic group, national identity, language and religion

Do you currently use this data (tickbox response)

Consumer Scotland currently uses this data for research purposes

Please give detailed examples of how you use the outputs for this topic

We have used census data to help us understand the relevant target population for focus groups recruitment. It also helps us determine if samples in our primary survey work are representative and helps us in setting quotas and determining what weighting we may need to apply.

What benefits do these topic outputs create for you or your organisation?

Topic outputs help us to ensure our own research is based on representative samples of the Scottish population.

We were pleased to see the inclusion of British Sign language in the 2022 census, while we have not yet made use of this data, we anticipate it will be useful in our work on ensuring Scottish consumers have accessible advice services.

Question 3. UK armed forces veterans

Consumer Scotland does not currently use this data

Question 4. Sexual orientation and trans status or history

Consumer Scotland does not currently use this data

Question 5. Demography and migration

Do you currently use this data (tickbox response)

Consumer Scotland currently uses this data for the purposes of developing policies, monitoring policy impact and research.

Please give detailed examples of how you use the outputs for this topic

For research we have used census data to help us understand the relevant target population for focus groups recruitment. It has also helped us determine if samples in our primary survey work are representative and has assisted us in setting quotas and determining what weighting we may need to apply.

For monitoring policy impact, one example where we have used census data is to understand the impact of proposed changes to exemptions from next day postal delivery for Royal Mail commercial products. We used census data at output are (https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/publications/2022-census-geography-products/) to produce population estimates for people who live in exempt postcode areas to understand the scale of the impact of the proposed policy change.

What benefits do these topic outputs create for you or your organisation?

It is important we have reliable information on the numbers of people living in different areas of Scotland. Census data helps us to understand if policies will have different impacts in different areas due the characteristics of the population in those areas

Question 6. Housing

Do you currently use this data (tickbox response)

Consumer Scotland currently uses this data for the purposes of developing policies, monitoring policy impact and research.

Please give detailed examples of how you use the outputs for this topic

For research we have used census data to help us understand the relevant target population for focus group recruitment. It also helps us determine if samples in our primary survey are representative and in setting quotas and determining what weighting we may need to apply. For example, we have used census data to understand the profile of Scotland’s socially renting tenants when informing the design of a primary survey of social tenants. For policy we have also used census evidence on the long terms trends in housing tenure to inform our policy thinking around the role of Scotland private rented sector.

What benefits do these topic outputs create for you or your organisation?

Our use of these outputs has helped to ensure our own research is based on representative samples of the Scottish population

Question 7. Education, labour market and travel to work

Consumer Scotland does not currently use this data

Question 8. Health, disability and unpaid care

Do you currently use this data (tickbox response)

Consumer Scotland currently uses this data for the purposes of Consumer Scotland currently uses this data for the purposes of developing policies, monitoring policy impact and research.

Please give detailed examples of how you use the outputs for this topic

We have used census data to help us understand the relevant target population for focus groups recruitment. It also helps us determine if samples in our primary survey work are representative and in setting quotas and determining what weighting we may need to apply.

What benefits do these topic outputs create for you or your organisation?

Our use of these outputs has helped to ensure our own research is based on representative samples of the Scottish population

Question 9. At what geographical level do you use the 2022 Census outputs (tick box response)

Consumer Scotland has used 2022 Census outputs at the following levels:

• All of Scotland
• Local authority
• Islands group
• Scottish Parliamentary constituency
• Output area

Multivariate Outputs

Question 10. When benefit do the multivariate outputs give you or your organisation?

We find the multivariate output to be helpful for our research and policy thinking. It is important we have reliable information on the numbers of people living in different areas of Scotland and their characteristics.

Multivariate data helps us to understand if policies will have different impacts in different areas due the characteristics of the population in those areas e.g. numbers of people with health conditions living in rural areas. It also helps setting our own research targets, quotas and weighting for example it is helpful to know how many social renters in Scotland are in different age groups.

UK comparability

Question 11. How important is it for you to be able to compare census outputs across the UK? (tickbox response)

Very important.

In our role as Scotland’s consumer advocate, we need to know if something is different in Scotland than the rest of the UK. This is particularly important for markets such as energy where much policy and regulation is at UK level. Demographic differences could mean that policies or issues will impact Scotland or areas within Scotland differently and therefore we would need to advocate for more or different activity in this area.

We consider differences between the Scottish census and the England and Wales Census (e.g. different years in which the most recent census was undertaken and differences in the definitions of having a long term health condition) to affect the usefulness of the Scottish census. We would encourage greater harmonisation between the two.

Need for continuity with previous census

Question 12. How important is the need for continuity with previous census outputs for your work? (tickbox response)

Moderately important.

We consider this to be of secondary importance. While we occasionally use the census to look at historic trends (e.g. in housing tenure) we most often use the census to give a current view of Scotland’s population.

2031 Census

Question 13. Should the National Records of Scotland add topics to the 2031 Census that were not included in the 2022 Census? (tickbox response)

Yes.

Your requirements from the 2031 Census

Question 14. What additional topics should be included in the 2031 Census?

We would support the inclusion of income in the census. Income is a key variable for required for affordability policy, which is an area of work that Consumer Scotland is involved in across different markets.

Currently we are reliant on the Scottish Household Survey (SHS) and the Households below Average Income (HBAI) Surveys. While previous assessment provided that the SHS variable compares reasonably well with HBAI income, and produces very good income estimates considering the wide remit of the survey, there will be limitations in relying on this. All household survey data is subject to uncertainty, particularly given increasing challenges in achieving desired sample sizes, and there are also known limitations in using the data for smaller sub-groups or geographical areas. We would therefore support the collection of census data on income to support policy work.

Should income be included, we would also suggest the inclusion of council tax band of households. The primary aim of this inclusion from our perspective would be support water affordability work, however it is likely there would be wider application. Scotland’s water charges are currently linked to council tax band and it would be helpful for us to understand the income profile of different council tax bands in Scotland in our advocacy around water charges.

We would also support the inclusion of a measure capturing the number of Electric Vehicles (Cars) used by households in Scotland. There is currently no equivalent data collected with electric vehicle numbers based primarily on sales data. There are limitations in using this data to understand not only the level of EV uptake, but also the geographic spread of this and how it interacts with other demographic variables. An understanding of this would support policy development work to ensure that consumers are not only appropriately encouraged to switch to EVs (essential in order to hit current Net Zero targets), but also are appropriately supported with essential infrastructure once they have made the switch.

Question 15. At what geographic level would you require information on the topics that you mentioned in question 14? (tickbox response)

We would require these topics at:

• All of Scotland
• Local authority
• Island group
• UK Parliamentary constituency 2024
• Output area