Cost of living and housing picked out as biggest worries in Salmon Scotland poll

People living in rural communities in Scotland’s Highlands and islands showed most concern about the cost of living and housing availability in a new poll commissioned by salmon industry trade body Salmon Scotland.

More than 1,000 people living in the northwest Highlands, Argyll and Bute, the Western Isles, Orkney, and Shetland were polled for the survey by the Diffley Partnership between October 23 and November 4. They were asked which of five different subjects - housing, public transport, cost of living, depopulation, and unemployment - they are concerned about.

The poll found that 79% of people in the five regional areas are concerned about the availability of housing, with 90% concerned about the cost of living and inflation. Half are concerned about people moving away from the local area, and 56% show concern about the provision of public transport.

46% in favour

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

Respondents were also asked about their views on salmon farming, which is a major employer in the Highlands and islands, and nearly twice as many were favourable as those unfavourable – 46% compared to 25%.

Salmon Scotland has been calling for more of the millions of pounds in rent that fish farmers pay to Crown Estate Scotland (CES) to be reinvested locally. This subject has also been discussed in an inquiry into the sector by the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee.

Sent to Edinburgh

Most of the rent money CES collects from fish farmers and other sources, such as offshore wind farms, goes to the Scottish Government in Edinburgh, which redistributes some of that to councils in the areas where the money came from.

CES also operates a Sustainable Communities Fund that has given away £1.4 million to community projects over the last four years, including £400,000 shared between 12 affordable housing projects.

Backbone of the economy

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.”