Scottish Household Survey Bulletin No.2

Educational qualifications and income

There is a strong relationship between adults' possession of educational qualifications and the income of their household. Table 5 shows that 40% of adults in households in the lowest income group have no educational qualifications. This compares with only 7% of adults in households in the highest income group.

At the other end of the educational spectrum, 25% of adults in households in the highest income group had a first or higher degree, while only 6% of adults in households in the lowest income group had a similar qualification.

Note: Sample size reduced because of refusals and insufficient data on income questions

Housing tenure and income

Housing tenure shows a similarly strong relationship with household income. Among households with an income of less than £6,000 per annum, half rent their home from a social landlord (see definition in Section 11). Among households with an income of £20,000 or more, 90% are in owner-occupied accommodation (Table 6). In the lowest income bands, about 40% of households own or are buying their home. Around 30% of households with an annual income of £10,000 or less own their homes outright. These tend to be pensioner households who might have paid off a mortgage or are former Council tenants who bought their home under the right-to-buy scheme.

The bedroom standard and income

Overall, 24% of households have two or more bedrooms greater than the number required by the bedroom standard (see definition in Section 11). Only 4% of households fail the bedroom standard, although 24% of households with three or more children do (Table 7).

The proportion of households failing the bedroom standard does not vary between households in different income groups. However, the proportion exceeding the standard does. In the lowest income group, 19% of households exceed the standard by two or more bedrooms compared with 33% in the highest income group (no table).