Kiltwalk Heroes invited to ‘save the date’ for four events across Scotland
Kiltwalkers are being invited to put their best foot forward for the charities of their choice as registration opens for 2023.
Scotland’s favourite mass participation charity event will take place in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh next year, with each location offering a variety of walks to suit all abilities.
Significantly, the entry fee has also been reduced by £12. This is in recognition of soaring inflation rates impacting on the cost of living. Kiltwalkers will now pay just £20 for the Mighty Stride and Big Stroll, down from £32.
The new reduced entry fee was announced by Sir Tom Hunter in a Christmas video, in which the philanthropist also revealed that this year’s events had raised an astonishing £8 million: £5.4 million from walkers and £2.6 million from The Hunter Foundation. More than 1,300 charities across Scotland benefitted this year alone.
Since The Hunter Foundation began supporting Kiltwalk seven years ago, Scotland’s favourite mass participation charity event has raised £37 million for more than 3,000 Scottish charities of all sizes and locations. In total walkers contributed £24.6m while £12.5m was donated by The Hunter Foundation.
In his video Sir Tom Hunter expressed his gratitude to the Kiltwalk community for their kindness.
He said: “What a year it has been for the Kiltwalk. During this year you and The Hunter Foundation have raised a phenomenal £8 million for the charities you care about and that helped more than 1,300 Scottish charities – I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
“Since The Hunter Foundation got involved with the Kiltwalk, together with you we have raised a staggering £37 million helping over 3,000 Scottish charities. There is not a prouder Scotsman on the planet, so thank you.
“Registration for 2023 Kiltwalk is now open. We know things are tough because of the cost of living crisis so we got together with the Kiltwalk team and looked at how we can support you better, taking the decision to cut the price from £32 to £20 – it takes me back to my market stall days!”
As in previous years, every penny raised by Kiltwalkers will go to the charities of their choice. However, the fundraising model has been revised to support the reduced entry fee with The Hunter Foundation now underwriting all Kiltwalk losses this will entail instead of topping up the amount raised by walkers.
Gift Aid will also now be released, ensuring that up to 125% of all monies raised by Kiltwalkers is invested in the charities they support.
Sir Tom added: “We just want to encourage so many more people to get involved with Kiltwalk, so we’ve reduced the price and it has never been easier to join us. Until we see you again on a Kiltwalk in 2023, we wish you a happy Christmas and good luck to each and every one of you.”
Kiltwalk Chief Executive Paul Cooney said: “We are incredibly grateful to Sir Tom and The Hunter Foundation for their generosity over the years and their continued support of the Kiltwalk. I’d also like to thank all our sponsors for getting behind us and making Kiltwalk such a force for good.
“We hope the reduced entry fee will encourage even more heroes than ever to stride out for the charities of their choice at a time when charities really need our help.”
The 2023 Kiltwalk will take place in Glasgow on Sunday 30 April, Aberdeen on 4 June, St Andrews to Dundee on 20 August and Edinburgh on 17 September.
Full details regarding the walks will be published soon, with registration available at: www.thekiltwalk.co.uk
Business Activity Index falls further below the neutral 50.0 threshold
Sharper decline in new orders
Business sentiment weakens in November
According to the latest Royal Bank of Scotland PMI® data, the Scottish private sector reported a deepening contraction in private sector output during November.
The Business Activity Index ticked down from 45.8 in October to 43.9 in November, signalling that fastest decrease in the current series of reduction that began in August. Hesitancy among clients amid economic uncertainty, the cost of living crisis and higher borrowing costs, stifled demand. Consequently, inflows of incoming new business continued to decline in November.
Moreover, the pace of reduction steepened in November and extended the current run of contraction to five months. Looking ahead, expectations regarding the 12-month activity outlook across Scotland weakened from October’s three-month high and was subdued in the context of historical data.
New business placed across Scotland’s private sector decreased sharply in November. The downturn quickened from the preceding survey period to the fastest overall in the current five-month run of contraction. An array of reasons were linked to the latest reduction in sales, including lower market activity, the cost of living crises, rising borrowing costs, and growing economic uncertainty resulting to delayed-decision making.
All of the 12 monitored UK regions reported a decline in inflows of new business, with Scotland registering the third-fastest downturn behind Northern Ireland and the East Midlands.
