- 30 per cent in Scottish rural areas suffering from fuel poverty
- Standard measures of povery in Scotland are inaccurate and letting communities down
- Report comes as “rural battleground” opens up ahead of May elections
Analysis of government figures has revealed that average wages in Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders are the second and third lowest in Scotland and 13 per cent below the national average. (ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings )
The joint report by the Centre for Social Justice and Enlighten, Voices from the Margins, warns that rural poverty in Scotland is both “persistent and under-recognised”. The problem is structural and stems from economic dependence on a narrow range of sectors, demographic pressures, fragile housing markets and the cumulative effect of service centralisation.
Scots in these rural areas also suffer from “fuel poverty” at a much higher rate than the national average – defined by the Scottish government as those spending over £1 in ever £10 earned on energy. This affects over 30 per cent of households in both areas, compared with 24 per cent nationally. (The Scottish Government, Scottish Household Condition Survey)
The report criticises how official statistics, such as the standard measures of poverty used by the Scottish government like the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, inherently underestimate rural hardship and the scale of the challenge.
The report says that “the region’s employment rate conceals deep challenges of underemployment, low paid jobs and insecure seasonal work, especially in tourism and agriculture.”
It goes on to highlight “the day-to-day realities of rural poverty . . . families forced to choose between heating and eating, young people travelling hours to access further education and the cumulative stress of debt, mental health problems and insecure housing.”
The CSJ’s work with local grassroots charities has highlighted four clear barriers in the fight against poverty among rural Scots:
- Distance and isolation, with sparse bus networks and high transport costs, access to work, training and health services severely restricted.
- The fragility of local labour markets, with dependence on low-wage sectors with limited opportunities for career progression.
- Gaps in support infrastructure where families described falling through cracks as services retreated to urban centres.
- The strain on the small charities themselves, who are often the last line of defence but
operate on precarious funding and volunteer capacity.
The CSJ and Enlighten have highlighted a number of key recommendations for the Scottish
government including:
- Embedding “rural proofing”; across all major policies, ensuring that health, education and childcare reforms are deliverable in low-density areas
- Fuel poverty programmes should be extended and tailored for off-grid households
- Urgent Investment in gigabit broadband and 4G/5G rollout
The report comes as new data suggests rural Scotland is up for grabs in the political battleground ahead of May’s Holyrood vote.
A December 2025 survey of more than 3,000 rural Scots found decision-makers to be increasingly “out of touch with rural realities”, with nearly three quarters of rural residents reporting that politicians do not grasp the needs of the countryside, rising to almost eight in ten in remote areas.
Kenneth Ferguson, Head of Scotland at the CSJ, said:
“If Scotland is serious about addressing poverty beyond its cities, then rural proofing, investment in housing and connectivity and the empowerment of community anchor organisations must be central to national strategy.
“By adopting our recommendations, Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders can become a byword for rural innovation, demonstrating how small towns and rural communities can not only survive but thrive. With elections looming, there is a prize for any party committed to delivering real change across rural Scotland.”
Chris Deerin, Director of Enlighten, said:“
“This is a comprehensive report which should command the attention of all politicians ahead of the Holyrood elections. Too often we think of poverty as something which happens in urban areas and the central belt. But people who live in rural areas know that to be false, particularly when we think of fuel poverty.
“Aspects of rural poverty could, we believe, be alleviated by a more bespoke approach which accounted for the critical differences between rural and urban areas. We are calling for politicians to embrace localism – the unfinished business of devolution – to allow rural Scotland to survive and thrive.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
- The full paper can be read here.
- Enlighten is a public policy institute which works to promote increased economic prosperity, opportunity for all, and more effective public services. Enlighten is independent of political parties and any other organisations. It is funded by donations from private individuals, charitable trusts and corporate organisations. Its Director is Chris Deerin and Alison Payne is the Research Director. Both work closely with the Trustee Board, chaired by Lord McConnell, which meets regularly to review the research and policy programme.
- Established in 2004, the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) is an independent think tank that studies the root causes of Britain’s social problems and addresses them by recommending practical, workable policy interventions. The CSJ’s vision is to give people in the UK who are experiencing multiple disadvantage and injustice every possible opportunity to reach their full potential.
The majority of the CSJ’s work is organised around five “pathways to poverty”, first identified in our ground-breaking 2007 report Breakthrough Britain. These are: educational failure; family breakdown; economic dependency and worklessness; addiction to drugs and alcohol; and severe personal debt.
Since its inception, the CSJ has changed the landscape of our political discourse by putting social justice at the heart of British politics. This has led to a transformation in Government thinking and policy. For instance, in March 2013, the CSJ report It Happens Here shone a light on the horrific reality of human trafficking and modern slavery in the UK. As a direct result, the Government passed the Modern Slavery Act 2015, one of the first pieces of legislation in the world to address slavery and trafficking in the 21st century. Other CSJ policy initiatives include Universal Credit, Universal Support, and the Into Work Guarantee; Family Hubs; Housing First; Severe Absence from School; and Prisoner Work Placements.
Our research is informed by experts including prominent academics, practitioners, and policymakers. We also draw upon our CSJ Alliance, a unique group of frontline charities, social enterprises, and other grassroots organisations. These are curated by our CSJ Foundation and have a proven track- record of reversing social breakdown in some of the UK’s most challenging communities, far beyond Westminster.
The social issues facing Britain are chronic. In 2026 and beyond, we will continue to advance the cause of social justice and connect the back streets of Britain with the corridors of power, so that more people can continue to fulfil their potential.
For Enlighten media contact Andy Maciver, [email protected], 07855 261 244