Tag: cost of living crisis

Campaigners call for action on pensioner poverty from party leaders ahead of May’s election

129 campaigners, led by the national charity Independent Age, have sent letters to the leaders of the six political parties expected to gain seats in May’s Holyrood election, calling on them to take action to tackle pensioner poverty.

160,000 (or one in six) older people across Scotland live in poverty. In the letter, campaigners call on politicians to make five pledges to address this growing issue, including creating a pensioner poverty strategy, appointing an Older People’s Commissioner and reducing energy bills.

Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Independent Age, said: “Campaigners across Scotland are clear: we need action on pensioner poverty. The numbers of older people in financial hardship are far too high, with one in six now affected.

“These are older people who can’t afford their rent, skip meals, heat only one room in the winter and cannot afford to meet up with a friend for a cup of tea.

“Poverty in later life is not inevitable, nor should it be. We’ve seen that financial hardship can be reduced by political action. Those standing for election in May can make later life more secure and dignified for everyone by committing to the actions our campaigners are calling for.

“In a compassionate and caring society, we should look out for each other and together end the injustice of pensioner poverty.”

The letters, each addressed to the party leaders of the six biggest political parties in Scotland, will reach their recipients this week. The letters outline what campaigners want to see from whoever leads the next Scottish Government to bring down pensioner poverty. The charity released the publication ‘Security not struggle: a manifesto to reduce pensioner poverty’ which sets out five key pledges.

This includes an action-focused, target driven pensioner poverty strategy and a warm homes programme for older people on a low income to reduce energy bills. Additionally, it calls on the Scottish Government to both improve access to and increase funding for Discretionary Housing Payments to support the rent shortfall faced by many older renters on a low income.  

Independent Age also believes that the social security system can be improved. It wants a review of Pension Age Disability Payment by April 2027, with a specific focus on introducing a mobility component. The organisation also wants to see a commitment to delivering a Minimum Income Guarantee. 

Finally, the charity is calling for the creation of an Older People’s Commissioner, who would both listen to, and be a voice for people in later life, and raise awareness of financial entitlements that older people are not receiving such as Pension Credit.   

THE LETTER READS:

Dear Party Leader,

We believe in a Scotland where older people can live with security, not struggle. Where the systems we build together provide a foundation of dignity and a life free from poverty.  

Today, 160,000 older people in Scotland are living in poverty - more than at any point in nearly twenty years – with half in severe poverty. This is not inevitable. It is the result of systems that are not delivering for older people on low incomes: gaps in social security, unaffordable rents, and homes that cannot be kept warm.  

Tackling pensioner poverty is possible through policy choices. And action by political parties in the next Scottish Parliament can progress solutions.   

We are writing ahead of the 2026 Holyrood election as campaigners supporting Independent Age, the national charity for older people on a low income. We ask every party to commit to the five demands in its manifesto, Security Not Struggle: A Manifesto to Reduce Pensioner Poverty. 

1.  Implement a national Pensioner Poverty Strategy 

Scotland has the opportunity to be the first nation in the UK to put in place a cross-cutting strategy harnessing devolved powers to reduce pensioner poverty. The changes needed to turn the tide on rising pensioner poverty include social security, housing, food and energy – it’s time for a strategic plan to reduce pensioner poverty over the next Parliament. 

2.  Appoint a Commissioner for Older People 

More than half of older people feel unrepresented by their MSPs and nearly two thirds feel unrepresented by the Scottish Government. An independent Commissioner, established in law, would ensure older people’s rights and issues are amplified, heard by decision makers and support future policy development to meet the needs of our ageing population. 

3.  Deliver a decent and dignified social security system 

Social security should be the foundation of security in later life – but too often people fall through the gaps in the system. In Scotland, we can better support older people on low incomes if we act to introduce a mobility component to Pension Age Disability Payment, a Special Recognition Payment for older carers, and commit to a Minimum Income Guarantee: a floor below which no one falls. 

