GERS: Being part of UK boosts spending on public services

Scottish Government figures have confirmed that being part of the UK means there is more money to spend on vital public services like the NHS.

The annual Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) report, a National Statistics publication assessed by the independent UK Statistics Authority, shows how the nations and regions in the UK benefit from the pooling and sharing of resources and risk.

Public expenditure per person in Scotland on public services was £2,417 higher than the UK average, protecting our NHS, schools, and communities. 

Scotland’s deficit in 2023/24 was as high as £22.7 billion, or 10.4 per cent of GDP – more than double the UK deficit of 4.5 per cent of GDP.

Including North Sea oil revenues, the Scottish Government’s own figures for 2023/24 show:     

• Public spending in Scotland was £20,418 per person (£111.2 billion in total), while revenues raised in Scotland were £16,254 per person (£88.5 billion – a difference of £22.7 billion).

• Public expenditure per person in Scotland on public services was £2,417 higher than the UK average, and revenues were £60 lower than the UK average.

• Scotland makes up around 8.2 per cent of the UK population, but 9.1 per cent of UK public spending was in Scotland.

• Since the 2014 referendum, Scotland has benefited from a combined dividend of £195.5billion. This highlights the lasting benefits of being in the UK, pointing to a positive future for Scotland.

Alastair Cameron, chair of Scotland in Union, said:

“The fiscal transfer to Scotland means billions of pounds of extra money for vital public services like the NHS and schools.

“That is the clear and undeniable benefit of remaining part of the UK, which is the positive future for our country chosen by the people of Scotland.

“The negative vision of the SNP and the Scottish Green Party would result in less money being available for services that so many people rely upon.

“In the 2026 Holyrood election we will have an opportunity to vote the nationalists out and build an even brighter future for Scotland.”

See full publication here.