Latest survey data signalled muted expectations for the 12-month activity outlook across Scotland. Business confidence weakened from October’s three-month high, posting well below the historical average. While there were hopes of growth in sales in the coming year, the ongoing downturn in activity weighed on sentiment.
Expectations towards future activity across Scotland were noticeably less upbeat than those recorded at the UK level.
Payroll numbers across Scotland’s private sector firms increased in November, extending the run of job growth to 20 months. The pace of job creation quickened slightly from October amid renewed growth in employment across the manufacturing sector. However, reports of resignations, rising uncertainty, reduced demand and job cuts resulted in only a marginal overall upturn in hiring activity.
The latest uptick in employment across Scotland printed broadly in line with that at the UK level.
For the sixth time in as many months, levels of outstanding business fell across Scotland during November. The rate of depletion was broadly unchanged from October, indicating a sharp decrease in work-in-hand overall. According to anecdotal evidence, completion of contracts and a drop in sales was linked to fewer backlogs.
The rate of decrease across Scotland outstripped the UK-wide average and was the second most severe after Northern Ireland.
Input prices across the Scottish private sector inclined rapidly during November, thereby extending the current run of inflation to two-and-a-half years. Adjusted for seasonality, the latest reading ticked-up to a three-month high. Firms blamed the latest increase in average cost burdens on energy prices, wages, higher shipping costs and the cost of living crisis.
However, the pace of input price inflation across Scotland was slightly slower than the UK-wide average.
Charge inflation entered its twenty-fifth month across Scotland during November. The pace of inflation further intensified from September’s recent low, signalling the fastest rise in charges in five months, but was marginally weaker than that recorded for the UK as a whole. The latest increase in charges mirrored the upturn in average costs burdens.
Source: Royal Bank of Scotland, S&P Global.
Judith Cruickshank, Chair, Scotland Board, Royal Bank of Scotland, commented: “The latest survey data signalled a stronger contraction across the Scottish private sector during November, as demand waned amid market uncertainty and the cost of living crisis.
“As a result, both activity and incoming new business fell as sharpest rates in the current four- and five-month sequences of reductions.
“Adding further strain on the sector was the continued intensification of price pressures. After cooling over the summer, input price inflation again accelerated in the fourth and final quarter of the year. Additionally, rates charged by private sector firms also increased at a quicker rate during November as firms tried to recoup costs.
“Overall, the penultimate month of the year pointed to confidence among private sector firms registering less upbeat than that seen in October, as economic challenges and feeble demand weighed on exceptions.”
Employers across Scotland are being encouraged to close the employment and pay gaps for all ethnicities under a new strategy launched today.
A Fairer Scotland for All: An Anti-Racist Employment Strategy sets out the actions the Scottish Government will take and how it will work with employers to help make Scotland’s workplaces more diverse, fair and inclusive.
The strategy will support employers to:
improve their collection of workforce data, including reporting their pay gap, and take action on the findings
take an anti-racist approach to remove barriers in their recruitment, retention and progression practices to improve representation of workers
drive cultural, attitudinal and organisational change through building an understanding of the impact of institutional racism and the processes and practices in an organisation that lead to the unfair treatment of people on the basis of race
Labour market data and research shows that ethnic minorities are more likely to be paid less than their white counterparts, be underemployed or underrepresented at senior level roles, and experience workplace discrimination.
The new strategy will sit alongside the refreshed Fair Work Action Plan, which brings together the Scottish Government’s existing Fair Work, Gender Pay Gap and Disabled People’s Employment action plans.
Both have been developed following extensive consultation and engagement with the public, private and third sectors along with trade unions.
Employment and Fair Work Minister Richard Lochhead said: “Our ambitious plans for Scotland’s economy are built on ensuring that everyone can thrive in a diverse, safe and inclusive workplace. The refreshed Fair Work Action Plan and anti-racist employment strategy will further drive these ambitions.
“All employees should have the opportunity to succeed and, in cooperation with businesses, we are making great progress in spreading fair work principles across the workplace.
“More people in Scotland receive the real Living Wage and above than in any other part of the UK, while the disability employment gap is at its lowest since our baseline year of 2016. Meanwhile, the latest gender pay gap figures for full-time employees show Scotland is outperforming the UK as a whole.
“However, we recognise more needs to be done to address racial inequality in the workplace. The anti-racist employment strategy sets out the Scottish Government’s commitment to work with business to develop a diverse and inclusive workforce, recognise the skills of hidden talent pools and drive productivity to grow the economy.”