4.  Reduce energy bills 

Older people are most impacted by fuel poverty; around a third of older households are in fuel poverty and half of older people live in homes with poor energy efficiency. This is a structural issue – built into Scotland’s ageing housing stock. A targeted warm homes programme for older people on low incomes, backed by properly funded energy efficiency schemes, is essential to reduce fuel poverty and help meet Scotland’s own legal targets. 

5.  Guarantee the right to a secure and affordable home 

A home is the foundation of a dignified life. Yet renters, who make up just one in five pensioners, account for nearly half of all older people in poverty, and more than 25,000 are on a waiting list for social housing. It’s time to increase Discretionary Housing Payments, build the homes older people need, and enshrine the right to housing in Scots law. 

People of all ages in Scotland support our calls for change: 9 in 10 recognise poverty is a growing problem for older people, and an overwhelming majority want more action from political parties.  

We ask each of you to commit to taking action on pensioner poverty and to support the five asks in Security Not Struggle. We believe this is the right thing to do. Older people across Scotland are counting on you. 

Yours sincerely, 

Independent Age campaigners across Scotland 

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New measures come in to ease cost of living pressure

A raft of new measures – coming into force today (1st April 2026) – will see wages go up, bills come down, and more support for those who need it most

A raft of new measures – coming into force today (1 April 2026) – will see wages go up, bills come down, and more support for those who need it most.

In an uncertain and volatile world, the Prime Minister is continuing to work with allies to push for de-escalation in the Middle East – which is the surest and quickest way to bring down pressures on prices.

On Monday, he hosted a roundtable with energy, insurance, and shipping companies and on Tuesday he chaired a COBR(M) meeting to assess the situation with Cabinet colleagues.

Measures coming into force today include:

–       Increasing the National Living wage to £12.71 – a £900 boost for 2.4 million workers

–       Increasing the National Minimum Wage to £10.85 – a £1,500 boost for over 200,000 young workers

–       Cutting energy bills by an average £117 a year for millions across the UK – locked in until end of June

–       The Crisis & Resilience Fund starts running – enabled by £1bn of funding – which helps vulnerable households with things like heating oil

–       A freeze on prescription prices – so people aren’t spending more than a tenner on their medicines

This follows an update to the public on 16th March where the Prime Minister set out five steps that were already in place on the cost of living. These were:

1)    Cutting the energy price cap until the end of June – thanks to last year’s Budget

2)    The Chancellor’s decision to extend the cut in fuel duty until this September

3)    £53 million for households that are most exposed to heating oil rises

4)    Building Britain’s energy security and independence

5)    Ongoing work towards a swift resolution of the situation in the Middle East

The cut to the energy price cap comes on top of the £150 Warm Home Discount that around 6 million families will have received this winter, following its expansion last year – and eligible billpayers will continue to receive this support every winter for the rest of the decade.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “In an uncertain and volatile world, it is my government’s duty to protect the British people at home and abroad.

“I know the public are concerned about the conflict in Iran and what it means for them and their families.

“I want to reassure them that they have a government on their side, working with allies on de-escalation and bearing down on the cost of living.

“Today, millions of people up and down the country will see energy bills go down by £117, wages go up for the lowest paid, and more support will be available for people who need it most – because of the decisions this government has taken.

“But we must go further to bear down on costs, and that means pushing for de-escalation in the Middle East and a re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz. That is the best way we can bring down the cost of living for families and that is my focus.”

The £800 Postcode Penalty: Aldi reveals Scottish towns that are paying hundreds more for groceries

Families in towns across Scotland are paying up to £2,437 more per year on their grocery shopping simply because they lack access to a discount supermarket, new analysis from Aldi reveals.

The findings form part of Aldi’s national review of towns facing the steepest postcode penalty, with shoppers in places such as Cathcart in Glasgow missing out on the savings enjoyed by those with access to Aldi.

