Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Scotsnet

Welcome to Scotsnet - discuss all aspects of life in Scotland, including relocating, schools and local areas.

Original poster

Moving to Scotland on retirement- good idea or not?

150 replies

Lansonmaid · 14/02/2025 20:43

Our daughter moved to Brechin 4 years ago for work and son is hopefully going to move to Scotland too. We currently live in the South West of England, I'm about to retire and DH is 10 years older. Our interests are walking, sailing, basically outdoors type stuff. I like choral singing as well.

What's healthcare like, will we be able to make friends? Any ideas / thoughts welcomed

OP posts:
Scot1811 · 11/02/2026 19:55

The amount of English migration to Scotland is alarming. Theres next to no understanding of language, culture, history including sensitivities around English colonisation. Its all geared towards take, take, take - especially amongst retired incomers. The housing in these Scottish communities should be for the people born here, who go many generations back, with their families around them.

Upsidedownimturningit · 11/02/2026 20:15

Scot1811 · 11/02/2026 19:55

The amount of English migration to Scotland is alarming. Theres next to no understanding of language, culture, history including sensitivities around English colonisation. Its all geared towards take, take, take - especially amongst retired incomers. The housing in these Scottish communities should be for the people born here, who go many generations back, with their families around them.

The modern world is not like that. Plus, don’t you think English incomers
have anything to contribute? You want to keep Scotland only for those born and brought up there. What a narrow minded attitude. How do you feel about Scots moving to England ? Do you think they should be disparaged too and viewed as ‘takers’? You sound so bigoted.

Scaryscarytimes · 11/02/2026 20:24

ColourByNumbers88 · 26/02/2025 15:05

What is your budget for housing?

For the outdoor lifestyle and to be handy for Brechin/Cairngorms you could look at the Moray Coast or Aviemore/Kingussie area or Deeside (Banchory). Or somewhere like Broughty Ferry or Nairn both on the coast...

I think your weather expectations may be too high. Repeated summer temperatures of low to mid 20s do not happen, especially on the east coast. We have long winters, with a bit of summer in May and June and sometimes September. July and August are getting increasingly wet. That may be quite a culture shock from Cornwall, though the Moray coast has a microclimate.

The idea of renting for a couple of months - particularly in Jan and Feb - could be a good test for you. Maybe do a house swap?

It's illegal to house swop in Scotland unless you have a Short Term Lets licence. Not OP's problem I suppose, but they may find it difficult to find a house swop as it's highly unlikely people will have a licence.
I wouldn't retire to Scotland to be honest. There are lots of problems here, but the killer for me would be the dire state of NHS Scotland. I think OP will find that it's far worse in Scotland than in England. For instance, in England if the GP suspects cancer they have to get you to a consultant within 2 weeks. That rule doesn't exist in Scotland, and you can expect to wait months, which in the case of cancer is often a death sentence. This of course affects elderly people most.

Upsidedownimturningit · 11/02/2026 20:36

Scaryscarytimes · 11/02/2026 20:24

It's illegal to house swop in Scotland unless you have a Short Term Lets licence. Not OP's problem I suppose, but they may find it difficult to find a house swop as it's highly unlikely people will have a licence.
I wouldn't retire to Scotland to be honest. There are lots of problems here, but the killer for me would be the dire state of NHS Scotland. I think OP will find that it's far worse in Scotland than in England. For instance, in England if the GP suspects cancer they have to get you to a consultant within 2 weeks. That rule doesn't exist in Scotland, and you can expect to wait months, which in the case of cancer is often a death sentence. This of course affects elderly people most.

Show quote history

I think the government is a major reason not to move to Scotland . They are a shower or complete idiots.
Money is poured into vanity projects whilst basic services are left to fall apart. The whole trans ideology thing is being pushed to the exclusion of women’s rights also. Education is an absolute shit show. Drugs are rife and the govt is doing nothing about it .

Scaryscarytimes · 11/02/2026 20:48

Upsidedownimturningit · 11/02/2026 20:36

I think the government is a major reason not to move to Scotland . They are a shower or complete idiots.
Money is poured into vanity projects whilst basic services are left to fall apart. The whole trans ideology thing is being pushed to the exclusion of women’s rights also. Education is an absolute shit show. Drugs are rife and the govt is doing nothing about it .

