Ageing population linked to high proportion of single-person households

Scotland has the highest percentage of single-person households in the UK due to its ageing population, statistics show.

National Records of Scotland (NRS) data published on Thursday shows there were an estimated 2.54 million households in total in 2023 – 14% more than 20 years ago.

There was a 0.8% increase in the number of households between 2022 and 2023, which was the highest annual growth rate since 2008.

The country’s ageing population is said to be driving the growth, as older people are more likely to live alone.

Census data for 2022 shows more than a third (37%) of Scottish households comprised one person living alone.

In 2021, the latest date for which census data is available for the rest of the UK, 30% of households in England were single person, 32% in Wales, and 31% in Northern Ireland.

Over the last 20 years, the number of households increased in every council area of Scotland, with the largest percentage increases in East Lothian (28%), Midlothian (27%) and the Orkney Islands (26%).

Of the 2.72 million dwellings in Scotland in 2023, 92,500 (3%) were vacant and 24,000 (1%) were second homes.

Sandy Taylor, head of household statistics at NRS, said: “These statistics show a continuation of the trends of rising numbers of households and more single-person households.

“A total of 930,000, or one sixth of the population, live alone. Scotland has the highest percentage of single-person households in the UK.

“The ageing population is driving this growth as older people are more likely to live alone.”