The analysis shows that households without access to Aldi – which has been named the UK’s Cheapest Supermarket by consumer champion Which? for the past five years – pay £826 more on average, rising to £2,437 in areas dominated by the highest-priced supermarkets.

These figures are based on the average monthly cost difference between Aldi and either the average major UK supermarkets, or the most expensive UK supermarket, using the prices of a typical 68-item shopping basket tracked by Which?*.

Across the UK, Aldi has mapped 220 locations where shoppers are disproportionately affected by this postcode penalty.

In Scotland, this includes towns such as Cathcart, Bonnyrigg, Clarkston, Barnton (? – Ed.) and Largs where residents are paying more for identical groceries because no discount supermarket is available locally.

Jonathan Neale, Managing Director of National Real Estate at Aldi UK, said: “No one should pay more for their weekly shop simply because of where they live. We believe every household should have access to high-quality, affordable food.

“With household budgets under intense pressure, local access to a discounter isn’t just convenient – it can save families hundreds of pounds a year. These findings show that expanding access to Aldi is one of the simplest ways to reduce the cost of living for many.”

Aldi has invested £650 million across Britain through its store opening and refurbishment programme in 2025, with each new site creating around 40 jobs.

The discounter also recently announced it would be doubling down on its investment in Britain with a £1.6 billion commitment over the next two years, opening 40 stores each year as it moves towards its ambition to have 1,500 UK stores.

Cyrenians: Community Pantries

Our Community Pantries offer a unique, low cost way to access a variety of foods, including Chilled and fresh produce, and ambient cupboard staples.

We’re working so that no one suffers from food insecurity – it’s part of our work tackling the causes and consequences of homelessness.

Find our pantries at St Brides Centre, Goodtrees Community Centre, The Neighbourhood Centre, The Ripple, Hibernian Community Foundation, Valley Park Community Centre and Southside Community Centre.

Find out more about our pantries here: https://buff.ly/oVCt71D

Trussell: Looking Ahead

As we step into 2026, we’re reflecting on a year that showed both the scale of hardship in the UK and the power of people coming together to change it.

Last year our network of food banks supported millions facing crisis, while continuing to push for the changes needed to tackle the root causes of poverty and hunger.

None of this happened by chance. It happened because of the commitment, compassion and determination of our food banks, volunteers, partners and supporters across the country.

Now, we’re looking ahead. Because emergency food should never be the answer, and together, we can make even more change in 2026.

Tesco customers thanked for generous Winter Food Collection support as almost 1.5 million meals donated

Stores across the country have been overwhelmed by the generosity of customers who donated at the Tesco Winter Food Collection.

An incredible 1.48 million meals’ worth of long-life food items were donated to the collection between 24 November and 29 November across the retailer’s large and Express stores, including 41,804 in and around Edinburgh.

More than 2,000 volunteers helped store colleagues throughout the collection where every item donated provides much-needed support for food redistribution charities FareShare and Trussell in the run up to Christmas.

In addition, more than £300,000 was donated to both charities thanks to customers rounding up their bill at the till to the nearest pound and online donations throughout the collection period. When combined with Tesco’s financial support of the charities, it equates to more than £2m in funding in 2025.

Trussell research shows over 14 million people in the UK are now facing hunger, including 3.8 million children. They predict that their community of foodbanks will need to give out an emergency food parcel every ten seconds this winter to meet the need. 

FareShare continues to see high levels of need and say that more than a third of its partners now primarily serve families with children, or services for children. Research carried out by the charity’s network partner, The Felix Project, recently found that almost a quarter of UK working parents have had to turn to a food support service in the last year.

Donations to Trussell help food banks to provide emergency food parcels to people who cannot afford the essentials, while donations to FareShare support thousands of frontline local charities in communities across the country.

This winter will see heightened levels of demand for both charities’ services with the Christmas holidays being a particularly difficult time for families due to the increased costs that occur at this time of year.

