% of Households with sole use of a WC
HOUS_HAVE_WC:excl_wc * 100.0 / HOUSEHOLDS:now
- % of Households with All Amenities
- % of Households with Central Heating
- % of Households with sole use of a bath or shower
- % of Households with sole use of a WC
- % of Persons in Households with over 1.5 person per room
- % of Persons in Households with over 3 person per room
- % Owner-Occupier
- % Council Housing
Once the most over-crowded slums had been demolished, attention turned to 'amenities',
especially those connected to hygiene and health.
Of these, having your own flush toilet is maybe the most important, and every census
from 1951 to 1991 lets us calculate the proportion of households with sole use of one.
The geographical pattern in 1951 was complex: the districts with the fewest WCs were in
rural areas, like Mid Suffolk (69%), Breckland (68%) and Anglesey (58%), while many
northern industrial towns were well equipped.
Of course, the lack of sewerage systems in rural areas made providing WCs difficult.
Within London, however, the worst rates were in inner city districts like Islington
(where 52% of households lacked a WC) and Camden (46%), while outer districts like
Hillingdon (10%) and Bromley (11%) were very different.
Between 1951 and 1971, the proportion of households without a WC in England and Wales
fell only from 21% to 15%, although this is partly because from 1971 onwards the
requirement was for sole use of an inside WC.
By 1971, most rural areas were greatly improved so the worst areas were all rural,
headed by Newham (39%) and Islington (37%) in London.
Scotland is included in the 1971 figures, and was generally well-equipped.
By 1991, only 1% of households lacked a WC, while by 2001 it was under half a
percent -- and that includes households with a WC but without a bath or shower.