Show quote history

I find the education thing very upsetting. How can Scotland have a decent future when our young people don't get any kind of real education? It is deeply unfair both on the young people and on the rest of us.

Scottishskifun · 11/02/2026 21:49

Scot1811 · 11/02/2026 19:55

The amount of English migration to Scotland is alarming. Theres next to no understanding of language, culture, history including sensitivities around English colonisation. Its all geared towards take, take, take - especially amongst retired incomers. The housing in these Scottish communities should be for the people born here, who go many generations back, with their families around them.

Wow what a bigoted view you hold.

Nevermind many pensioners who can afford to move will be paying tax (at a higher rate then England mostly with the extra level staying in Scotland). Or supporting local economy as pensioners are more likely to shop local.

Yes some areas like Skye have a serious housing problem but that's more driven by holiday homes

ArtTheClown · 11/02/2026 22:05

Scot1811 · 11/02/2026 19:55

The amount of English migration to Scotland is alarming. Theres next to no understanding of language, culture, history including sensitivities around English colonisation. Its all geared towards take, take, take - especially amongst retired incomers. The housing in these Scottish communities should be for the people born here, who go many generations back, with their families around them.

The reality is that some of the more remote places would have almost no people left if it wasn't for incomers - the younger people mainly leave for work or study. There just aren't a huge amount of opportunities in the very remote rural areas.

In my community, newer arrivals, especially retired ones, do a huge amount of charitable and development work in service to that community.

Scotland was also not an English colony. I will say that the Clearences can be fresh in people's minds, but that blame does not lie with ordinary English people.

Returntoborrowdale · 14/02/2026 08:32

Scaryscarytimes · 11/02/2026 20:24

It's illegal to house swop in Scotland unless you have a Short Term Lets licence. Not OP's problem I suppose, but they may find it difficult to find a house swop as it's highly unlikely people will have a licence.
I wouldn't retire to Scotland to be honest. There are lots of problems here, but the killer for me would be the dire state of NHS Scotland. I think OP will find that it's far worse in Scotland than in England. For instance, in England if the GP suspects cancer they have to get you to a consultant within 2 weeks. That rule doesn't exist in Scotland, and you can expect to wait months, which in the case of cancer is often a death sentence. This of course affects elderly people most.

Show quote history

Just to clear up a bit of misinformation- it was illegal to house swap in Scotland for a while - unless you got an expensive licence -(even for informal arrangements with friends!) but fortunately the ludicrousness of this Scottish government legislation was recognised and house swapping is no longer covered in the short term lets legislation.

Scaryscarytimes · 14/02/2026 19:21

Returntoborrowdale · 14/02/2026 08:32

Just to clear up a bit of misinformation- it was illegal to house swap in Scotland for a while - unless you got an expensive licence -(even for informal arrangements with friends!) but fortunately the ludicrousness of this Scottish government legislation was recognised and house swapping is no longer covered in the short term lets legislation.

Show quote history

Really? That's great. Do you know how that change was achieved - I know there's a House Swopping association of some kind - did they lobby the Scottish government? And do you know whether the restriction against having a pet-sitter remains in place?

Sturmundcalm · 15/02/2026 07:46

when I googled this was the result I got
https://help.homeexchange.com/hc/en-us/articles/13878310682781-Legislation-in-Scotland
which does make it sound like it was lobbying directly by them.

Scaryscarytimes · 15/02/2026 11:56

People who went through the licence application process will have lost a lot of time and money (it's not just the cost of the licence, there are lots of things that have to be done in order to satisfy the requirements, and some of them are expensive).
I assume that it's still illegal to have a pet sitter to look after your pet while you're away on holiday. Probably around half of Scottish people have a pet, but they would need to organise to attempt to change the law on that.