Tesco UK CEO Ashwin Prasad said: “As ever, we have been overwhelmed by the generosity of Tesco customers who have shown how much they value the hard work of our partners Trussell and FareShare in their local communities.

“I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated and made this such a special event in stores across the UK. Every single item donated really helps to make a huge impact in communities across the UK supported by Trussell and FareShare.”

FareShare Chief Executive, Kris Gibbon-Walsh, said: “Once again, the generosity of Tesco customers at the Winter Food Collection has been humbling. The long-life items collected will go to 8,000 charities across the UK, helping to support people during the winter months.

At a time when many people are forced to choose between keeping warm and eating, demand for these local charities’ services is higher than ever. The food that we can provide thanks to the Winter Food Collection makes a real difference, helping to bring people together, strengthen communities and support those in need.

“Thank you to every single person that donated an item of food, topped up their shopping bill or generously gave their time to volunteer in store. Your support will help provide a meal for someone facing hardship this winter, enable them to connect with other vital services, and make a positive difference. Thank you.”

Matthew van Duyvenbode, co-chief executive of Trussell, said: “We are so grateful to Tesco for supporting our community of food banks through the coldest season by organising the annual Winter Food Collection.

“Crucially, it’s thanks to you – Tesco customers – who donate food and money so generously. By doing this, you’re ensuring food banks can continue to help people in your local community who are facing hunger and hardship. Thank you for your kindness. When we all play our part, we can end hunger for good.”

With both charities requiring ongoing support, Tesco shoppers can continue to donate food at permanent collection points at every Tesco store in the UK or make a donation after their online shop until the end of February.

You can also donate at https://fareshare.donr.com/tesco.

The Cost of a Child in Scotland 2025

CHILD POVERTY ACTION GROUP’S ANNUAL COST of a CHILD REPORT

CPAG’s annual Cost of a Child report looks at how much it costs families to provide a minimum socially acceptable standard of living for their children.

It is calculated using the Minimum Income Standard (MIS) research, carried out by the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 

  • The cost of raising a child to age 18 is £250,000 for a couple and £290,000 for a lone parent.
  • An inadequate social security system means many families, including some working full time, do not have enough income to cover the cost of a minimum standard of living.
  • A lone parent with two children working full-time on the minimum wage can only cover 79 per cent of these costs, while a similar couple can only cover 90 per cent. The same families across the rest of the UK can cover 69 percent, and 82 percent, respectively.
  • An out-of-work lone parent with two children only has enough income to cover 55 per cent of costs (46 per cent for a couple). The same families across the rest of the UK can cover 44 percent, and 37 percent, respectively.
  • Scotland specific policies (most notably the Scottish child payment) help families but still many families are struggling to meet their minimum costs.
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Drylaw winding down for holidays but community larder still open next week

That’s us winding down for the year now – most of our groups have started their holiday, and soon the staff and the centre will too – next Friday!

However, our Community Larder is open as usual next week – so do come along to pick up some food. We know this time of year can be difficult, so we are well-stocked, thanks to Tummies Not Trash.

If you are able and would like to, get along to their Christmas Eve event – we are closed from Friday 19th, so it’s a good opportunity to access some surplus food.

Details below:

Matt Tebbutt joins ScottishPower to cook up weekend comfort food and help cut electricity bills

Research shows UK’s growing trend towards batch cooking with a third of us embracing the ‘Meal Prep’ revolution

TV personality and chef Matt Tebbutt has joined forces with ScottishPower to help families enjoy hearty, home-cooked meals this winter while saving money on their energy bills as more and more of us embrace weekend ‘meal prep’.

The partnership with the celebrity chef comes as new research commissioned by ScottishPower reveals that more than a third of us (39%) now prefer to batch cook at weekends rather than to traditionally prepare meals from scratch every evening.

This ‘Weekend Kitchen’ research commissioned by ScottishPower through Censuswide comes as more than 500,000 ScottishPower customers sign up for Half Price Weekends to pay less for their weekend electricity.

