NatCen has published a report in collaboration with ADR UK exploring children and young people’s experiences with social care
The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) has published a report in collaboration with Administrative Data Research (ADR) UK exploring children and young people’s experiences with social care.
The report pulls together administrative data from the four UK nations for the first time and the combined data reveals insights into the care experiences of children. It looks across systems and services showcasing valuable long-term data analysis across inequalities, regional variation, evolving care practices and long-term impacts.
The report explored factors that lead children into care:
A child’s postcode in Northern Ireland can affect their chances of entering care: in 2010, children from the most deprived 10% of areas were four times more likely to end in care than those from the least deprived 10%. By 2020 this disparity doubled.
As well as their journeys through care:
Data from Wales found that 63% of voluntary arrangements became compulsory within two years, a trend occurring more frequently and rapidly over time. In around 1 in 2 cases, care proceedings were issued within four weeks of initial voluntary arrangements.
Placement stability is a concern with 30% of infants experiencing three or more placements within two years.
Infants entering care through voluntary arrangements experienced fewer placements than those subject to care orders.
Data from Scotland found kinship care has become the most common arrangement with 34% living in kinship care in 2023 compared to 13% in 2006.
Children with experience of kinship care continue to experience lower attendance rates, higher exclusion rates, and lower qualification attainment compared to the general population.
Of those with youth justice involvement, care experienced children, on average, had four times the number of cautions or convictions than non-care experienced children.
The report examines long-term outcomes for those who have had contact with social services:
In the eight years after leaving school, 25% of care experienced children in England had never been in employment or education compared to 4% among all school leavers.
In Northern Ireland, young adults with a history of care had almost 9 times the risk of death by suicide compared to those who had no social services contact in childhood.
Sarah Cheesbrough, Director of the Policy Research Centre at the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) said:“This vital report showcases the transformative potential of administrative data in generating critical insights to improve the lives of care-experienced children and young people.
“It highlights why policymakers should demand more from their evidence base—using data to pinpoint system shortfalls, assess long-term service impacts, and identify successful practices.”
Professor Karen Broadhurst of Lancaster University and ADR UK Ambassador said:“By linking data from different parts of government, and opening up secure access to the de-identified, population-level linked datasets,
“ADR UK is creating unprecedented opportunities for researchers to advance our knowledge. For the first time, we can look across systems and services using datasets where every child is counted.
“The studies included in this report published today, provide robust empirical evidence of pathways into care, care experience, and life beyond care. As a society, we must ensure we have the conditions in place for every child to have the opportunity to flourish, including those in the care of the State.”
Report warns service provided to customers is a mixed bag with levels of fraud remaining unacceptably high
Disability benefits claimants receive an unacceptably poor level of service from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). In a report published today, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) warns that the DWP’s understanding of vulnerable customers’ experience is not good enough, with how it provides customer service overall also falling short.
The report finds that benefit claimants received over £4bn less than they were entitled to in 2023-24. This increases the risk of financial hardship for the people losing out. This figure of underpayments has risen from £3.5bn in 2022-23. Underpayment rates are highest for disability benefits, such as Personal Independent Payment (PIP) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
The inquiry heard that disabled peoples’ experiences of the benefit system are often negative due to issues with the design of the system and how DWP communicates, with evidence that 43% of claimants with complex disabilities do not have their needs met through DWP’s communications.
Not informing DWP of a change in circumstances is the most common reason for underpayments – the report notes that many claimants need to call DWP to do so, but a significant proportion of calls go unanswered.
The PAC is warning that DWP does not understand well enough the experience of vulnerable customers and customers with additional or complex needs, and should gather the data it needs to gain this understanding.
The DWP conceded to the PAC that, while it had been using artificial intelligence to help identify vulnerable customers at the time of the Committee’s inquiry, it did not have a system to identify such customers on the telephone.*
The report raises continuing concerns about the potential negative impact on protected groups and vulnerable customers of DWP’s use of machine learning to identify potential fraud, and seeks reassurance from Government that claimants are not being treated unfairly through its use.
