04/07/2013

A Minimum Income Standard for Remote Rural Scotland

Research published 04 July 2013

The Minimum Income Standard for Remote Rural Scotland report calculates how much it costs for people to live at a minimum acceptable standard in remote rural Scotland. It builds on research elsewhere in the UK on the Minimum Income Standard (MIS), which is based on the minimum budgets required by various types of household.

The research considered living costs in remote rural Scotland in the context of the fragility and sustainability of local communities, and the desirability of pensioners, working-age adults and families with children, on a range of incomes, to be able to live satisfactory lives there. The study investigated what people in these communities consider to be an acceptable living standard, in terms of meeting material needs as well as being able to participate in society.

This study has found that households in remote rural Scotland require significantly higher incomes to attain the same minimum living standard as those living elsewhere in the UK. This is partly due to the costs of additional travel, but mainly caused by the higher cost of buying the same things as elsewhere, and the extra cost of keeping warm.

Download the full report or summary document below to read more about the conclusions drawn from this study.

Related studies

• A minimum income standard for remote and rural Scotland 2016