Most Scots remain concerned about the cost of living crisis and the state of the National Health Service in Scotland, says a new report.
The findings, part of a wider UK report, come as a stark reminder to politicians seeking election in May that they need to concentrate on the issues that matter to Scotland’s communities.
Deloitte’s The State of the State 2026, an annual report in conjunction with Re:State, examines attitudes to government and public services. It shows that while Scots are more satisfied than dissatisfied with several public services, a decline in overall satisfaction since 2020 highlights key areas for improvement.
For the fourth year running, the cost of living crisis and the NHS are cited as the Scottish public’s top concerns, chosen by 74 per and 73 per cent of the Scottish public respectively.
However, this year’s report has also seen some major shifts in public priorities in both Scotland and the rest of the UK.
In Scotland, concerns about immigration and border security have also risen eight percentage points, to 47 per cent, ranking it third in the list of priorities.
When asked about satisfaction in local services, the poll found people in Scotland were more satisfied than dissatisfied with their local council services, transport, local amenities, the local environment, schools and safety from crime. They were least satisfied with hospitals, opportunities to improve skills, housing, job prospects and social care.
However, since the question was last asked in 2020, satisfaction in local services has gone down almost across the board. The most significant fall is satisfaction levels for hospitals and healthcare, where satisfaction has dipped from 69 per cent in 2020 to 34 per cent in the latest poll. Dissatisfaction has jumped from 15 per cent to 41 per cent.
Ipsos UK conducted a survey of 5,847 UK adults aged 16-75, which included 834 people from Scotland. Deloitte also held in depth interviews with 118 leaders from across the public sector to support the research.
The report also explored public attitudes to the use of AI in public services. When asked about the potential benefits, 33 per cent in Scotland said that AI could lead to “less administrative tasks”, 33 per cent said the public sector could “analyse more information”, and 28 per cent said it could “reduce costs”.
Lesley Smillie, office senior partner for Deloitte Edinburgh, said: “With only a few months until the Holyrood election, this year’s State of the State report highlights a complex set of challenges and opportunities for the public sector and indeed all parties in the next Scottish Parliament.
“Scotland faces many of the same pressures as the rest of the UK – constrained finances, rising demand on public services and legacy systems – but our research shows that there is strong appetite for meaningful transformation among public sector leaders. They are ready for action, focused on improving delivery, attracting talent and embracing innovation, including harnessing emerging technologies like AI. The public recognises the potential of AI to improve services and efficiency, but they still expect careful human oversight, which remains critical.
“If the next Scottish Government seizes these opportunities responsibly, there is real potential for renewal and for Scotland to realise its full capabilities.”