Recipients of PIP and ESA, the report finds, receive an unacceptably poor service from DWP. ESA claimants have to wait an average of nearly 30 minutes for DWP to answer their calls (compared to approximately 2 minutes for Universal Credit claimants). For new PIP claimants, only half of these are processed on time (as compared to 96% of new State Pension claims).
While benefits underpayments are climbing, the report also warns that overpayments are also on the rise, with £9.5bn of benefit expenditure (excluding State Pension) overpaid in 2023-24 – up from £8.2bn in 2022-23.
The report calls out DWP’s defence of its current performance: by referring to the challenge of working against a “headwind” of an increasing propensity for fraud in society. The PAC sees this as a dangerous mindset, stressing that it is the DWP’s job to improve its defences and ensure benefit claimants receive the right amount of money.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Chair of the Committee, said: “Our report’s disheartening findings illustrate the stark disparity of experience between claimants for disability benefit and other users of the system.
“In some cases, claimants are literally calling for help and receiving no answer, resulting in increasing risks to their financial security. The British public would be forgiven for thinking the state is AWOL just when it needs it most.
“The DWP must do more to ensure that claimants are reunited with the money to which they are entitled, as well as to understand the needs of vulnerable claimants.
“Our Committee is closely scrutinising the use of AI in Government. While this Committee would welcome the use of AI for the benefit of the public, the onus is also on the DWP to prove it is using these powerful tools in a safe and fair manner.
!We are also as concerned at the picture of growing underpayments as we are with overpayments, and have little sympathy for the DWP’s argument that this rise is driven by a growing propensity for fraud in society.
“This amounts to saying that the DWP’s job is too hard to do well – not a defence that this Committee is prepared to accept.”
Hundreds of children, some as young as 11, were caught up in riots last summer sparked by tragic murders of three girls in Southport.
At least 147 children arrested, 84 charged, 73 with finalised outcomes by October 31st.
Children’s Commissioner uses unique statutory powers to speak to around 20% of the children including some in Young Offenders Institutions charged in connection with last summer’s riots.
In interviews, many spoke strongly about their distrust of the police, describing previous bad experiences and community mistrust.
Postcode lottery with the youth justice system as outcomes depended on where they lived.
Unique research by the Children’s Commissioner’s Office found that young people who took part in last summer’s riots were not primarily driven by social media misinformation or racism but by curiosity of the events, deep distrust of the police or the lack of opportunities in their community.
Dame Rachel de Souza used her statutory powers to speak to about 20 per cent of the children who were charged in the aftermath of the summer riots that broke out after the tragic murders of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar in Southport on 29 July 2024.
Hundreds of children – some as young as 11 – were caught up in the unrest in 26 areas across England following the lead of thousands of adults whose involvement was deemed to be racially motivated targeting locations known to house asylum seekers.
The findings of today’s report focus on children’s motivation for taking part, challenging the prevailing narrative that young people’s involvement was orchestrated by deliberate misinformation spread through social media linked to racist and right-wing influencers.
While these factors played a potential role, they did not appear to drive children’s actions.
Instead, many children’s involvement in the riots was spontaneous, not thought out and opportunistic. The report found that they were not primarily driven by far-right, anti-immigration or racist views. Children spoke about their curiosity of these events and their animosity towards the police.
Children’s Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza said: “Like everyone I was truly horrified and heartbroken by the deaths of those three little girls in Southport last July.
“The initial response from the community to their deaths brought out some of the best of humanity, as people shared their collective grief and shock. But within a day, violent unrest started to unfold across the country in an apparent response to claims made about the girls’ attacker.
“The involvement of children in those riots and the reasons they told me they got involved raise some really serious questions about childhood in England and why our children feel so disaffected and disempowered.”
Based on interviews by the Children’s Commissioner’s office between November and December 2024 with children charged in connection to last summer’s riots, the report presents their views, as told to the Children’s Commissioner and her team directly – with key findings including:
Scale of youth involvement: At least 147 children arrested, 84 charged, 73 with finalised outcomes by October 31st. Further arrests are anticipated as police continue to review evidence.
