Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker - August 2025
Published 26th August 2025
Economic pressures continue to weigh heavily on households across Scotland, with new data from the Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker revealing widespread cost-cutting and continued anxiety about the future.
The survey commissioned by the David Hume Institute and the Diffley Partnership, regularly tracks public opinion and spending intentions, collected data in the first week of August.
Economic Outlook and Optimism
Almost three in four (71%) Scots expect the general economy to worsen over the next year.
Two out of three (67%) report that general economic conditions have worsened over the last twelve months (down from 70% in May 2025).
When Scots think about their own financial circumstances, they are spilt by only 3% - 46% believe conditions have worsened, while over 43% believe conditions are about the same, up 3% over the last quarter. Another 10% of Scots feel their finances are somewhat better than last year.
