Scotland’s minority groups and children face inequalities in housing, health and employment

Date: 23rd August 2016
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

According to a new report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), people from ethnic minorities in Scotland are four times more likely than the general population to live in overcrowded accommodation, and twice as likely to be poor and out of work.

The report is the biggest ever analysis of existing evidence into race equality in Scotland and focuses on poverty, education, employment, and housing. The EHRC said its report findings will provide a baseline against which to measure progress in future.

Alastair Pringle, Director the Equality and Human Rights Commission in Scotland said:

"The Scottish Government is taking action on these issues, but their policies are often targeted at areas of socio-economic deprivation. Our evidence shows that while people from ethnic minorities experience higher levels of poverty and unemployment they don't necessarily live in the most deprived areas of Scotland. Our policies need to have a sharper focus- not just concentrated on postcode, but also focused on communities who experience disadvantage because of who they are, where they're from, or the colour of their skin."

The Commission is also calling for action on recording and reporting of racist incidents and bullying in schools to form part of the solution to tackle race inequality. This issue was raised by the Commission at the U.N. in Geneva last week. In 2013/14 Police Scotland recorded 4,807 racial incidents alone. The only data on schools that is available was gathered by Tavish Scott MSP via FOI and shows that schools recorded less incidents over 5 years than Police Scotland recorded in one.

The EHRC's in-depth analysis of evidence highlights a picture of race inequality across Scotland, which includes:

Housing

• In 2013 ethnic minority households were four times more likely than White households to live in overcrowded properties - 11.8% compared with 2.9%.

Poverty

• In 2013/14 people from ethnic minorities were more twice as likely live in poverty, both before and after housing costs, compared to 'White-British' people:
• After housing costs, 36% of people from ethnic minorities were in poverty, compared with 17% of 'White-British' people.

Unemployment

• Unemployment rates for people from ethnic minorities in 2013 were significantly higher than for White people - 13.2% compared with 6.9%;
• In 2013, only 57.4% of people from ethnic minorities were in work compared with 73.8% of white people;
• Unemployment rates for people from ethnic minorities in 2013 were significantly higher than for White people - 13.2% compared with 6.9%;
• Just 2.1% of modern apprenticeships are filled by ethnic minorities although 5% of the target group for apprenticeships across Scotland are from ethnic minority groups (Skills Development Scotland, Q1 2016).

Education

• Just 6% of black school-leavers from across the UK attended a Russell Group university (Edinburgh and Glasgow), compared with 12% of mixed and Asian school leavers and 11% of white school leavers;
• 1 in 4 Scottish pupils said they were aware of peers suffering prejudice based bullying.

The Commission welcomed the Scottish Government's recent publication of their comprehensive race equality framework 2016-30 and the wide reaching engagement they undertook to develop this strategy.

• Read the full article from the EHRC here.
• Read 'Race Report: Healing a Divided Britain' and access other materials here.