Many in Scotland’s most disadvantaged communities are being left behind.
Underneath the headline population averages, inequalities between different parts of the population remain wide. We see some marginal changes, both good and bad, but no systematic closing of gaps. Our analysis shows:
More people in Scotland are in relative poverty now than they were in the pre-pandemic period. 24% of children and 39% of households headed by an adult under 25 are in relative poverty compared to a population average of 21%.
The proportion of young adults not participating in work, education or training, is now higher than pre-pandemic. People in Scotland are now more likely to be inactive due to long-term illnesses
Food insecurity, homelessness, and fuel poverty are all higher than they were prepandemic. People experiencing homelessness are more likely to cite unsafe situations and mental health conditions in their applications, and the number of deaths among people experiencing homelessness has increased.
Gaps in education between students in deprived and non-deprived areas remain high. The pandemic led to changes in some measures of attainment inequality (both positive and negative), but the gap has now broadly returned to pre-pandemic levels.
A higher number of children are born in deprived areas compared to non-deprived ones. Gaps in early health outcomes, such as low birthweight and developmental concerns, are wider than they were pre-pandemic.
Men are also of particular concern, with higher mortality rates from alcohol, drug misuse, and suicide compared to the general population. Drug-related mortality has fallen from its pandemic peak, but increased in 2023, while alcohol mortality also increased in 2023.