Spontaneous participation: Children’s actions were often impulsive and unconsidered, driven by curiosity, a sense of animosity towards the police, or the thrill of the moment – not primarily driven by far-right ideologies as widely speculated.
Distrust of the police: Many children cited previous negative interactions and deep-seated mistrust of the police within their community, which fuelled their actions during the riots, viewing them as an opportunity to retaliate against the police.
Calls for change: Children identified poverty, a lack of youth activities and limited employment opportunities as underlying vulnerabilities that must be addressed to protect young people from crime and exploitation.
Today’s report by the Children’s Commissioner found the government’s response to the riots resulted in unusually severe charges and sentences, often overlooking children’s potential for rehabilitation.
Outcomes for children appeared to vary based on location, with inconsistent application of child-first principles and underutilised expertise of the Youth Justice Service (YJS).
Dame Rachel de Souza said: “As Children’s Commissioner, it’s my duty to listen to children, regardless of their circumstances. This includes hearing the voices of young victims, and in exceptional circumstances like this, hearing directly from children accused of perpetrating violence against others.
“These conversations were striking, and often unsettling. Many described impulsive decisions, driven by disaffection or distrust of the police as factors for their involvement.
“This report does not excuse criminality. The harm caused by these children’s actions is undeniable. Many – but not all – of the children acknowledged the need for accountability and consequences for their actions.
“Today’s findings offer no simple solutions but paints a more complex picture than has been debated following the riots. However, it is one that we must grapple with in order to create a more positive experience of childhood than one this report sets out.”
In her report, the Children’s Commissioner highlights the importance of upholding the child-first principles of the youth justice system, particularly in times of national crisis. Children are different to adults and a child must be seen as such first and foremost, rather than as an offender, to keep communities safe by preventing and reducing offending behaviour.
Rehabilitation and addressing the underlying causes of children’s involvement must be the primary objective of youth justice with custodial sentences always the last resort. The widespread expression of hostility toward the police among these children also highlights an urgent need for child-centred policing that builds trust and fosters positive relationships.
A new report by the Patients Association, funded by Bristol Myers Squibb, sheds light on the stark health inequities faced by patients living with cancer and/or blood disorders, revealing significant disparities driven by social determinants of health, systemic barriers, and discrimination.
The report also offers recommendations to improve access to equitable healthcare.
The report identifies critical issues such as economic and social factors, mistrust in healthcare services, systemic racism, and lack of joined-up care, all of which exacerbate health inequalities for underserved communities.
The report calls for a patient-centred approach that prioritises shared decision-making to ensure cancer and/or blood disorder patients are treated as equal partners in their care. It also calls for a multi-agency approach to tackle health disparities, aligning national and local strategies, such as NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 framework, to enhance access to early cancer diagnosis.
The report finds that cancer and/or blood disorder patients from underserved communities consistently experience worse health outcomes and lower standards of care. Contributing factors include delays in diagnosis, lower uptake of screening programmes, and mistrust of healthcare systems. Barriers such as low health literacy, cultural insensitivity from staff, and systemic discrimination further hinder equitable access to care.
Patients interviewed for this report highlighted several critical issues, including difficulty navigating healthcare systems and insufficient communication about their rights and available benefits. Many patients reported transportation and medication costs causing financial difficulties.
Organisations working with underserved communities reinforced these findings, emphasising the pervasive mistrust in the health among marginalised communities. This mistrust often results from discrimination, such as delayed diagnoses and unequal access to treatment. LGBTQ+ patients and those with sickle cell disease described particularly hostile or dismissive interactions with healthcare providers.
The report also draws attention to the role of social determinants of health, such as inadequate housing, poverty, and living in a deprived neighbourhood. These factors are closely linked to higher rates of cancer and mortality, as well as reduced access to essential healthcare resources.
Tackling these challenges requires urgent action at both a national and local level. The Patients Association calls on policymakers, healthcare professionals, and community organisations to work together to ensure equitable access to care for all.
