NEW POLL SHOWS RURAL SCOTS WORRIED ABOUT HOUSING AND COST OF LIVING

New poll shows rural Scots worried about housing and cost of living. Scots living in rural communities are deeply concerned about housing availability, the cost of living, and people moving away from the local area, according to new polling.

Nearly half of people said things in Scotland are heading in the “wrong direction.”

More than 1,000 Scots living in the north west Highlands, Argyll and Bute, the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland were polled for the survey by the Diffley Partnership for trade body Salmon Scotland.

Scottish salmon is one of the largest employers in rural Scotland.

The poll found that 79 per cent of Scots in the five regional areas are concerned about the availability of housing, with 90 per cent concerned about the cost of living and inflation, and 50 per cent concerned about people moving away from the local area.

More than half (56 per cent) said the same when asked about the provision of public transport.

Asked about the direction things are heading in Scotland, 48 per cent said the “wrong direction” and only 26 per cent said the “right direction.”

Respondents were also asked about their views on salmon farming, and nearly twice as many were favourable as those unfavourable – 46 per cent compared to 25 per cent.

Salmon Scotland has been calling for more of the millions of pounds in rent that fish farmers pay to Crown Estate Scotland to be reinvested locally.

James Park, head of insights at Salmon Scotland, said:

“Scotland’s rural communities are the backbone of our economy, producing world-renowned products such as the UK’s largest food export, Scottish salmon. But it’s clear that people in remote areas are concerned about the challenges of housing, the cost of living, and the risk of people moving away to find work in the cities – who often never return. The money generated in our coastal and island communities should be reinvested locally to ensure that rural Scotland can thrive.”

• The survey was designed by Diffley Partnership and invitations were issued online using the ScotPulse panel.
• Results are based on a survey of 1,026 respondents in Argyll and Bute, Western Isles, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands and North West Highlands.
• Fieldwork was conducted between October 23 and November 4, 2024.
• Results are weighted by region, age and sex.