To help households make the most of the savings, Tebbutt has created a series of winter warmers and family favourites – including a rich Vegetable Tagine, spicy Chipotle Chicken Tacos, and Turkey Wontons – all designed for batch cooking during the cheaper weekend energy window.

“As someone who’s often juggling a busy schedule, I know how valuable it is to meal prep,” said Matt Tebbutt. “These recipes for ScottishPower’s Half-Price Weekends are perfect for batch cooking, meaning families can enjoy delicious, comforting meals through the week while making the most of the discounted weekend hours.”

But it’s not just cooking habits that are changing. The same research found that weekend chores split opinion across the UK:

  • Two-thirds (66%) of Brits surveyed said that they would prefer to complete their weekend to-do list for half the price than drag chores into the next week and pay full price.
  • One in three (35%) Brits would rather spend an hour ironing rather than having lunch with their in‑laws.
  • Over half (55%) even said they’d prefer tackling the laundry to dealing with surprise guests.

Andrew Ward, Chief Executive of ScottishPower’s Customer Business, added: “Our new research shows just how much people value getting household jobs done at the weekend. That’s why Half‑Price Weekends, part of our Power Saver initiative, make it easier and cheaper for customers to cook and clean – at half the usual electricity cost.

“With these delicious recipes from Matt Tebbutt, we’re going one step further to provide batch cooking and meal prep inspiration for the week ahead. Taking the pressure off during the week, at the weekend our customers are rewarded with time and savings on their electricity while helping us balance demands on the grid.”

Best known for hosting several TV cookery shows, Matt’s approachable style and love of hearty, seasonal dishes make him the perfect partner for ScottishPower’s ‘Weekend Kitchen’ winter energy-saving push, featuring a range of recipes and top tips to help households maximise their time and money.

By signing up to ScottishPower’s Half-Price Weekends, households can tackle weekend tasks while paying just half the standard electricity unit rate every Saturday and Sunday, between 11am and 4pm.

By encouraging households to shift more of their energy use to off-peak hours, the Half-Price Weekends initiative helps balance demand on ScottishPower’s electricity grid and reduce household bills. More than 500,000 ScottishPower customers have already signed up to pay less for their weekend electricity with over £10 million collectively saved.

Full details are available at scottishpower.co.uk/half-price-electricity

Green MSP calls for free bus travel for everyone under 30

Lorna Slater, the Scottish Green MSP for Lothian has called for the upcoming Scottish budget to extend free bus travel to everyone under 30, describing it as a lifeline for young workers and families in the area. 

This would build on the groundbreaking free bus pass scheme already delivered by the Scottish Greens for those under 22. Over 250 million free journeys have been taken by young people since the scheme’s launch, with over 45 million of those in Edinburgh. 

Free bus travel for young people has been one of the greatest successes of devolution, saving them and their families a fortune and helping to tackle the climate crisis. 

Extending it to everyone under 30 would give over half a million more people a free bus pass, opening up new opportunities to find work or education and to see more of Scotland. 

Lorna Slater the Scottish Green MSP for the Lothian region said: “The Greens’ introduction of free bus travel for everyone under 22 has been a huge success for people across our capital city.  

“Thousands of young people across our communities are saving money, finding new opportunities, and helping to tackle the climate crisis. 

“This scheme is one of the clearest achievements of the Scottish Parliament. Families all over Edinburghhave saved thousands of pounds in a period when bills and other costs have otherwise soared. 

“But the cost of living crisis doesn’t stop for people the day they turn 22. For many young people the impact of losing their bus pass is huge, with new travel costs eating into their budgets. 

“Too many workers in their 20s are trapped in a cycle of ever-rising costs and insecure work, with far too many in the citystruggling to cover their rent and bills every month. 

“Lowering the cost of public transport is a win-win for people and planet. That’s why the Scottish Greens are pushing for more people to get a free bus pass as soon as possible.”