Rating of neighbourhood as a place to live (c07 and c08)

• This measures how people who have responded to the national Scottish Household Survey rate their neighbourhood as a place to live. The survey responses include the following two measures:

• Very good or fairly rating of neighbourhood as a place to live by all respondents.
• Very good or fairly rating of neighbourhood as a place to live by respondents living in the most 20% deprived areas (as per the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD)).

• The Scottish Household Survey is an annual survey of adults living in households in Scotland, carried out since 1999. It aims to collect reliable and up-to-date information on a range of topics, through a random sample of around 10,000 people across Scotland. It is a voluntary and interviewer-led survey, usually carried out face-to-face in people’s homes

Why this matters

• Measuring how residents feel about their neighbourhood shows how people experience where they live and the surrounding environment. This offers valuable insight into the overall wellbeing, cohesion, and resilience of a community.
• People’s perceptions are often one of the strongest indicators of whether a place is functioning well. How residents rate their neighbourhood captures key aspects of daily life, including safety, cleanliness, access to services, social connections, and overall satisfaction.
• Comparing satisfaction between areas, for example, all respondents in North Lanarkshire compared to those living in the most 20% deprived areas helps identify where differences in the local environment exist and where improvements are working.

Latest performance

% of respondents who rated their neighbourhood very good or fairly good as a place to live - all respondents

% of respondents who rated their neighbourhood very good or fairly good as a place to live - respondents living in the 20% most deprived areas (as per the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation(SIMD))

How North Lanarkshire has performed

The Scottish Household Survey obtains its data from a small sample of the population - around 10,000 people across Scotland responded to the survey in 2024.  An approximate 5% sample of responses were from residents living in North Lanarkshire.

The latest results show that from the sample surveyed 91.9% of residents rate North Lanarkshire as a very good / fairly good place to live.  The response from those living in the 20% most deprived areas shows a similar rating of 91.7%.

% of respondents who rated their neighbourhood very good or fairly good as a place to live - all respondents:

• Residents’ perceptions of their neighbourhood in North Lanarkshire shows some fluctuation over the recorded data (Figure 07a).
• While the latest results for North Lanarkshire show a slight decline from the previous year - from 92.7% to 91.9% - this decreasing trend is also reflected in the national average and the comparative average for the group of similar councils.
• This indicator shows a decline immediately following the baseline of The Plan for North Lanarkshire, and while this has increased since, the latest results (91.9%) remain below the baseline (94.6%).

% of respondents who rated their neighbourhood very good or fairly good as a place to live - respondents living in the 20% most deprived areas (as per the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation(SIMD)):

• A small increase (from 88.2% who rated their neighbourhood as very good or fairly good to 91.7%) can be noted in ratings over the recorded data for neighbourhood as a place to live in the 20% most deprived areas (Figure 08a) compared to all neighbourhoods which experienced a slight decline (from 92.7% to 91.9%) over the same period.
• Conversely the national picture shows a decrease from 87.7% to 84.2% over the same period.  Over the recorded data, figures for the national average shows ratings generally to be the same or at a lower level than North Lanarkshire.
• This indicator showed a decline immediately following the baseline of The Plan for North Lanarkshire but has now increased, with the latest results (91.7%) higher than the baseline (88.2%).

The latest North Lanarkshire results show an improving picture in respect of the response from those living in the 20% most deprived areas (Figure 08a), while for all areas there remains little change (Figure 07a).

Figure 08a shows that North Lanarkshire (91.7%) continues to perform better than the comparative average for the group of similar councils (84.8%).

The methodology used for surveys undertaken during the pandemic significantly differed to previous years, and therefore the results for 2020 and 2021 are not included in this analysis as they are not directly comparable with other years.

The national survey results report shows that overall, between 2018 and 2022 there were national-level improvements in neighbourhood connections following the pandemic - particularly in relation to an increase in trust and a sense belonging to a community.  There were also improvements in relation to local people taking action to improve their neighbourhoods. 

However, the 2024 figures suggest that these improvements have not been sustained, with many measures now similar to their pre-pandemic levels. 

Impact of delivering The Plan for North Lanarkshire

Improvements in public feedback reflects improvements in services, for example in terms of services becoming more accessible and responsive. If more residents - especially those who often face barriers - feel listened to and supported, confidence in local services grow.  As trust builds, people are more likely to take part in community activities, share their views, and work with local organisations to solve problems. This helps improve day‑to‑day issues such as neighbourhood safety and enhancements to community spaces.

When more people can get involved, contribute, and benefit from local opportunities, communities become stronger, more resilient, and better able to cope with challenges and any wider (and often uncontrollable) economical or environmental impacts on society.