PDSA, the vet charity for pets in need, is urging savvy shoppers to combat the cost of living crisis this Christmas by picking up pre-loved presents and brand new gifts from its charity shops across the UK.
With inflation at a 40-year high, families who are feeling the squeeze can make vital savings this season by popping into one of PDSA’s 105 shops and choosing from a treasure trove of bargains.
By shopping in the stores, kind-hearted customers will not only be reducing their own costs, they will also be helping to fund the vital work of the charity’s 48 Pet Hospitals.
PDSA is the UK’s largest veterinary charity. It receives no government funding to provide its vital veterinary services, which are a lifeline to owners who would otherwise struggle to afford treatment if their pet unexpectedly becomes ill or gets injured.
In 2021, PDSA treated more than 370,000 pets and saved the lives of 134,000 animals – ultimately keeping furry family members united with their owners. As day-to-day prices continue to soar and households are hit by increased financial pressures, the charity expects demand for its services to grow.
Its 2022 PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report, conducted in March, found that nearly a third of pet owners surveyed are worried about affording veterinary costs – leaving them facing potentially heart-breaking decisions should their pet require treatment.
The results follow shocking statistics from the 2021 PAW Report which revealed a staggering 930,000 pets were at risk of being put to sleep if their owners were hit with unexpected vet bills.
PDSA Head of Retail and Buying, Lloyd Hughes, said: “Our charity shops play a crucial role in funding the work of our Pet Hospitals which, in turn, provide a lifeline to people and their beloved pets when they are most in need.
“The help we offer to owners who would otherwise struggle to afford the cost of veterinary treatment has never been more vital as the cost of living continues to rise and day-to-day expenses soar.
“All of the items we sell, whether they are pre-loved or brand-new, are high-quality and available at bargain prices so shoppers supporting us can be sure they will find an array of Christmas gifts for friends and family, even if they are on a tight budget.
“From books to clothes, household items to toys, we have a great selection which won’t break the bank. By shopping at PDSA, customers will also be making a positive difference to the lives of pet owners who are facing unprecedented financial challenges so it really is a win, win situation.”
Those who do not have a charity shop locally can still bag a bargain and support PDSA by visiting the ebay store.
PDSA believes no one should be faced with losing a beloved pet because they can no longer afford to pay for treatment. For many vulnerable pets, PDSA is there to help when there is nowhere else for their owners to turn.
PDSA encourages all supporters to sign up for Gift Aid* if they are a UK tax payer, to help their donations go even further. Gift Aid allows PDSA to claim an additional 25 per cent of the value of each item sold.
Children and their families at Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Children and Young People were visited by storytelling and performance duo Macastory as part of the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour on Friday (9 December).
Macastory shared songs and stories in an interactive event for the children in attendance. The tour is run by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, and sponsored by Scottish Friendly.
Alongside the event, children at the hospital and their families were gifted books by Scottish Book Trust to keep and enjoy. These were gifted as part of Scottish Book Trust’s Christmas appeal, which is fundraising to help gift and distribute books to families across Scotland during the festive period through food banks, hospitals, and other community spaces. Books bring comfort, joy, and escapism, and the initiative aims to bring the magic of books to families most in need this Christmas – especially in light of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour takes brilliant authors and illustrators to schools in all areas of Scotland for fully-funded events that hope to inspire a lifelong love of reading and writing in pupils.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: ‘We’re delighted to have been able to return to Edinburgh Children’s Hospital with the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour, this time for a fun-filled event with Macastory in time for Christmas.
‘Bringing the magic of stories and books to children in hospital is hugely important – books can provide comfort and pleasure as well as improve overall wellbeing. Alongside today’s event, we were glad to be able to gift books to children in hospital and their families thanks to the generous support of the public.’
Fiona O’Sullivan, Director of Children’s Wellbeing at Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, said:“It was wonderful to welcome Macastory to the hospital for this fantastic event. Storytelling is so powerful; being transported to another time or place can be so beneficial for children when they are unwell.
“No one wants to be in hospital at any time, but at Christmas it can be especially hard, so we are enormously grateful to Macastory for bringing lots of fun and distraction to the wards and waiting areas.’
Macastory, comprising storytellers Ron Fairweather and Fergus McNicol, said before the event: ‘We are delighted to have been invited by the Scottish Book Trust to be involved in the Christmas programme at Edinburgh Children’s Hospital.
