Household Estimates for 2005

13th December 2005

The number of households in Scotland continues to rise and there are fewer empty dwellings and second homes than in recent years, the Registrar General announced today as he issued his Household Estimates for Scotland by Local Authority 1991 to 2005.

The Registrar General for Scotland, Duncan Macniven, said:

“Again, the number of households increased by one per cent last year to 2.27 million, from 2.25 million in 2004. There are more dwellings in Scotland and more of Scotland’s existing dwellings are now occupied.

"Despite the decline in Scotland's population, the number of households continues to increase because household structures are changing. The size of the average household is shrinking. We now have fewer large households and more people living alone.

"More dwellings are now occupied and the number of vacant dwellings and second homes has begun to decline over the past two years. Until 2003 the number of vacant dwellings and second homes in Scotland was increasing each year. That trend has reversed and there are now 2,300 fewer than one year ago. At this stage it is too early to be certain of the causes of this decrease.”

Key facts in the new estimates are:

Number of households: There were 2.27 million households in Scotland in June 2005, an increase of 22,000 (1 per cent) over the past year. The number of households in Scotland has increased steadily since 1991, by between 0.5 and 1 per cent each year. This year’s increase is partly because there are more dwellings and partly because more existing dwellings are occupied.
Dwellings: There were 2.40 million dwellings (self-contained units of accommodation such as a house or flat) in Scotland in September 2005. The number of dwellings has been increasing by around 0.8 per cent per year – an increase of nearly 20,000 over the past year.
Vacant dwellings and second homes: The biggest change in trend has been in the number of vacant dwellings and second homes. Up to 2003, there was an increase each year, but since then the figures have started to decline, with a reduction of over 2,300 vacant dwellings and second homes over the past year. Overall, 4.5 per cent of all dwellings in Scotland were vacant or second homes in 2005 (including some self-catering holiday accommodation). The figures are highest in the island authorities, Argyll & Bute and Highland.
It is too soon to be certain about the causes of this decrease in the number of vacant dwellings and second homes. It could be caused by changes in the housing market, and may have been influenced by a change in Council Tax policy which gave councils the discretion to reduce the Council Tax discount for second homes and long term empty properties. However, this policy was introduced in April 2005, one year after the decline first started.
Councils: Aberdeenshire and Highland showed the largest percentage increase in the number of households over the past year (1.9 per cent), due to a combination of more dwellings, and more of the existing dwellings being occupied.
Size of households: Since 1991, Scotland’s population has fallen by 0.1 per cent. The number of households is increasing while the population is declining, because the average household size is getting smaller, with fewer large households and more people living alone.

Notes for News Editors

Household estimates are produced annually. They are used for compiling and monitoring housing plans, for service provision, and to provide a denominator for other statistics – and also (every 2 years) in the production of household projections.

For further information about these statistics, please contact the household estimates and projections contact person using our Contact Form.

Media Contact: Karen McNally, T. 0131 244 2967