Appendix 3: Belfast’s population by Section 75 dimension
Data presented on appendix 3 is drawn from the most up-to-date data available at the time when the draft EQIA report was being prepared, including the 2011 Census, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency’s mid-year population estimates and 2019 local council elections.
Religious belief
On Census Day 2011, 49 per cent of Belfast City Council’s usual residents were from a Catholic community background compared with 42 per cent from a Protestant or other Christian related background.
Political opinion
In the last local government election held on 2 May 2019, 28.2 per cent of first preference votes were cast for Sinn Féin; 21.6 per cent for the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP); 15.7 per cent for the Alliance Party; 9.1 per cent for the Social, Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP); 6.2 per cent for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP); 6.0 per cent for the Green Party; 5.2 per cent for the People before Profit Alliance; and 3.1 per cent for the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP). A total of 60 councillors were elected to Belfast City Council. The table below provides an overview of the number of councillors by each political party.
| Political Party | Number of councillors elected |
|---|---|
| Sinn Féin | 18 |
| Democratic Unionist Party | 15 |
| Alliance Party | 10 |
| Social Democratic and Labour Party | 6 |
| Green Party | 4 |
| People before Profit Alliance | 3 |
| Ulster Unionist Party | 2 |
| Progressive Unionist Party | 2 |
Ethnic group
Country of birth statistics taken from the last census in 2011 show that 6.55 per cent of all usual residents were born outside the UK and Ireland. Almost a third of this group (2.1 per cent of all residents) were born in the Middle East and Asia.
The 2011 census also found that 95 per cent of Belfast’s population (aged 3 years and over) have English as their main language; 1.4 per cent state “other” as their main language; and 1.2 per cent have Polish as their main language.
Age
Based on the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency’s mid-year population estimates for 2020, the age profile of Belfast is similar to that of the wider region. Almost one in five residents (19.9 per cent) are aged under 16, slightly lower than the Northern Ireland average (20.9 per cent). The working age population (aged 16 to 64 years) make up two-thirds (65.1 per cent) of all Belfast residents. Older people (aged 65 and over) currently account for 15.0 per cent of the Belfast population.
The population aged 65 and over is projected to increase by 74.4 per cent to 498,500 people from mid-2014 to mid-2039, with the result that one in four people (24.7 per cent) will be in this age category.
Marital status
According to the 2011 census, just over one third (35.6 per cent) of all usual residents in Belfast (aged 16+) are married – a relatively low proportion when compared with the Northern Ireland average (47.6 per cent). Belfast has a higher percentage (45.3 per cent) of residents who are single when compared with the Northern Ireland average (36.1 per cent). There is also a higher-than-average proportion of people in Belfast who are separated (5.4 per cent compared to 4 per cent NI average) and divorced (6.2 per cent to 5.5 per cent NI average). Belfast also has 353 residents (0.1 per cent) who are in a registered same-sex civil partnership, almost a third of all such partnerships in Northern Ireland.
Sexual orientation
Several UK- and NI-based studies have attempted to quantify the number of people who identify as LGBTQ+. Estimates for the LGBTQ+ population range from 0.3 to 10 per cent using different sources. A commonly used estimate of LGBTQ+ people in the UK, accepted by Stonewall UK, is approximately 5 to 7 per cent of the population.
Men and women generally
According to the 2011 census, Belfast has a higher female population (52 per cent of all residents), slightly higher than the Northern Ireland average of 51 per cent. The difference is largest in the over 65 population where 59.3 per cent of all residents are female.
Disability
Census figures show that almost one quarter (23 per cent) of Belfast residents have a long-term health problem or disability which affects their day-to-day activities. This is a higher proportion than the Northern Ireland average (20.1 per cent). Over one-third of Belfast residents reported that they had a long-term condition (defined as a condition which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months). The most common conditions were mobility or dexterity difficulty (39 per cent of all those affected), pain or discomfort (34 per cent), shortness of breath or difficulty breathing (31 per cent) and emotional, psychological or mental health condition (23 per cent).
2.02 per cent or 6,729 Belfast residents are blind or have partial sight loss.
Dependants
According to the 2011 Census, 30.4 per cent of households in Belfast include dependent children compared with the NI average of 36.5 per cent. 11.0 per cent of households consist of a lone parent and a dependent child or children, compared with the NI average of 8.1 per cent. Lone parents are considered at greater risk of economic disadvantage than other household types with an estimated 39 per cent of people living in a lone parent household living in relative poverty. Over 94 per cent of lone parents in Belfast are female.
11.8 per cent of Belfast residents provide unpaid care for a dependant adult, slightly higher than the NI average of 11.0 per cent.