“It’s a great way for us to bring our Christmas storytelling to kids who otherwise might miss out on this type of fun at this time of year. So we’ve picked our favourite Christmas tales to bring to the kids, families and staff at the hospital and we can’t wait to create some Christmas cheer for everyone to enjoy!’
On Sunday 11 December reports were shared of a rescue effort of several people at Babbs Mill, Kingshurst in the West Midlands. Reports said that a number of people had entered the water after been on the frozen lake.
Latest reports have announced that three boys aged eight, 10 and 11 have died after falling into an icy lake near Solihull. A fourth boy, aged six, remains in a critical condition in hospital.
The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has issued safety advice today to ensure everyone is aware of the dangers around frozen water and what to do in an emergency.
Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said, “Firstly, and most importantly, we would like to send our thoughts to the individuals and families involved with the incident which occurred yesterday. We know that incidents such as this cause concern in the local community within that area, but also nationally.
“The cold weather we saw at the weekend meant that many bodies of water froze over and created hazardous conditions. We appreciate the temptation to walk across or play on the frozen water but we would like to urge everyone to know what dangers are associated with frozen water.
“Our advice is to never go on to the ice under any circumstances. The ice may appear thicker than it is but please be aware that ice is vulnerable, especially as you move further from the edge. If you were to fall in this can be extremely dangerous due to the cold temperatures of the water and the possibility of currents pushing you under unbroken ice.”
Cold water shock refers to a range of natural reactions that our bodies take to protect us when we enter the cold water, however, these reactions can sometimes work against us, Lee explains:
“There are three stages that your body goes through during cold water shock, starting with a gasp for breath, this is then followed by rapid breathing. Your blood pressure then shoots up as your body tries to keep your blood warm by moving it towards the middle of your body.
“As your muscles cool, your strength, endurance and muscle control reduces to the point when you cannot swim any longer so you are unable to rescue yourself, which is where the real danger can be seen.”
RLSS UK offer safety advice for winter water safety, with simple steps to keep safe during the winter:
Never go onto the ice to play, to retrieve an object, or a pet
Never enter the ice to rescue somebody, call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue Service
What to do if you fall through the ice:
Keep calm and shout for ‘help’
Spread your arms across the surface of the ice in front of you
If the ice is strong enough, kick your legs to slide onto the ice
Lie flat and pull yourself towards the bank
If the ice breaks, work your way to the bank-breaking the ice in front of you anyway
If you cannot climb out, wait for help and keep as still as possible. Press your arms by your side and keep your legs together. Keep your head clear of the water
Once you are safe, go to hospital immediately for a check up
What to do if you see someone fall through the ice:
Shout for assistance and phone the emergency services – call 999 or 112
Do not walk or climb onto the ice to attempt a rescue
Shout to the casualty to ‘keep still’ and offer reassurance to keep them calm
Try and reach them from the bank using a rope, pole, tree branch, clothing tied together or anything else which can extend your reach
When reaching from the bank, lie down to avoid being pulled onto the ice
If you cannot reach them, slide something which floats, such as a plastic bottle or football, across the ice for them to hold onto to stay afloat whilst help is on the way
If the casualty is too far away, do not attempt to rescue them. Wait for the emergency services while calming and reassuring the casualty
Red tape will be cut to speed up research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND) across the UK, enabling faster progress towards treatments
The full £50 million pledged for MND research is being placed into the hands of researchers as quickly as possible with further awards made today.
£29.5 million of government funding to be invested immediately through specialist research centres and partnerships with leading researchers.
A further £20.5m to accelerate work on the most promising treatments has also been committed for use in MND research, available through open call processes.
The UK Government will cut red tape in order to speed up research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND) across the UK, with immediate investment so NHS patients can benefit from cutting edge treatment and medicines, the Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, and Business Secretary, Grant Shapps, have announced today.
Work being done in the field of MND research has highlighted the impact that cutting-edge research can have, but also on the progress still to be made to help sufferers of this debilitating condition.
Removing red tape will ensure funding reaches frontline researchers more quickly, enabling faster progress towards treatments. This will be done through Biomedical Research Centres – which are collaborations between academics and clinicians to translate breakthroughs in the lab into potential new treatments, diagnostics and medical technologies – to get funding to the most promising researchers who are already working in MND.