Reflecting on the report, Rachel Power, Chief Executive of the Patients Association said: ““Equitable healthcare is an urgent necessity. It is deeply concerning that barriers such as systemic discrimination, financial hardship, and mistrust of the health and care system persist, disproportionately affecting underserved communities.
“Only by addressing these disparities can we achieve a health and care system that provides equality and dignity for all. We call on the government and the health and care system to align national and local strategies, address the social determinants of health, and foster trust between patients and healthcare providers.
“We must work together to close these gaps and build a system rooted in fairness, trust, and accessibility.”
People are more likely to die due to an accident in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK – the rate of accidental death is up 57% over the last decade
Fatalities on Scottish roads are 46% higher than the UK
Accidents cost the UK £12 billion every year – £6 billion in NHS medical care and £5.9 billion in lost working days
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has launched ‘Safer Lives, Stronger Nation’, which reveals new data into rising accident numbers and calls on the Government to implement a National Accident Prevention Strategy to save lives, boost the economy and free up capacity in the NHS
Scotland is home to the highest rate of accidental death in the UK – currently 56% higher than the UK’s overall rate of accidental death and 67% higher than the rate in England, meaning people are far more likely to die in an accident in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK according to a new report* launched by RoSPA, ‘Safer Lives, Stronger Nation’.
As well as the tragic human loss, preventable accidents cost the UK a massive £12 billion every year due to lost working days and medical care. RoSPA is calling on the Government to implement a National Accident Prevention Strategy to save lives, boost the economy and free up capacity in the NHS.
RoSPA’s new report reveals that the rate of accidental death in Scotland has risen by 57% in the last decade and accidents now take over 2,500 lives each year.
This increase in the number of accidental deaths in Scotland can be seen across almost every type of accident.
Despite positive steps such as the successes of Water Safety Scotland and the Scottish Occupational Road Safety Alliance, the recent abolition of Home Safety Scotland shows that the Government is still not taking a sufficiently robust approach to the nation’s alarming rise in accident rates.
Number of accidental deaths in 2022
% rise in accidental death rates, 2013 to 2022
Rate of accidental deaths per 100,000 people
UK-wide
21,336
42% increase
32 deaths
England
16,765
40% increase
29 deaths
Scotland
2,677
57% increase
49 deaths
Wales
1,206
41% increase
39 deaths
Northern Ireland
688
56% increase
36 deaths
Highest likelihood of fatality on Scottish roads
People are almost twice as likely (46%) to have a fatal transport-related accident in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK. This substantially higher fatality rate in Scotland exists across car users, pedestrians and motorcyclists – with people in cars 166% more likely to be killed in an accident driving in Scotland than they are elsewhere in the UK. Pedestrians are 96% more likely to be killed in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK and motorcyclists are 51% more likely to be killed in an accident on Scottish roads than in the rest of the country.
Other types of accidental deaths highest in Scotland
Tragically, Scotland isn’t just home to the highest rates of fatal road accidents – its non-transport fatal accident rate is also more than twice (57%) as high as the rest of the UK. Death from accidental poisoning is 139% higher in Scotland than the rest of the UK. There has been a sharp spike in drug-related deaths in Scotland since the early 2010s, which has one of the highest rates of drug deaths in the developed world, although this has begun to fall in recent years.
Death from accidental drowning is 59% higher in Scotland than the rest of the UK. This is partly due to ease of access to inland water, which creates more opportunities for drowning but is also compounded by lower water temperatures, making the risk of cold-water shock higher.
Death from exposure to smoke, fire or flames is 42% higher than the rest of the UK. This rate reflects the higher rate of dwelling fires in Scotland, which has been falling for several years but remains much higher than England and Wales.
Death from accidental fall accounts for 42% of all accidental deaths in Scotland, so the fact that they are almost twice (45%) as likely in Scotland than the rest of the UK is significant. The reasons for this aren’t recorded, but it could be due to rugged terrain and wetter conditions, and potentially higher proportions of people living in flats or apartments.
