Financial cuts and a culture of deregulation is causing underfunding and near-abandonment of health and safety enforcement by local authorities across Scotland, according to a research briefing by the Jimmy Reid Foundation (JRF).
Local authorities in Scotland are responsible for enforcing health and safety legislation in 45% of workplaces (140,571 premises), while the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for the remainder.
Workplace ill health in Scotland has increased by 50 per cent over the past decade. It now affects 1 in 30 workers, compared with 1 in 20. In surveys, 25 per cent of workers say their work causes their ill health, rising to 33 per cent for their mental health. Inactivity rates are rising faster in Scotland, and we have the highest fatal accident rates in the UK. The cost to the Scottish economy of poor workplace ill health has been estimated at £1.6bn.
Local authorities are responsible for the health and safety of 140,571 premises in Scotland. In 2025, they made just 476 planned visits, which was only 0.34 per cent. 2025 was also the highest level of planned visits in recent years. There were 390 visits in 2024, 384 in 2023 and 371 in 2022. There are considerable variations between councils. Two-thirds have effectively abandoned planned visits.
There were 308 revisits, 273 visits to investigate accidents, 673 visits to investigate complaints, and 115 visits in response to requests. This is a total of 1369 reactive visits. This is an average of 1% of workplaces receiving a reactive visit.
In 2025, 107 improvement notices were issued, along with 21 deferred prohibition notices and 163 immediate prohibition notices, for a total of 291 notices. This limited enforcement means that a workplace in Scotland has only a 0.2 per cent chance of receiving any form of enforcement notice.
Visits and enforcement are only possible if staff are available to perform the duties. These duties are mainly carried out by Environmental Health Officers (EHOs), with support from technical assistants. There are 353 authorised inspectors, but they also carry out other duties alongside their health and safety functions. Councils estimate that there are 43 full-time equivalent (FTE) inspectors in Scotland. That is one inspector for every 3269 workplaces. EHOs also used to undertake educational and advisory duties to assist workplaces, but, in discussions with EHOs, that function is now extremely limited.
This is a consequence of a 50 per cent funding cut and a 25 per cent reduction in the number of inspectors. There is also a drive to reduce regulation, with the HSE claiming to be a ‘proportionate and enabling regulator’.
The data was obtained from LAE1 returns (Local Authorities annual return to the HSE on their enforcement activity) through a Freedom of Information request to all local authorities in Scotland from JRF.
Dave Watson, the director of the Jimmy Reid Foundation, said: “Local authorities have a statutory duty to inspect nearly half of the workplaces in Scotland. Yet two-thirds have effectively abandoned that duty.”
The Herald covered the briefing and is available here. The Herlad also reached out to Local Authorities and other bodies for statements.
An East Renfrewshire Council spokesman said: “Supporting local businesses to ensure compliance with health and safety procedures remains a key priority.
“Our approach to formal health and safety visits changed in 2012 due to updated national legislation being rolled out. Whilst programmed inspections are no longer carried out specifically focussing on health and safety, we do have planned inspections across all food premises in the area.
“As part of these visits our team carry out a range of health and safety checks. We also arrange themed visits to premises targeted at specific areas, such as gas safety or slips, trips and falls, as well as carrying out inspections to ensure compliance with licensing legislation at new piercing, sunbed and tattooing premises.”
A Highland Council spokeswoman said: “While local authorities do have responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, there is no legal requirement to inspect all premises at set intervals.
“National policy, set by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and followed by Highland Council, promotes a targeted, risk-based approach rather than routine blanket inspections. This approach is set out in the HSE’s National Local Authority Enforcement Code.
“In a large and diverse area such as the Highlands, this approach is considered essential to ensure that regulatory activity is proportionate and effective. Highland Council therefore prioritises its health and safety regulatory work based upon HSE national priorities, local intelligence identifying poorly performing businesses, complaints and incident reports, and any notified accidents or dangerous occurrences.
She added: “Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, the environmental health team responded to 374 health and safety service requests, alongside undertaking significant enforcement activity as part of its food safety inspections and licensing functions.”
A Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “We carry out reactive investigations in relation to any qualifying incident or accident and also investigate workplace complaints that have been received.
“We are proactive in carrying out interventions to premises where a new Public Entertainment Licence may be granted. The council provides advice on request to businesses where we have enforcement responsibility.
“Officers contribute health and safety advice to events as part of the Safety Advisory Group process. Dundee City Council complies with the National Local Authority Enforcement Code and targets planned interventions according to local priorities.”
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: “Our Food Law and Health & Safety Enforcement Team follow the direction provided by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for the delivery of health and safety enforcement work. Councils are instructed to deliver a proactive targeted intervention program which focusses on a specific higher risk activity or where there is intelligence of a working practice which may put people at risk.
“In line with the direction of the HSE, we have not undertaken a full programme of inspections for some time. As indicated above, the focus continues to be on delivering proactive and targeted interventions. Reactive work, which includes accident investigation and complaints has also continued to be routinely followed up, as well as providing health and safety compliance advice to businesses.
“Our current health and safety intervention programme is focussed on retailers selling vapes, following the recent significant fire in Glasgow City Centre. This involves providing advice and education regarding safe practices alongside visits to retailers.”
A Midlothian Council spokesman said: “We now have a three-year plan in place that does include pro-active inspections, the number of which we are currently scoping out.
“We have been carrying out reactive visits previously because of limited staffing resources, an issue faced by local authorities nationally.”
An Inverclyde Council spokesperson said: “National policy focuses on self-regulation of businesses for health and safety, which allows resources to be targeted appropriately.
“We carry out health and safety visits, including for responding to breaches of legislation and to assist new businesses where advice is sought.”
A spokeswoman for Shetland Islands Council said: “Environmental Health undertakes proactive health and safety work through planned, targeted initiatives.
“Routine inspections are now largely reactive, responding to service requests. This approach reflects a shift introduced through HSE guidance and national enforcement policy, moving from routine inspection programmes to a more targeted, risk-based model focused on higher-risk activities.”
A Cosla spokeswoman said: “Health and Safety inspections by councils are a matter for local decision making in the light of local priorities. While we are unable to comment further on the report, it should be noted that councils continue to operate under considerable financial strain.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The 2026-27 Budget provides Scotland’s councils with record funding of almost £15.7 billion, building on continued increases in recent years.
“Health and safety enforcement is a matter for local authorities. Local authorities are independent democratically elected bodies with their own powers and statutory responsibilities.
“It is for locally elected representatives to make decisions on how best to deliver services to their local communities.”