As well as this, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Medical Research Council (MRC) will work together to ensure proposals are referred to the most appropriate scheme for consideration at the early idea stage.
This presents an opportunity for outstanding researchers to get further funding beyond the initial £50 million to get new treatments from the lab to patients.
The Health and Social Care Secretary will also host leading researchers and patient groups at a roundtable to discuss their research on MND and how they can access this additional funding and ensure bids are made – this will ensure an open dialogue of communication.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Motor neurone disease can have a devastating impact on people’s lives, and I’m determined to help accelerate research to find a cure and develop innovative treatments.
“We’ve already invested millions to improve treatments and our understanding of this condition but there’s more we can do and that’s why I’m now slashing red tape to fast-track funding and ensure it reaches frontline researchers more quickly.
“I’m grateful to the United to End MND campaign, for their work raising awareness and I warmly congratulate Kevin Sinfield on his epic achievement completing seven ultra-marathons, as well as remembering the late Doddie Weir for his outstanding contribution over the past five years.”
Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Grant Shapps said: “Some of the UK’s brightest and best scientific minds are battling to find treatments – and one day, a cure – for the cruel and devastating condition that is Motor Neurone Disease. We have invested millions of pounds in supporting them in that fight, but we are committed to doing more.
“Today’s measures will cut unnecessary red tape, getting that vital funding to the front line faster, as well as investing more in the crucial work that our world-leading scientists and researchers are doing.”
£50 million was committed to MND research over the next five years by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy last year, reinforcing progress being made by the UK’s world-leading scientists.
Recent successes include stem cell research by the Francis Crick Institute to investigate the molecular processes that cause the disease; and the development by the UK Dementia Research Institute (DRI) of a new form of testing for MND, which is now being used in a clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of a new treatment.
Today the government is accelerating £29.5 million of the committed funding into specialist research centres and partnerships with leading researchers to reduce bureaucracy and help researchers access funding as quickly as possible.
The £29.5 million package includes:
£8 million for early phase clinical research for MND, speeding up innovative new treatments for patients through the NIHR Biomedical Research Centres, specialist research centres which bring together experts to translate scientific breakthroughs into potential treatments for patients.
£12.5 million to support the best discovery science at the UK Dementia Research Institute (DRI), recognising the fact that the underlying mechanisms of MND are shared with frontal temporal lobe dementia, presenting new possibilities for targeted drug development.
A £3 million translational accelerator investment from MRC (to be matched later by another £3 million from NIHR) to join up these investments with other relevant programmes such as the MND collaborative and the UK Dementias Platform (DPUK).
£1 million of government funding which was allocated in June 2022 enhance coordination of UK MND research by setting up a MND Collaborative Partnership, bringing together people living with MND, charities and MND researchers across the UK to discover meaningful MND treatments. This is co-funded by the medical research charity LifeArc and MND patient charities MND Association, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and MND Scotland.
£2 million additional investment in this MND Collaborative Partnership to focus on gathering and analysing existing data on the condition to explore the underlying causes of MND and help develop breakthrough new treatments.
The remainder of the committed £50 million MND funding is available for researchers to access via NIHR and MRC. To support this work, the government has today published a joint NIHR/MRC Highlight Notice inviting outstanding researchers across the academic and life science sector to submit applications to an open call for the highest quality projects, responding to progress in science so breakthroughs can reach patients as quickly as possible.
NIHR and MRC are particularly looking for the opportunity to see ‘pull-through’ of treatments with early promise into clinical trials, as they emerge from the initial funding in this space. The NIHR and MRC already fund programmes across the whole translational research pipeline and anticipate funding scientifically excellent applications that will have a positive impact on patients’ lives, with the anticipation that this will increase the funded applications further over coming years over and above the initial commitment.
The funding will support researchers to better understand the disease and its related conditions, develop and test treatments and eventually give people living with the condition the chance of a better quality of life, and more good years with their loved ones.
CEO of the NIHR Professor Lucy Chappell said: “Today’s significant commitment to delivering Motor Neurone Disease research is a hugely welcome next step towards really tackling this debilitating illness.
“This detailed plan makes full use of our world-leading health research sector, and gives us the best chance of making truly impactful findings and treatments.
“Health research saves lives. We look forward to working with our researchers, partners and people living with Motor Neurone Disease to ensure the work outlined today is the best it can be.”
