The cost of living crisis is uniquely felt in the rural context of Coigach and North West Sutherland
The peripheral location of Caithness and Sutherland on the very northern edge of mainland UK is challenging for human subsistence. This has demanded and resulted in an extremely determined and resourceful population both in the past, and in the present 10 . For those living and working in the area, determination and resourcefulness is part of day-today life. Locally this is known as ‘Strategic living’. Over centuries, our communities continued to adapt, survive, and by some measures, at some points in our history, thrive. But since the beginning of the 20th century, our area has experienced the growing need to adapt to falling population numbers, which have now reduced by around 65% since 1900 11 , representing a population loss of around 2% per year.
In historic terms, the creeping effect of this trend is not necessarily that easy to identify. Small annual outflows of people are not necessarily immediately noticeable; neither are their mutually reinforcing social and economic causes and consequences.
This paper seeks to articulate the NorthWest 2045 view on the future of that national action. It begins by defining our understanding of depopulation and providing a detailed overview on its impact at local level, and local actions being taken to mitigate these impacts. It goes on to summarise the positives – how despite challenges, in many aspects Coigach and North West Sutherland punch well above their weight in terms of contributing to the nation’s fortunes. Then it examines the national picture, in terms of policy and delivery, concluding with an articulation of next steps required at this level in order to towards a more positive future.