Identification info

Alternative title

2022 OA's

Metadata Language

English

Character set

UTF8

Dataset Reference Date (Creation)

2024-05-21

Dataset Reference Date (Publication)

2024-05-21

Identifier

www.nrscotland.gov.uk / OutputArea2022

Maintenance and update frequency

As needed

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

• Statistical units

GEMET - Concepts, version 2.4

• census survey

• statistical data

IPSV Subjects List

• Boundaries

• Censuses

Limitations on Public Access

Other restrictions

Other constraints

No limitations to public access

Use constraints

Other restrictions

Other constraints

Open Government Licence

Other constraints

The following statements must be used when reproducing or using this material: Copyright National Records of Scotland, contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right (insert year).

Spatial representation type

Vector

Denominator

10000

Topic category

• Boundaries

Code

S92000003

 

Code

EPSG:4258

Code

EPSG:27700

Distribution Information

 

Data quality info

Quality Scope

Dataset

Statement

This dataset shows the 2022 Census Output Areas (OAs). OAs are the smallest geographical unit for which Census data is released, and as a result, they act as the basic “building-blocks” for the creation of other statistical geographies, e.g. Data Zones. The OAs are constructed by aggregating together a small number of Postcodes. Because the OAs cover small areas and contain relatively small numbers of households and population (households in the range 25 to 89; population >= 60), there is only a limited amount of Census data that can be released without infringing confidentiality.

An important requirement during the creation of the 2022 OAs was to attempt to keep the boundaries the same, or similar, as the 2011 OAs – this would make it easier to compare over the time period

The process for creating the OAs was as follows:

Output Areas for the 2022 Census were created as groups of Postcodes nesting as well as possible into the following geographies in descending order of preference when not all Postcodes in the OA belong to a single combination of these area types:

• Council Area

• 2022 Census Locality

1. The 2022 census counts (population and households) were allocated to the individual Postcodes which were assigned to 2011 OA, boundaries dissolved to create a set of 2011 OA based on the 2022 frozen Postcodes. This highlighted the OAs which fell outside the stated parameters.

2. Where a 2011 OA dropped below the 2022 minimum threshold for confidentiality (60 persons and 25 households) it was merged with a neighbouring OA if possible or broken up. In addition where a 2011 OA had increased in size and exceeded the 2022 recommended maximum threshold (approximately 90 households) it was split into two or more OAs.

3. There are no OAs below the lower threshold for the number of required households (25) and population (60).

4. As a result 46,363 Census 2022 OAs in Scotland have been created.

5. Spatial improvement. Of the OAs created 531 (564 parts) are non contiguous because the polygons are separated by other output areas. It was agreed that the parts which did not contain the Postcode grid reference (in most instances the smaller polygon) would be removed and the area merged with adjoining OA to create a single polygon where possible. This was purely a cosmetic exercise and did not affect census statistics, calculation of the Centroid, the higher area assignment, or the area calculation for the OA all of which were based on all of the constituent parts of the OA or the grid reference points of the Postcodes that form the OA. A boundary dataset detailing the OA parts which were removed is available on the Geography Census pages of the NRS website. The dataset still contains non contiguous OAs that are separated by water.

The boundaries are available for two geographic extents:

Extent of the Realm (EoR)

The boundaries in this dataset are to the Mean Low Water mark so that the coastline is extended to be consistent with Local Authorities.

and

Clipped to the coastline with inland water removed (MHW)

The boundaries in this dataset have been clipped to the coastline (Mean High Water Mark) with inland water removed. This version closely represents map users expectations of how a coastal boundary should look.

Inland water has also been removed as listed in the Standard Area Measurements (SAM) produced by the Office for National Statistics.

 

Metadata

File identifier

a0a643ba-c0ed-4860-93a9-5fee11ac492a XML

Metadata Language

English

Resource type

Dataset

Metadata Date

2024-05-17T14:21:33

Metadata standard name

UK GEMINI

Metadata standard version

2.3