The government will continue to harness expertise and innovation, such as the work that is already underway at NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre where scientists are trialling new treatments to treat the condition. Promising trials have recently shown a delayed progression of the disease when the new drugs were given to patients.
The funding builds on the Life Sciences Vision, published in 2021 and sets out the government’s commitment to speed up innovative neurodegeneration and dementia research, so that new treatments reach patients faster.
Dr Catriona Crombie of LifeArc, on behalf of the MND Collaborative Partnership said: “The UK is leading the way in MND research. This new £2 million funding awarded to the MND Collaborative Partnership will help us to unlock the potential in patient data and could reveal new clues for scientists and researchers to develop new treatments.
“We are grateful the government has listened to the coalition of people living with MND, the MND scientific community and MND charities who have highlighted how vital and urgent MND research progress is. We look forward to continuing to work together to ensure the funding plans outlined today have the biggest impact and drive new treatments towards people with MND, fast.”
This boost to MND research is part of wider funding into neurodegeneration research, including funding to support pioneering clinical trials which have led to major advances in how the disease is understood.
This includes improving our understanding of how different types of MND are passed on genetically which could unlock new treatment options for patients using gene therapy.
The government will continue to harness expertise and innovation, such as the work that is already underway at NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre where scientists are trialling new treatments to treat the condition. Promising trials have recently shown a delayed progression of the disease when the new drugs were given to patients.
The funding builds on the Life Sciences Vision, published in 2021 and sets out the government’s commitment to speed up innovative neurodegeneration and dementia research, so that new treatments reach patients faster.
ONE IN SIX WORKING PARENTS SURVEYED IN SCOTLAND WORRY THEY WON’T BE ABLE TO AFFORD ANY PRESENTS
New Action for Children research finds one in five children of working parents (22%) surveyed in Scotland will offer to donate their gift or pocket money to help their parents cover costs of festive season.
One sixth (15%) of working parents polled in Scotland worry they won’t be able to afford any Christmas presents.
Almost all (98%) working parents in Scotland said they had worried about money in past six months, more than half (52%) having worried often – resulting in trouble sleeping, worse mental health, getting upset and losing temper with kids.
One mum said: ‘“There are some days we won’t put the fire on and just have blankets around us. I don’t eat much anyway but some days I just have some beans on toast once or twice a day so my kids can have a proper meal.”
New Action for Children research released today uncovers the cost-of-living turmoil facing millions of working families in the run-up to Christmas.
To launch its annual Secret Santa campaign to help the country’s most vulnerable children, the charity commissioned a unique Savanta ComRes poll of 2,700 UK working parents and their children (nearly 5,500 in total), as well as a nationwide survey of its frontline staff. The research shows how the financial burden families are facing is taking an emotional toll on relationships, mental health and Christmas celebrations.
With the highest inflation rate in over 40 years, nearly all (98%) working parents the charity surveyed in Scotland said they have worried about money over the past six months, with more than half (52%) of those having worried often. Of those:
Almost six in 10(59%) have had trouble sleeping
more than two-fifths (44%) have tried to hide their money worries
more than two-fifths (44%) have noticed their mental health worsen
almost a quarter (22%) have become upset or stressed in front of their children, and
Just under a fifth (19%) have lost their temper with their children.
The research also shows one in six (15%) of working parents surveyed in Scotland worry they won’t be able to afford any presents this Christmas. And despite their money worries, more than two in five (41%) said they will put on a brave face and try to act happy, with many children also thinking their mum and dad will be faking their festive cheer (37%).
The polling also recognises the severity of the situation and emotional pressures felt by the children and teenagers of the parents surveyed with:
Over a quarter (28%) of those who’d seen their parents worry in the last six months had also seen their parents become upset or stressed in front of them due to money worries and under a quarter (24%) experienced their parents losing their temper with them.
Almost a third (32%) thinking their parents will be worried about not having enough money to pay the bills over the festive period, and
One in five (22%) saying they will offer their pocket or gift money to help their parents cover costs this Christmas.
As a charity that delivers children’s services, Action for Children is instead increasingly having to provide emergency relief to families as the cost-of-living crisis deepens.
In a nationwide survey of nearly 200 of its frontline staff during November, it found over two-thirds of those surveyed (69%) are currently supporting a child, young person or family that is experiencing poverty or extreme financial hardship.
