Social security - cross-border amendment and case transfer revocation: Equality and Fairer Scotland Duty impact assessments considerations

Migration from the rest of the UK to Scotland

Average net migration from other parts of the UK has been fairly stable over the last decade, averaging +9,000 people. It was higher in 2021-22, at +12,500 people^[11]. The areas with the largest number of people moving from the rest of the UK were City of Edinburgh and the City of Glasgow^[12]. Only a small number of this group will also be in receipt of disability benefits – we expect about 260 cross-border clients each month^[13].

The risks of migration are generally assumed to increase as the distance rises, because of the higher costs of moving and cultural adjustment. However, internal migrants within the UK still face barriers linked to finding employment, affordable housing, schooling, and adjusting to different socio-cultural conditions^[14].

Most people who arrive in Scotland are aged 18 to 29. Migration from rUK has two peaks: ages 18-20 (related to student migration), and those in their late 20s and early 30s^[15]. Migration is heavily concentrated among the young and to some extent, among the better educated. In combination, this results in a very significant movement of young people to Scotland’s major cities, which offer a wide range of higher education opportunities.