A New ESRC Project Led by Queens University, Belfast

Funding has been received from the ESRC (£220,000) for a two year project entitled: “The Retirement Transition and the Celtic Fringe: Mobility Trends and Migrant and Rural Community Well-being” (RES-062-23-1358). Led by Dr Aileen Stockdale, the project seeks evidence of a retirement transition affecting the mobility patterns of the 50-64 year old age group within the UK’s Celtic fringe. The retirement transition concept refers to the behavioural changes affecting pre-retirement age groups, and assumes that the expectation of retirement acts as a catalyst for change, including a change of residence. Such migration is commonly associated with peripheral and scenically attractive areas. Accordingly, the project focuses on rural areas of Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland. The methodology involves four main stages: an analysis of Census datasets to explore the migration patterns of the 50-64 age cohort; a household survey and migrant interviews; a postal survey of non-movers. This will focus on the migrants’ areas of origin and seeks to determine reasons for not moving (by those age 50-64 years); and finally, interviews with local service providers and local/national policy-makers. A series of stakeholder seminars will also be arranged.