Nearly half (45%) reported they were extremely worried about the health and wellbeing of the children, young people and families they support due to their financial situation, and one in ten (10%) had even donated their own household items or clothing to families, such is the urgent need.
Three quarters (75%) of children in poverty are in working families¹ with rates expected to worsen² as the cost-of-living crisis continues.
Some of the issues highlighted by the charity’s frontline workers included:
a family having to pawn all their electricals to buy food for their children
a child who sleeps on a pile of blankets as its parents can’t afford a bed, and
a single parent to several children with additional needs working seven days a week trying to balance support for their children and earning enough money to make ends meet.
One worker asked a young girl if there was anything she would like from Santa this year, to which she replied: ‘I’m not asking for anything and I’m not writing it down on paper (then nodded towards her mum) because she would get too sad.’
“Instead of enjoying a safe and happy time, many children will wake up on Christmas morning to no presents, food or warmth. Every day our frontline workers are helping families keep their heads above water, making sure they have the basics like hot meals and proper winter clothes, as well as offering emergency support to keep homes warm and help families pay the bills.
“In yet another year when children and families have been pushed deeper into crisis, supporting them is more important than ever.
“Poverty is not inevitable, it is about political choices. The Scottish government has made a big step in the journey to end child poverty via their Scottish Child Payment, which we supported and called for, but families now require urgent giant leaps from both the UK and Scottish Government to make child poverty consigned to the past.
“Until every family can keep their child warm and well fed, we’ll be there to help them – that’s why we’re asking people to donate to help us make a life-changing difference to vulnerable children this Christmas and beyond. With your help we can be a vital lifeline for even more children across Scotland.”
Case study:
Tina Buchan, 43, lives in Invernessand has five children with her partner Moni Buchan, 52. Tina works full-time as a Deputy Store Manager B&M store and her husband is a chef. He has struggled to find work near home and is currently working in London, leaving him apart from his family. Like so many families in Scotland, they are struggling to make ends meet this Christmas.
Tina was already struggling to make ends meet before household bills increased and, despite a recent promotion in work, is still being forced to take drastic measures to feed her children.
“There are some days we won’t put the fire on and just have blankets around us,” said Tina. “I don’t eat much anyway but some days I just have some beans on toast once or twice a day so my kids can have a proper meal.
“I’m pay as you go for my electric and I’m paying around £50 more a month just now. For heating, we have a coal fire and the price of coal has gone up a lot. The coal used to be £10 per bag and now it’s gone up to £15 a bag so it’s having a big impact on our budget.
“I’m good at budgeting which is a godsend because if I wasn’t the stress would overwhelm me. I’m on a salary so my pay is the same each month which helps me know what I’m working with. Once I’ve paid my bills and bought some food for the house I’m hardly left with anything.
With five children, Christmas is a particularly difficult period for Tina. Her children are aware of the family’s financial struggles and do not have any expectations for Christmas presents.
“I’m lucky in that my kids don’t expect much and don’t ask for a lot because they know how expensive things can be,” she said. “They’re quite happy to have things like socks, pyjamas, and maybe a couple of wee toys. I speak to them properly about it. The youngest still believes in Santa Clause so he gets a couple of extra things but the others all know roughly what I’ll be giving them.
“I’m not one to ask for help, I’m too proud but last Christmas our support worker from Action for Children, Sarah Sproul, brought food hampers and some presents for all the kids. Having five kids is expensive so that made a big difference.”
The pressure of making ends meet is not only affecting Tina but the children as well. Her 16-year-old son Aiden has suffered from anxiety which led the family to initially coming into contact with Action for Children for support around two years ago.
Thankfully Aiden has come a long way since then and has “come out of his shell completely to the point that he’s a completely different person now”, according to his mother.
Unfortunately, Tina is now seeing her 10-year-old son Amir’s mental health impacted by the stress of the cost of living crisis and is arranging for him to receive support from Action for Children.
“I told the school two years ago that he was struggling to deal with his anxiety and I was told by the doctors that there’s nothing they could do at the moment because the children’s mental health waiting lists are so long.
“I’ve spoken to Sarah and she’s going to make sure Amir receives the support he needs through Action for Children. She has been amazing for this family and I can’t possibly thank her enough for everything she’s done to help us all. If it wasn’t for Action for Children, I don’t know where we’d be.”
To become a Secret Santa for Action for Children visit iamsanta.org.uk