ScaryM0nster · 15/02/2026 12:00

NosnowontheScottishhills · 16/02/2025 13:59

Waiting lists in many hospitals in England for certain procedures/specialities are at least 3 yrs often longer pre covid when things were slightly better I was quoted 4 yrs to have my gall bladder removed. I have worked extensively for NHS England in both the acute sector which has totally collapsed and in primary care, it’s much worse there I’m not saying the NHS is great up here and that there are no difficulties and like in England it’s chronically underfunded but many of the difficulties you’re seeing now in Scotland have existed in England since the coalition government and George Osborne's austerity policies.
Unfortunately due a chronic health problem I’ve been on the other end and I’ve waited no longer than I would in England and that’s including being referred to a tertiary centre for treatment/investigations.
My DC lives in Glasgow and easily got an NHS dentist in London not a hope in hell.

Show quote history

You can’t use Glasgow as a representative example for Scotland.

It gets funding in a different league to that available outside the central belt, and Glasgow gets the best deal of the central belt.

52andblue · 15/02/2026 12:16

Washinghanginginthesun · 16/02/2025 11:54

Obviously the SW of Scotland is where you should go, as getting an NHS dentists has been an issue in my area going back decades. And waiting lists are much longer than England. My DC is currently into year 3 of a wait for treatment. A shame we don’t have the right they have in England to choose NHS treatment in another area if SW Scotland has waiting lists like those in England…

Agreed. Plus, if anything 'goes wrong' it is much more difficult. No 'NHS App' so whether you can get a copy of your notes / scans depends on goodwill (or not) Recently, we have had difficulty obtaining notes. Made a formal complaint about a consultant & asked for 2nd opinion outwith area. That Consultant then refers to panel (with no supporting evidence as supplied by us). Panel say No. Binding.
Oh, & I've been waiting for surgery for a loose bone in my foot since 2019.

The NHS (outwith the central belt) is significantly worse in Scotland. Dentistry almost non-existant. Education poor. Taxes higher (income, council).

Yes, some beautiful areas to walk, some friendly people (not all, as anywhere but be aware also that the SNP is likely to win again in May elections & will take as a mandate for another IndyRef - can stir up strong opinions re 'the English')

Scramado · 15/02/2026 20:52

Upsidedownimturningit · 11/02/2026 20:15

The modern world is not like that. Plus, don’t you think English incomers
have anything to contribute? You want to keep Scotland only for those born and brought up there. What a narrow minded attitude. How do you feel about Scots moving to England ? Do you think they should be disparaged too and viewed as ‘takers’? You sound so bigoted.

Show quote history

Really bigoted! I can’t believe they thought that was an acceptable thing to write. But I can because there are so many anti English bigots all over this country. It’s shameful. And totally cringeworthy. These people have a huge inferiority complex.

Scramado · 15/02/2026 21:01

Scaryscarytimes · 11/02/2026 20:48

I find the education thing very upsetting. How can Scotland have a decent future when our young people don't get any kind of real education? It is deeply unfair both on the young people and on the rest of us.

Show quote history

The education issues are two fold.

  1. CfE is utter shite. So much time spent on how to structure an answer to get points in an exams. So little time actually learning stuff.

  2. Scottish government has championed ‘inclusion’ mainly because it has allowed them to shut a host of alternative provisions and save a stack of cash. Kids are in mainstream who cannot handle it and incidents of violence and disruption occur on an hourly basis. Kids can’t learn and teachers can’t teach in an atmosphere of fear and threat. It’s simple.

The Scottish government is ignoring both of the above because they’d need cash to address them and that would mean less cash to bribe their voters with in terms of disability and child payments. It’s a dire situation but as long as bigots such as Scot1811 keep voting SNP we’re trapped in Groundhog Day.

OSTMusTisNT · 15/02/2026 21:05

Healthcare is very poor, as an example, my 40 year old colleague was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer. Had to wait nearly 2 months for surgery and had to travel around 100 miles to Glasgow for it as our local hospital and next nearest hospital in Edinburgh had even longer waiting lists. In the meantime, her cancer was spreading into her liver which tips the balance for survival rates.

This is someone with toddler children who you would imagine should be an absolute priority.

Scramado · 15/02/2026 21:13

I was speaking to someone today who had to wait 10 months for an ‘urgent’ appointment.

