Scotland 'a magnet' as thousands move up from rest of UK, figures show

THOUSANDS more people are moving to Scotland from elsewhere in the UK than in the opposite direction, according to new statistics. Scottish population figures from the National Records of Scotland (NRS), published on Tuesday, also showed that more people had moved to Scotland from abroad in the 12 months to June 2025 than the number of Scots who had emigrated. The SNP said the numbers showed that Scotland is “a magnet to those fleeing other parts of the UK as Westminster lurches from crisis to crisis”. READ MORE: 5 key points as new data debunks right-wing claims about Scottish tax and migration The NRS figures showed that, in the year to mid-2025, 50,200 people moved from the rest of the UK to Scotland, while 41,600 people moved from Scotland to the rest of the UK. This meant that net migration from the rest of the UK was +8600. Internationally, the NRS data showed that 57,600 moved to Scotland in the year to mid-2025, while 48,300 people left Scotland for abroad, a net movement of +9300. Without migration from abroad and the rest of the UK, Scotland’s population would have fallen to mid-2025, the figures also showed, as it grew by just 2200 people. Scotland’s population was estimated at 5,545,500 people. Responding to the figures, SNP MSP Kate Campbell: “Thousands of people are flocking to Scotland from the rest of the UK and who can blame them? READ MORE: Reform UK in Westminster bid to criminalise Scots and Gaelic on election materials “Under the SNP, our economy is thriving and people living here get the strongest offer in the UK – most people pay less income tax and you and your family get better support be that free prescriptions, free university tuition, free childcare or the best cost of living support on these islands. “Our beautiful country is a magnet to those fleeing other parts of the UK as Westminster lurches from crisis to crisis, Prime Minister to Prime Minister – that’s something we should be proud of and we welcome those coming to contribute to our economy and our culture. “Broken, Brexit Britain is in terminal decline and while Scotland is thriving, we could do so much more with the full powers of independence and the wealth that control over our energy sector could bring to our people.”