The experience of poverty and disadvantage in rural Scotland

Urban poverty and deprivation have been the concern of academics and policy makers for many years but it is only recently that attention has been given to the incidence of these in rural areas. Recent work has shown that the usual indicators of poverty and disadvantage are inappropriate in a rural context, and that a different approach is necessary in order to examine and address rural disadvantage. The paper draws on work carried out by a research team at Aberdeen University, looking at the experience of disadvantage by residents of rural Scotland. Based on qualitative analysis, the discussion examines local perceptions and experience of poverty and disadvantage, exploring these concepts through a number of issues such as housing, employment, incomes, and access to services. The paper concludes by suggesting an alternative approach to assessing levels of poverty and disadvantage, based on the outcome of the research.