Vivienne1000 · 15/02/2026 21:31

NosnowontheScottishhills · 16/02/2025 10:49

I’ve worked in the NHS in England and Scotland and know many others who have done the same thing. We all say the same thing; people in Scotland have no idea what’s going on in England, in England its out and out war, someone I was talking to the other day who’d recently moved to Scotland she said “The NHS in England is like Beirut”. Where I live getting a GP appointment is not difficult and I’ve been referred to various specialist and certainly waited no longer than I would have waited in England. I’m not saying it’s not going to become like England, my colleagues here complain they cant get an an NHS dentist this is obviously a fairly recent problems but in England as I’m sure you are aware that’s been the case for 15 years probably longer. I do agree that you might have to travel for some specialist care for example where I live people travel to Edinburgh for radiotherapy that’s over 2 hours away but healthcare is definitely not worse here.
I live in the south west of Scotland it’s stunningly beautiful and gloriously peaceful but the default position here is rain and wind, few/no barny summer days like you’ll have experienced in the south west 🤣. But its warmer here than the east coast which I’m reliably informed has more sunshine and colder winds. I very much doubt you ever get the same temperatures anywhere in Scotland as you would in the south west. But we do have longer days in the summer (and shorter ones in the winter) and certainly where I am the air feels less polluted and it’s just so much quieter.
Scotland has an aging population where I live there are many activities for those who retired something to suit everyone including all you listed. In fact I would say here that the retired are very well catered for as most activities take place during the day.
I can only speak from personal experience I find the Scots very friendly and welcoming. Obviously if you go in endlessly slagging off Scotland and comparing it to how wonderful England is and particularly in some areas sit in a pub criticising SNP and Independence your going to rub people up the wrong way but I’ve made lots of friends here. This maybe a bit of a generalisation but I find the Scots are much more friendly and significantly less pretentious than the English.
If you love walking the outdoor life sailing etc Scotland is the place for you, we have the right to roam, miles of simply stunning coast line, numerous sailing opportunities. There are some areas which attract lots of visitors although I suspect nothing like some parts of the south west but you really don’t have to go far to fund a beautiful beach or view and find you are the only ones there.
I think the one things people in England don’t realise is how big Scotland is I think many English people think it’s about the size of the Isle of Wight and are completely stunned when they discover that they can’t for example visit the Cairngorms from where I live for the day. So my advise is think carefully about where you want to live. Decide how close you want to be to your daughter and son. Public transport in many areas is not great (just like England) although IME it’s better on the east and there are more airports if you want to fly back to England.
Good luck.

Really? Are you all Scottish and trying to convince yourselves? I moved from St Thomas’ in London to the ARI in Aberdeen. You are years behind.

Upsidedownimturningit · 16/02/2026 08:00

Too surgeons and doctors often don’t want to live in Scotland because of higher taxes.

Scaryscarytimes · 16/02/2026 11:00

The taxes may be higher, but house prices are much lower, for those who want to settle in Scotland permanently.

Scramado · 16/02/2026 11:05

Scaryscarytimes · 16/02/2026 11:00

The taxes may be higher, but house prices are much lower, for those who want to settle in Scotland permanently.

I don’t understand where this comes from. I really don’t find this to be the case.

Upsidedownimturningit · 16/02/2026 11:07

Scramado · 16/02/2026 11:05

I don’t understand where this comes from. I really don’t find this to be the case.

Show quote history

I don't either. Depends on the area of course. Also stamp duty is higher than in England.

kelsaecobbles · 16/02/2026 13:54

October 2025
uk.gov data

Average house price England 292
Average house price scotland 192

whilst Edinburgh is mad house prices , and there is lots of regions variation, Scotland is clearly cheaper by a third

Scramado · 16/02/2026 14:25

I think it depends where you would be moving from / to. We’ve looked at moving to Leeds where my BIL lives due to the ever increasing income tax here and a big house in a nice part of Edinburgh is a similar price to a similar house in Leeds. I wouldn’t expect get a similar house in London / SE for the same price but then again I’d hate to live there.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page