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Scotland's People
Results from the 2003 Scottish Household Survey Annual Report

5 What we do

Introduction

This section focuses on economic activity and the characteristics of individuals and households in different economic activity categories. Activities associated with economic activity, such as participation in education and training and methods of travel to work/education, are also examined.

Please refer to Section 2 for more information about interpreting the information in the tables in this section.

Economic activity

Fifty-two per cent of all adults are in some type of paid employment - either employed full- or part-time or self- employed. Twenty-six per cent are retired, 3% are unemployed, 8% are looking after the home or family, 4% are in full-time education, and 6% are unable to work on the grounds of health or disability ( Table 5.1).

Forty-seven per cent of women are in some type of paid employment compared with 58% of men ( Table 5.2).

Overall, 41% of households have no adults in work, 27% of households have one adult in work, and 32% have two or more adults in work ( Table 5.5).

Working households

Just over two-thirds of adults of working age (68%) are in paid employment ( Table 5.8). The vast majority of working adults have one job (97%) ( Table 5.10).

In terms of the Standard Industrial Classification, 15% of working adults are employed in 'Health and Social Work', 11% in 'Manufacturing', 11% in 'Real estate, renting and business activities', and 12% in 'Wholesale and retail trade; repair trades' ( Table 5.13).

Sixty per cent of all working adults work more than 36 hours per week, with 12% working more than 46 hours and 4% working more than 56 hours ( Table 5.17).

Women of working age

Just under two-thirds of female adults (64%) of working age are in paid employment (full-time, part-time or self-employed) ( Table 5.20).

Nineteen per cent of female single parents of working age are in full-time employment compared with 24% of all females of working age living in households with children ( Table 5.21 and Table 5.19).

Flexi-time

Twenty-four per cent of adults of working age work on a flexi-time basis, with this figure very similar for both males and females ( Table 5.22). Those in families no more commonly work flexi-time than single adults or those in small adult households. Indeed, only 18% of single parents work flexi-time, compared with 25% of single adults ( Table 5.23).

Travel to work or education

A high proportion of adults (65%) travel to work/education in a car or van, either as a driver or passenger. In addition, 15% walk and 13% travel by bus, while only 2% cycle and 3% travel by rail ( Table 5.24).

Overall, 53% of school pupils walk to school. Twenty-two per cent travel by bus, while 22% get a lift to school in a car or van. Children living in lower-income households are more likely to walk to school while children in higher-income households are more likely to get a lift in a car or van ( Table 5.29). Children in rural areas are more likely to travel to school by bus, and less likely to walk, compared with children in urban areas ( Table 5.30).

Participation in training

Overall, 28% of adults of working age are undertaking some kind of training or education. Younger adults are more likely to be involved in training or education, with those aged 16 to 24 having the highest participation rates (54%) ( Table 5.31).

Participation levels differ notably by qualifications already held ( Table 5.35). People with no qualifications have the lowest level of participation in education and training, with only 10% in some form of training. The highest participation levels are found for adults with first or higher degrees (43%) or with a professional qualification (40%).

Educational qualifications

Overall, 20% of adults have no qualifications - 19% of all males and 22% of all females ( Table 5.36). Higher proportions of adults in higher income households than lower income households have educational qualifications ( Table 5.37).

Table 5.1: Economic activity of adults aged 16 years or over
Column percentages, 2003 data Adult population

Table 5.2: Economic activity by age and sex
Column percentages, 2003 data Adult population

Table 5.3: Economic activity by urban/rural classification
Column percentages, 2003 data Adult population

Table 5.4: Economic activity by local authority grouping
Column percentages, 2003 data Adult population

Table 5.5: Number of adults in paid employment by household type
Column percentages, 2003 data Households

Table 5.6: Number of adults in paid employment by urban/rural classification
Column percentages, 2003 data Households

Table 5.7: Number of adults in paid employment by local authority grouping
Row percentages, 2003 data Households

Table 5.8: Economic status of adults of working age by sex
Column percentages, 2003 data Adults of working age (Male 16-64 years, Female 16-59 years)

Table 5.9: Economic status of adults of working age by longstanding illness, health problem or disability
Column percentages, Q2,3,4 2003 data Adults of working age (Male 16-64 years, Female 16-59 years)

Table 5.10: Number of paid jobs held by adults of working age by urban/rural classification
Column percentages, 2003 data Adults of working age with one or more paid job

Table 5.11: Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC) by economic status
Column percentages, 2003 data Working adults of working age (Male 16-64 years, Female 16-59 years)

Table 5.12:Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC) by sex
Column percentages, 2003 data Working adults of working age (Male 16-64 years, Female 16-59 years)

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