Press Release: Health care and the cost of living top priorities for Scots
Our latest Economy Tracker reveals the economy emerging as a key issue as 62% of Scots say conditions have worsened in past year.
Monday 24th February 2024
The economy emerges as a key priority as 62% of Scots say conditions have worsened in past year.
New polling data shows healthcare and the cost of living remain the biggest concerns for people living in Scotland, with an increasing number turning their attention to the economy.
The Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker from the David Hume Institute and the Diffley Partnership surveys Scots every quarter to measure economic attitudes, behaviours and spending intentions.
The new data, collected in the first week of February 2025, highlights persistent personal financial pressures, widespread spending cutbacks, and limited optimism about economic recovery in the year ahead.
Healthcare remains the top priority for Scots, with concern rising by four percentage points to 50%, while the cost of living remains a pressing issue at 34%. At the same time, concern about the economy is resurging, increasing by four percentage points to 20%, up from a low of 16% in November 2024.
The economic outlook remains bleak:
62% of Scots say conditions have worsened over the past year
64% expect further deterioration in the next 12 months.
While the proportion predicting worsening conditions has declined slightly - by one to two percentage points - this has not led to increased optimism. Fewer than one in ten expect economic improvement.
Financial pressures persist and cost-cutting behaviours are now the norm.
More than half of Scots (53%) are cutting back on leisure activities and reducing non-essential spending (52%), while 45% are saving less than usual.
Public sentiment towards Scotland’s overall direction remains largely negative, with 53% believing the country is on the wrong track. However, this figure has fallen by three percentage points since the last survey, while optimism is slowly increasing. The proportion of Scots who believe the country is heading in the right direction has risen by four percentage points to 24%, narrowly overtaking those who remain uncertain (23%).
Throughout the year, the Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker will continue to monitor these trends, providing essential insights into the financial realities and economic outlook of people across the country.
Susan Murray, Director of the David Hume Institute said:
“This survey shows the stark reality of life for many people in Scotland. With so much talk about increasing growth at Westminster and Holyrood, many of the infrastructure investments that are hoped will drive growth are way down the line.
This survey shows the physical and mental health of Scots is being affected today which will cost society more in the long run, through long term health conditions, and lower productivity. The promise of jam tomorrow is not easing the burden of financial stress today.”
Scott Edgar, Senior Research Manager, at the Diffley Partnership said:
“Healthcare, the cost of living, and economic uncertainty dominate public concern, with Scots clearly feeling the strain on public services and their pockets.
Cost-cutting behaviours are widespread and fewer people are able to save for a rainy day or their long-term goals. The resurgence of economic worries we are tracking signals deeper anxieties about the year ahead and the lead up to Holyrood 2026 elections.
However, with a small but notable rise in optimism in the country’s direction, there are early signs that confidence in Scotland’s future may be starting to shift.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Designed by the Diffley Partnership and the David Hume Institute, the survey received 2,194 responses from a representative sample of the adult population, aged 16+, across Scotland. Invitations were issued online using the ScotPulse panel, and fieldwork was conducted between the 4th-10th February. Results are weighted to the Scottish population (2021 estimates) by age and gender.
Press release: action to make Scotland’s budgeting clearer
Our latest briefing paper sets out plans for a new agreement on multi-year budgeting that could deliver more open discussion about funding for public services and enable longer-term planning for their delivery.
11th August 2021
Today the David Hume Institute publishes a briefing paper proposing a new agreement on multi-year budgeting to deliver more open discussion about funding for public services and to enable longer-term planning for their delivery which will support a more open conversation about spending plans and investment choices.
Over the last year the David Hume Institute’s Action Project considered the actions needed to move faster towards a more prosperous, sustainable, inclusive and fair country.
Multi-year planning helps effective investment and productivity, and can be particularly useful on longer term projects, many of which are linked to climate action.
Despite repeated calls over many years to publish multi-year spending plans, it has proved difficult for Scottish Government to achieve this. As public finances become even tighter post pandemic, this will remain a challenge.
Public and third sector organisations want more certainty about funding to allow them to plan for more than one year at a time. Draft multi-year budgets will help public services plan more efficiently as we emerge from the pandemic.
The Institute’s paper proposes a way forward for the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Government and Audit Scotland to make multi-year budgeting the established norm in Scotland.
