News story

12 things that £1,400 UK Dividend could buy

Analysis shows that every Scot will be £1,400 better off every year staying part of the UK, but how far does £1,400 go?

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

New financial analysis from HM Treasury shows that every one of us in Scotland will be £1,400 better off every year staying part of the UK than we would be if we voted for independence.

But how far does £1,400 go? Here are 12 examples:

1. An overseas holiday for two with cash leftover for sun cream.

Average cost: £680 per person for a 10-day jaunt.

Source: Telegraph, August 2012.

2. Pay for Christmas presents twice over, with some money left over to spend on Hogmanay celebrations.

Average spend on Christmas in Scotland: £610.

Source: Huffington Post, December 2013.

3. Hop on the bus between Glasgow and Edinburgh (and back) 127 times. That’s the equivalent of a daily commute for more than 5 and half months.

Average cost: £11 for a return ticket.

Source: City Link, price correct on May 16, 2014.

4. Scoff 280 hotdogs at the Edinburgh Festival.

Average cost: £5.

Source: Edinburgh Festival FAQs, correct on May 16, 2014.

5. Cover your family’s yearly shoe habit for about the next 6 years.

Average annual household spend on footwear in Scotland: £234.

Source: ONS - Table A35, December 2013.

6. Fill up your fuel tank for the whole year with money leftover for an MOT and a few trips to the car wash.

Average household spend on petrol/diesel for personal transport in Scotland: £1123.20, average MOT costs: £29.65 to £124.50.

Source: ONS - Table A35, December 2013 and GOV.UK, April 2014.

7. Watch Aberdeen play all season with two mates – with a few pies and Bovrils thrown in for good measure.

Average cost: £425 for one 2014/15 main stand season ticket.

Source: afc.co.uk, price correct on May 16, 2014.

8. Experience 636 joyful caffeine highs.

Average cost: £2.20 for a medium cappuccino.

Source: Daily Mail, September 2013.

9. Share a meal of fish and chips with your family every day for around 10 weeks, with a couple of portions of mushy peas thrown in.

Average cost of fish and chips in UK: £4.74 per portion, based on family of 4 sharing meal.

Source: BBC News, June 2012.

10. Go for one haircut a month for over 3 and half years…you can go for significantly more if you’re a man!

Average spend for women per haircut: £29.99.

Source: Daily Mail, November 2013.

11. Pay off your energy bills in full over the year.

Average household cost in Scotland: £1,211.60 per year.

Source: ONS - Table A35, December 2013.

12. And finally, you’ll still have enough left over for endless hugs with everyone to celebrate being in a United Kingdom.

And if you’re still in need of a reason to smile, go to Inverness – it’s the second happiest place in the UK.

Source: Rightmove, May 2014.

Tell us what you would do with £1,400 on Twitter using #UKDividend.

Published 4 June 2014