Definition
Socio-economic status refers to a person’s social and financial position in relation to others. The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) uses a number of indicators to identify areas where individuals are more likely to experience greater deprivation. These indicators are income, employment, health, education, geographic access, crime and housing. The SIMD enables identification of the most deprived areas in Scotland.
For children and young people, one common indicator of socio-economic status is eligibility for free school meals.
The broader picture
With the gap between rich and poor growing, it is important to recognise the significant impact low socio-economic status has across all areas of a person’s life, including poorer health, less secure and lower income and inequality in educational achievement.
Nearly a fifth of the Scottish population live in the 15% most deprived areas, with nearly half of those areas in Glasgow. In areas around the East End of Glasgow, life expectancy can be as low as 55, more than a decade less than the national average. Although women generally live longer than men, poor women die younger than rich men.
There is no duty in the equality act that protects people who live in deprived areas. At sportscotland we believe that this is an important characteristic to address as we know that people from deprived areas are less likely to participate in sport.
Sport
Socio-economic status has a noticeable impact on participation in sport. Across Scotland, 55% of young people aged 8-21 regularly took part in sport, but in the 15% most deprived areas of Scotland, 45% of young people regularly took part.
The following table is the most recent data from the Scottish Household Survey*. This shows participation in any sport excluding walking in the last four weeks, and then any sport including walking.
|
Any sport (excluding walking) |
Any sport (including walking) |
|
15% most deprived |
42% |
61% |
|
Rest |
51% |
74% |
|
All |
50% |
72% |
*This analysis was completed by the Scottish Household Survey team for sportscotland.
Looking at sport both including and excluding walking, people from the 15% most deprived areas of Scotland participated around 20% less in sport than people living in the rest of Scotland. Swimming, which was the most popular sport for both groups after walking, has a 30% decrease in participation for people in the most deprived areas of Scotland. Half of the most deprived areas of Scotland are in Glasgow, which has a good provision of swimming pools.
But 20% more people in the most deprived areas of Scotland played football and snooker/pool regularly than people in other parts of Scotland.
sportscotland believes that all people, regardless of socio-economic position, should have the opportunity to participate in sport.
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