Cause of accidental death
Rate in Scotland compared to the UK as a whole
Rate in Wales compared to the UK as a whole
Rate in Northern Ireland compared to the UK as a whole
All types of accidental deaths
56% higher
22% higher
14% higher
Transport-related
46% higher
18% higher
34% higher
Transport accident – car occupants
166% higher
5% higher
88% higher
Transport accident – pedestrians
96% higher
35% lower
142% higher
Transport accident – motorcyclists
51% higher
78% higher
20% higher
Non-transport related
57% higher
22% higher
13% higher
Poisoning
139% higher
6% higher
10% lower
Drowning
59% higher
10% lower
71% higher
Exposure to smoke, fire or flames
42% higher
34% higher
18% higher
Falls
45% higher
24% higher
37% higher
Falls are the most common cause of accidental death in Scotland
RoSPA’s data reveals that like the UK as a whole, falls are the most common cause of accidental death in Scotland (42%), followed by poisonings (40%).
Most common cause of accidental death in 2022 (UK wide)
Most common cause of accidental death in 2022 (Scotland)
1.Falls – 46%
Falls – 42%
2.Poisonings – 26%
Poisonings – 40%
3.Other – 13%
Road traffic / transport – 7%
4.Road traffic / transport – 7%
Other – 5%
5.Threats to breathing e.g. choking and suffocating – 3%
Threats to breathing e.g. choking and suffocating – 2%
6. Drowning – 1%
Drowning – 1%
Accidents cost the UK almost £12 billion every year
As well as personal pain and injury, accidents put a huge strain on the NHS, costing at least £6 billion annually in NHS medical care – not including ambulance callouts, surgery or long-term treatment.
Across the UK accidents led to around 5.2 million bed days, costing the NHS an estimated £5.4 billion last year. In addition, accidents resulted in around 7 million Accident & Emergency (A&E) visits across the UK last year, costing a further £613 million, bringing the total cost of accidents to the NHS to at least £6 billion annually.
Accident-related injuries are also a drain on the economy and prevent people from working. The combined cost to UK businesses is £5.9 billion, due to lost output and indirect management costs.
Ten times more working days lost due to accidents than strikes
Across the UK in 2022/23 7.7 million working days were lost by those who were unable to work after an accident as they’d been admitted to hospital, or by their carers who took time off work to be with them. A further 21 million working days were lost by those who had to attend A&E after an accident. In total in 2022/23 accidents led to almost 29 million lost working days across the UK – 10 times more than were lost due to strikes (2.7 million lost working days) in the same year.
RoSPA is calling for the Government to create a National Accident Prevention Strategy to save lives, boost the economy and free up capacity in the NHS.
Steve Cole, Policy, Campaigns and Public Affairs Director at RoSPA, said: “Scotland is facing an accident crisis. It has the worst rates of accidental death than anywhere else in the UK.
“Scots are substantially more likely to suffer a serious accident today than they were 20 years ago. We must take action now to stop further preventable deaths and serious injuries – accidents are avoidable and do not need to happen.
“Even those who have never been involved in an accident are still suffering, as increasing numbers of accidents are choking the UK economy and engulfing the NHS – taking up bed space, money, time and resources that could be directed to other serious illnesses.
“Our new report revealing the growing numbers and types of fatal and life-changing accidents across the UK unveils a new public health scandal. By implementing a National Accident Prevention Strategy to sit across government departments problems can be tackled at their core, with a joined-up approach to cover all types of accidents – whether they happen at home, on the road, at work or in public.
“For too long we have accepted the economic and social consequences of accidents, and we’re still paying the price. We are calling for a National Accident Prevention Strategy to make Scotland a safer place to live.”
Dan Evans, Chief Executive at Speedy Hire, said: “We take health and safety extremely seriously, and it is a source of immense pride that we have been recognised for our excellence in keeping colleagues and customers safe.
“For us, colleague safety doesn’t begin and end at the workplace door, which is why at Speedy Hire we take a ‘whole person, whole life’ approach. This has never been more important to do so, as RoSPA’s report reveals people are far more likely to suffer a serious accident at home than they are at work.
