Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker - May 2025
Published 27th May 2025
Economic Outlook
The latest Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker highlights the precarious financial position of many Scots. Significant numbers of people are just one unexpected bill away from crisis.
1 in 5 Scots cannot cover an emergency expense of £100 without borrowing money
This figure doubles to 44% for a £500 emergency, demonstrating a widespread lack of financial resilience.
Overall there is an increase in people believing that both general economic conditions and their own financial circumstances will get worse in the coming 12 months.
Top priorities and issues
The latest survey found that healthcare and the cost of living remain as the most pressing issues, cited by one in two and one in three respectively. The next most cited issue is poverty (17%).
However, for the first time since the tracker began in October 2021, immigration has joined the top five public concerns. Immigration is now ranked as a top issue by 16% of Scots - up six percentage points since May 2024 and is now equal with the economy.
The top five priorities listed by survey respondents are:
Healthcare 49%
Cost of living 36%
Poverty 17%
Immigration 16%
Economy 16%