Susan Murray, Director of the David Hume Institute, says:
“The Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government must work together to make multi-year budgeting the established norm in Scotland. More open discussion about money and budgets, the predictions, assumptions and choices being made is important for Scotland is to achieve its climate, economic and equality targets.
The urgency for this change is backed by findings from the Institute’s Action Project - Scotland’s largest multi-generational research in the last five years.
Multi-year budgeting would have an enabling impact for organisations, businesses and charities across Scotland.”
Notes to editors:
For media enquiries please contact Susan Murray, Director@davidhumeinstitute.com
The David Hume Institute is an independent Scottish think tank which works towards a prosperous, sustainable, inclusive and fair Scotland. Find out more here.
The David Hume Institute’s Action Project brought together people from across Scotland to consider the actions needed to move faster towards a more prosperous, sustainable, inclusive and fair country. Through facilitated conversations with over 5,000 people we identified actions which will help Scotland build forward better.
The David Hume Institute worked with partners to reach people of all ages and backgrounds across Scotland. These included U3A, the Scottish Youth Parliament, the Children’s Parliament and local organisations like InspirAlba in Campbeltown and Resonate Together in Alloa
WhatsYourAction.scot research investigated people’s thoughts on action they would like to see to build a more prosperous, sustainable, inclusive and fair country. Whatsyouraction.scot is a resource for everyone who lives in Scotland and wants to build forward better. WhatsYourAction.scot wants to inform positive action by magnifying real people’s voices and helping them know they are not alone.
This briefing paper was developed with support of the Action Project Steering Group, with special thanks to Eleanor Ryan and Stephen Boyle with additional support from Professor David Bell and Dr Katherine Trebeck.
Blog: Prioritising priorities for economic recovery
We are moving into new phase of the Covid-19 public health crisis. The sudden and dramatic disruption of the shutdown triggered an economic shock far bigger than anything in recent years. Now thoughts are turning to the foundations for economic recovery. Will they be the same as before the crisis?
Blog by Susan Murray, Director, David Hume Institute
20th April 2020
We are moving into a new phase of the Covid-19 public health crisis and thoughts are turning to the foundations for economic recovery.
The sudden and dramatic disruption of the shutdown, triggered an economic shock far bigger than anything we have in recent years. In a webinar, Adair Turner said the number one priority should be increasing consumption to help GDP return to pre-coronavirus levels. Many economists are emphasing the need to make this a V-shaped shock, a sharp decline followed by a quick sustained economic recovery.
But the shutdown has also provoked much reflection on how we are living our lives, both individually and collectively.
Post-pandemic we will still have a climate emergency. The world’s resources are still finite. Encouraging those that have money to spend unsustainably might not be the best way forward.
There is a chance to think about established norms. For instance, will long complicated global supply chains still be desirable?
Food security has fallen off the Government’s radar in recent years but an increasing number of people have taken action to grow their own food according to figures from the Royal Horticultural Society. Is this a sign of loss of trust in supply chains?
Acting locally doesn't have to be a substitute for thinking globally, it can be an ally.
The Scottish Government was the first in the world to sign up to the Sustainable Development Goals. Now more than ever before, these goals need to underlie decision making and ensure that it is not just the industry that shouts the loudest or has the best lobbying that secures public funding.
Scotland would not be alone in considering this as a chance to rethink the path ahead. A group of 180 political decision-makers, business leaders, trade unions, campaign groups and think tanks urged the EU to adopt green stimulus measures. Amsterdam has already shown leadership in announcing it is working with economist Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics on delivering a “Doughnut City”.
In Denmark bold leadership from the government means companies which pay out dividends, buy back own shares or are registered in tax havens won’t be eligible for any of the aid programs. Will other countries follow this lead?
Fears of the economic deficit must not be allowed to crowd out smart thinking. There are very strong reasons for not returning to business as usual so propositions aimed at taking us back to things as they were are particularly unlikely to constitute the best approach.
Constructing a positive way forward will involve embracing the complexity of our future choices.
The Scottish Government must hold strong to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and emissions reductions targets, and ensure any precious public money invested to reboot the economy, does maximum public good.
Image credit: Sharing thumbnail image - photo by Mika Baumeister free from Unsplash 19.12.2024