“Both the cost of accidents to peoples’ personal lives and to businesses is far too high, so we must act now to keep people safe and support economic growth.”
Dr. James Broun, Research Manager at RoSPA and author of ‘Safer Lives, Stronger Nation’, said: “Our major review of all accident data uncovers the full scale and true cost of accidents for the very first time. This data is unique; it looks at all types of accidents across the UK, as well as individually across all four nations.
“Accidents aren’t currently monitored or recorded to the same extent as other health issues, but the findings are alarming. Accident rates across the UK, as well as within England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – are rising steeply. We’ve brought together this data to reveal the reality of this crisis and to impress upon the Government that action must be taken to reverse rising accident figures.”
RoSPA are calling for the Government to seize the initiative and create a National Accident Prevention Strategy – a first for the UK. And, because it’s impossible to arrest a crisis like this without a plan, RoSPA propose that the National Accident Prevention Strategy is the specific responsibility of an individual minister without a portfolio. This would enable the minister to treat accident prevention holistically, with the authority to attend the Cabinet and the ability to convene cross-departmental committees.
The National Accident Prevention Strategy must:
Take a joined-up approach which cuts across departments and provides strategic leadership to guide policy making at national level
Empower individual departments or agencies to craft and implement more detailed policies
Propose ambitious and evidence-led but realistic policy interventions to reduce accident rates
Cover the core sectors directly affecting the UK economy: home, work, product, leisure and transport
Be forward-facing to address emerging challenges, like the climate crisis, the rise of AI and the UK’s ageing population
Address inequalities like deprivation, age, ethnicity and region
Take a four-nations approach to data sharing and collaboration
Strengthen Government’s data collection and publishing processes relating to accidents
A ground-breaking report from Hourglass, Economic Abuse by Numbers, has exposed the staggering social and economic costs of abuse against older people in the UK, revealing a hidden epidemic of financial exploitation that costs society billions of pounds each year.
Authored by Hourglass, the UK’s only charity focusing on ending the abuse of older people, the report calls for urgent action and funding to protect older victim-survivors. It underlines that their suffering has too often been ignored by policymakers and the public alike. It has been issued as part of the charity’s Safer Ageing Week 2024.
The report details that economic abuse is not just a crime — it is a devastating assault on the dignity, safety, and futures of older people.
Some of the key figures underline how the abuse of older people costs the UK over £16 billion annually, with this figure projected to rise to more than £25 billion per year by 2050 if urgent action is not taken.
Despite the overwhelming scale of the problem, specialist services for older victims receive less than £500,000 annually — less than 1% of the £85 million allocated for all-age domestic abuse services across the UK.
Describing the issue as ‘a crisis hidden in plain sight’ the study explains how older victim-survivors often lose vast sums of money, property, or savings they have spent decades accumulating.
Over the past three years alone, Hourglass has recorded over £53 million in reported financial losses from older victims contacting its 24/7 helpline. Yet, this is just the tip of the iceberg — only 14% of economic abuse cases report financial loss, meaning the true figures are likely far higher.
Shockingly, awareness of economic abuse remains critically low. A recent Hourglass/YouGov survey revealed alarming misconceptions among the public:
26% of respondents in England and Wales do not recognise using a Power of Attorney for personal financial gain as abuse.
32% of respondents in Northern Ireland do not recognise taking items from an older relative’s home without permission as a form of abuse.
29% in Wales and 27% in Scotland do not view attempts to change an older relative’s will as abuse.
16% in England and Scotland do not believe scams targeting older people count as abuse.
Hourglass CEO Richard Robinson, stated: “These figures underline a glaring problem — not only is economic abuse of older people pervasive, but it is also dangerously misunderstood.
“Older victims are being side-lined in policy discussions, and this report makes clear that the UK is failing to meet even the most basic standard of protection.
“The question is not whether we can afford this commitment, but rather, can we afford the alternative? Without ring fenced, long-term funding for specialist services, we are choosing to let economic abuse continue unchecked, to the tune of billions in human and financial cost.
