THOUGH wellbeing has seen a “notable increase” in Scotland, according to new research from policy foundation Carnegie UK, inequalities remain evident.

Scotland’s overall score, made up of a range of indicators, including economic and democratic, began at 61 out of 100 in 2023, rising to 62 in 2024, and has now risen again again to 63, one point ahead of the score for the UK overall.

But “people living in the most deprived areas have a collective wellbeing score of 56, 12 points lower than those in the least deprived areas,” the Dunfermline-based trust reported.

Carnegie UK’s Sarah Davidson said this is something that cannot be fixed in a year or even an electoral term, adding: “It is essential that manifestos for next year’s Scottish elections bring forward credible policy agendas for remedying these failures.”

Welcoming the report, SNP Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “While it shows there have been improvements … I recognise there’s much more to do.

“But our progress is being hampered by the UK government’s welfare reforms.

“I will continue to press the UK government to scrap the [two-child benefit] limit and [household benefit] cap, and to reverse its welfare reforms.”