Equality Scheme: 2025-2029

4: An insight into Torridge

Population

Between the 2011 Census and the 2022 Census, Torridge's population grew from around 63,800 to 68,100 an increase of 6.7%. This is marginally higher than the overall English population growth of 6.6%.

Ageing Population

Torridge has an ageing population, as with the UK as a whole. However, as Figure 1 demonstrates Torridge's population is older than the rest of our County, the wider South West region and England as a whole. Between the 2011 and 2021 Census there was an increase of 30.2% in people aged over 65 years old, this was significantly higher than the 20.1% recorded across England. Additionally, the rise in younger age categories was noticeably lower than the English average. This has a major impact on lowering the number of working age people, and as more people reach older age this puts strain on Social Care services and the NHS.
Below is a graph showing the aging population compared with Devon, the South West and England.

Source: Office for National Statistics.

Gender

As with the UK average, there is an almost even split of the number of men and women in Torridge - with slightly more women. In 2023, the average earnings (Gross Weekly Pay by place of work) in Torridge for men was £613.10, for women this was £516.10. Thus, as with the UK as a whole, there is an imbalance between men and women's pay. As an employer with over 250 employees, Torridge District Council is legally obliged to provide
information and data on the gender pay gap annually. This is available on the Equality and Diversity page of our website.

Below is a table showing the percentage of male and female in Torridge from the 2011 and 2021 censuses.

Sex	2021	2011
Male	49%	48.9%
Female	51%	51.1%

Ethnicity

There hasn't been a major shift in the ethnic make-up of Torridge's residents since the last Census. There has been a slight decrease in those identifying as 'White English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British'. With minor rises in people identifying as 'Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh'; 'Mixed or multiple ethnic groups'; 'White Non-British/Other'; and 'Other ethnic groups'. Torridge is less diverse in terms of ethnicity than the English and Welsh average.

Below is a table showing the ethic groups in Torridge from the 2011 and 2021 censuses.

Ethnic Group	2021	2011
Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh	0.5%	0.4%
Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African	0.1%	0.1%
Mixed or multiple ethnic groups	0.9%	0.6%
White English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British	96.1%	97.1%
White Non-British/Other	2.1%	1.6%
Other ethnic group	0.2%	0.1%

Religion

Since the 2011 Census, Torridge has seen a significant decline in those identifying with any religion. Whereas the population was majority Christian, in the 2021 Census we can see that is no longer the case (though it is still the largest religious grouping by a fair margin). The only group that has seen an increase in those identifying with it, is Buddhism.

Below is a table showing the percentage of residents stating their religion in the 2011 and 2021 censuses.

Religion	2021	2011
No religion	43.4%	27.5%
Christian	48.7%	62.8%
Buddhist	0.3%	0.2%
Hindu	0.0%	0.0%
Jewish	0.1%	0.1%
Muslim	0.2%	0.2%
Sikh	0.0%	0.0%
Other religion	0.6%	0.6%
Not answered	6.7%	8.6%

Disability

The age standardised proportion of residents declaring as disabled (as defined under the Equality Act 2010) in Torridge has changed relatively little between the 2011 and 2021 census, with a slight decrease in those stating their day-to-day activities are 'limited a lot', and a slight uptick in those saying that they were limited 'a little'. Torridge has a marginally higher number of disabled people than the English average: 7.6% saying that their day-to-day activities were 'limited a lot' (compared to Torridge at 7.8%), and 10.2% saying that their day-to-day activities were 'limited a little' (against 11.4% of Torridge residents).
However, it should be noted that the ONS declared that "Census 2021 was undertaken during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which may also have influenced how people perceive their health status and activity limitations and therefore may affect how people chose to respond."

Below is a table showing the percentage of residents who stated their level of disability in the 2011 and 2021 censuses.

Disabled (as defined under the Equality Act 2010)	2021	2011
Disabled: Day-to-day activities limited a lot	7.8%	8.6%
Disabled: Day-to-day activities limited a little	11.4%	10.3%
Not disabled	80.7%	81.1%

Sexual Orientation

For the first time in the English and Welsh census, the 2021 Census collected data on how people identified their sexual orientation. As a result, there is no data to compare how our demographics have changed in the last 10 years. Compared to the English average (3.2%), there is a lower proportion of Torridge residents identifying as LGB+ at 2.16%. With a slightly higher number identifying as Straight or Heterosexual (89.9%, against the average of 89.4%), and those choosing not to answer 7.76% (compared to 7.5% of people in England and Wales).

Below is a table showing the percentage of residents who stated their sexual orientation in the 2021 census. The 2011 census did not include this question.

Sexual Orientation	2021	2011
Straight or Heterosexual	89.90%	N/A
Gay or Lesbian	1.26%	N/A
Bisexual	0.90%	N/A
All other sexual orientations	0.19%	N/A
Not answered	7.76%	N/A

Gender Identity

Another new question for the 2021 Census referred to Gender Identity, asking "Is the gender you identify with the same as your sex registered at birth?". These results are roughly in line with the English and Welsh average, with a slightly lower number of those stating that their gender identity didn't match the sex they were registered at birth (the English and Welsh average being 0.5%).

Below is a table showing the percentage of residents who stated their gender identity in the 2021 census. The 2011 census did not include this question.