“It’s time to end the silence, stand up for older victim-survivors, and demand that the all four governments and assemblies make their protection a priority – on par with any other crisis of abuse.”
The report highlights the stark economic case for investment in specialist services. Hourglass estimates that £300 million annually is required in England and Wales alone to remove the barriers to assistance and build a robust, proactive support system.
With older people contributing over £160 billion annually to the UK economy, the neglect of their safety and well-being is both a moral and economic failure.
Hourglass is calling for ring fenced, long-term funding and a comprehensive strategy to address abuse against older people, ensuring their protection is elevated to the same level of urgency as any other crisis of abuse.
As the Safer Ageing Week 2024 theme demands: Take Note. It is time to stop turning a blind eye to the financial and economic abuse of older people.
This is not only complicity — it is a choice to allow lives to be shattered and billions to be siphoned from an already overburdened system.
The charity is urging those keen to support the charity during Safer Ageing Week to donate by visiting www.wearehourglass.org.uk/donate or Text SAFER to 70460 to donate £10.
Texts cost £10 plus one standard rate message and you’ll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS.
If you’d like to give £10 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text SAFERNOINFO to 70460.
Warning from the self-catering sector that a punishing regulatory framework will simply cost jobs and do nothing to resolve Edinburgh’s housing crisis
A new independent analysis shows short-term lets make a substantial economic impact in Edinburgh while only making up a tiny percentage of the total number of properties in the city.
BiGGAR Economics, a respected Edinburgh-based consultancy, calculated that the city’s short-term let sector generated £154m in GVA and supported 5,580 jobs in 2023, with guests spending more on local goods and services than the average visitor, particularly in hospitality, tourism and retail sectors.
Jointly commissioned by Justice for Scotland’s Self-Catering and STL Solutions, BiGGAR’s report lays out the economic and fiscal impacts of STLs in Edinburgh, its wider sectoral impact supporting business and tourism activity, and also assesses its effect on housing supply.
The report concludes that the share of secondary lets – properties entirety rented out entirely to guests rather than owner occupied – account for just 0.8% of dwellings in Edinburgh. Moreover, the number of long-term empty properties continues to rise, including in the period after licencing was introduced, with the city remaining a hotspot for empty housing.
The study comes as Edinburgh Council consult on their licensing scheme and the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee will shortly take oral evidence from stakeholders on the Scottish Government’s STL implementation update report.
The key headlines include:
The self-catering sector is estimated to generate £154m GVA and supports 5,580 jobs.
A decrease in just 0.5% in the number of secondary let properties would have massive ramifications for the local economy, losing £57m in economic activity.
Empty properties far exceed the number of short-term lets in the city, with secondary lets making up just 0.8% of dwellings in Edinburgh compared to 4% for empty homes.
While it focuses on Edinburgh, the report will undoubtedly be of interest to other local authorities monitoring the impact of their short-term let regulations.
The findings have been shared with Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government. The self-catering industry is committed to evidence-based policymaking, ensuring that robust and reliable data underpins public policy affecting the self-catering industry and wider tourism sector.
The industry continues to argue that the Scottish Government’s short-term let regulations have produced unintended consequences for the sector while failing to meet its underlying policy objectives, and Edinburgh’s approach in particular has been beset by three legal setbacks, most recently with the Council’s u-turn on issuing three-month suspensions on licensing applications.
Graeme Blackett, Director of BiGGAR Economics, said:“This independent research has found that the economic impacts of short-term lets will tend to be greater than residential use.
“This is a result of guest spending in the local economy, for example in the hospitality sector. The guest spending supports jobs in the Edinburgh economy, as well as sustaining a greater range of hospitality and other local businesses than would otherwise be the case, contributing to the quality of life for residents.
“The short-term lets sector is contributing at least £154 million to the Edinburgh economy each year. Our research also found that short-term let properties account for only 1.5% of Edinburgh’s housing stock, with secondary lets at only 0.8%, too low a proportion to have a meaningful impact on the local housing market.”
