DEVELOPING SMALL AREA STATISTICS
Demand
Traditionally, the decennial Census of Population has been one of the key sources of small area statistics to support policy making. However, there has always been a demand for small area information on a more regular basis and Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics meets this demand.
Administrative Data
Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics makes the most of the wealth of administrative data held by central government and public sector organisations. A range of small area socio-economic statistics has been developed and work continues to develop further information about small areas.
Deprivation
Scotland's most deprived areas have been identified through the 2004 and 2006 Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD).
Population and Housing
Population, household and housing statistics are all available at data zone level.
Education
There has been extensive modernisation of the collection and sharing of education statistics through the ScotXed programme.
Health
A wide and varied range of hospital and other medical statistics from NHSScotland.
Crime
Selected crime data are available at intermediate geography level.
Community Care
Selected information about community care at the small area level.
Labour Market
Key information about the labour market at small area level.
Benefits
Key information about receipt of benefits and tax credits produced by the Department for Work and Pensions and Inland Revenue.
Access
Indicators showing the geographic accessibility to a range of services at the data zone level.
Physical Environment
Indicators showing proximity to landfill sites, industrial pollutants and other environmental factors at the data zone level.
Confidentiality
Protecting the confidentiality of personal information is crucial and statistics disseminated through Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics follow the National Statistics protocols for maintaining confidentiality. SNS contains no information at an individual person level. Only aggregations based on personal information which meet confidentiality protocols are included.