You could make £50,000 living on a remote island bathed in natural beauty

Scottish authorities have launched a new initiative that will encourage people to relocate to remote Scottish islands bathed in natural beauty and receive £50,000 for living there

People wanting a return to nature and a quieter life are being encouraged to relocate to remote Scottish islands where they could be paid £50,000.

Islands like Skye and Orkney, famed for their natural beauty, attract many tourists each year, but they also see a steady decline in permanent residents.

Now a new initiative has been proposed to reverse this by financially encouraging people to move there.

The Scottish Government will offer the £50,000 bonds to 100 people and cost more than £5million.

“Anything we can do to reverse depopulation trends should be encouraged,” said Alasdair Allan of the Western Isles SNP MSP Times.

He said the bonds would give people the opportunity to “buy homes, start businesses and otherwise make their lives here long-term.”

Minister for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, was also pleased that programs have been put in place to boost the islands’ economies.

But not everyone was happy that Liberal Democrat Liam McArthur called it a “gimmick” and the money should be prioritized for key areas like housing and transport.

It comes as Scottish authorities regularly advertise jobs that could be a dream come true for the right person, such as a ranger for four months in the summer, which would earn them £28,000.

The online promotion is a visitor management ranger who is expected to ensure everyone can enjoy the islands in a “responsible and mindful manner,” he reported GlasgowLive.

Workers must work 35 hours per week, including weekend and evening work.

Referring to the job, which is based in Uist, it continued: “To help maintain the beautiful beaches, organizing weekly beach cleans across the islands and encouraging both locals and visitors to take part will be a key feature of the role.

“In addition to beaches, all litter hotspots are identified and cleared during regular patrols of popular hiking, biking and camping spots.

“The Hebridean Way is a hugely popular walking and cycling route, running from Vatersay to Lewis and stretching almost 200 miles across 10 islands.

“A large section of the Hebridean Way runs through Uist and the ranger will be available along the route to help people understand how to respect, protect and enjoy the special environment.

“An assessment will be made during the Hebridean Way patrol to produce a report recommending improvements.

“This project is supported by NatureScot through the Better Places Green Recovery Fund.”

Benefits include an employee discount as well as a salary of £28,000 per annum FTE (i.e. £9,333 for four months) on a fixed-term contract until 31 October 2022.

Posted on the site just a day ago, the deadline for submissions is set for early June.

To apply, please email your resume and cover letter to info@storasuibhist.com by Friday, June 3, 2022 1:00 p.m. The interviews will take place during the Zoom week starting June 6, 2022 for the role, please get in touch anyway.