Fiona Campbell, CEO of the ASSC, said: “This major research study verifies that secondary lets are a huge economic driver for the capital, supporting over 5,500 jobs, and providing a much-needed boost to other local tourism and hospitality businesses.
“It outlines a proper holistic assessment of Edinburgh’s unique housing market, showing that secondary lets only account for 0.8% of housing stock. For us, the message is clear: you can’t solve a housing crisis by producing a crisis in Scottish tourism by decimating local businesses.
“Instead, we’ve got to build our way out and tackle the increasing problem of empty homes. We sincerely hope that this independent study can help refocus the policy agenda and inform the ongoing regulatory discussions.”
Iain Muirhead, Co-Founder of STL Solutions, said:“Short-term lets play a crucial role not only in supporting Edinburgh’s thriving tourism industry, which benefits all residents, but also in accommodating hundreds of visitors each year who come for economically important purposes such as work, festivals, and the education sector.
“We hope that local councillors will take this report into consideration when shaping local policies, especially planning regulations, to ensure a balanced approach is achieved. As the report indicates, overly restrictive measures could lead to the emergence of a black market, undermining the objectives of a well-regulated licensing scheme.”
Ralph Averbuch, Spokesman for JfSCC, said: “This report clearly demonstrates that full time Scottish Self-Catering operators have never been the issue. Yet we have been hounded as if killing off this vital part of Scotland’s tourism offering would be a magic cure for decades of government missteps.
“Politicians of all colours felt we were useful scapegoats but this economic analysis pinpoints that the problem is population growth and insufficient affordable house building. This problem will never be resolved by attacking a group which makes up less than 1% of Edinburgh housing.
“What’s needed is bold government action on housebuilding. Politicians have pretended that a crackdown on Scotland’s self-caterers is bold. It’s not. It’s been a master class in misdirection.”
Versus Arthritis, the leading charity supporting those with arthritis and other musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions in Scotland, is marking World Arthritis Day tomorrow (Saturday 12 October) with a call for greater community-based support for children, young people and adults living with arthritis.
Marking the day, Versus Arthritis has published the report, Putting the Pieces Together in Drumchapel, which shows how tackling MSK conditions is about ‘more than just healthcare’ and that support within and by communities is vital in improving the lives of Scots living with arthritis.
A staggering one in three people in Scotland are affected by musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions like arthritis, which includes problems that affect our bones, joints and muscles. Unfortunately, MSK conditions will remain one of the leading causes of disease and injury in Scotland over the next 20 years.
Arthritis is often debilitating, isolating and can dramatically impact people’s quality of life. In fact, those with arthritis are 20% less likely to be in work and around one in five people with arthritis experiences anxiety and depression. The impact can also be felt by businesses, as MSK conditions are the third most common cause of sickness absence, with over 20 million working days lost per year.
MSK conditions are also more common in areas of greater poverty, and with Scotland facing some of the worst health inequalities in Europe, according to Public Health Scotland, the challenge is to ensure that care and support across the country is equitable and meets the needs of people locally.
Drumchapel is one such area where there are high levels of deprivation and associated health problems, and where there are gaps in supporting people with arthritis. But crucially, as this report points out, it is also an area of mutual support, community organisation, partnership and networks. There are opportunities to make a real difference.
In line with this year’s World Arthritis Day theme (Informed Choices, Better Outcomes), the conclusion of the Versus Arthritis report is that MSK conditions must be understood in terms of the places where people live, meet and interact, including how they access and use information about support and care.
Alan McGinley, Policy and Engagement Manager Scotland, said: “This Versus Arthritis report highlights that ‘softer services’, such as community and peer support groups, matter greatly, and that alternatives to formal care that support wellbeing are important in living well with arthritis.
“That is why Versus Arthritis is calling for a ‘whole community’ approach in looking after the wellbeing and health of those with MSK conditions. We firmly believe that by ensuring our healthcare services are understood in the context of community networks and support, we can build a future where people with arthritis can live the lives they choose.”
42% increase 
40% increase 
57% increase 
41% increase 
56% increase 
