The latest report by Public Health Scotland (PHS) provides an annual update to key performance indicators for the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme. The report includes uptake, laboratory and clinical outcomes of screened individuals, for those invited from May 2023 to April 2025.
For the two-year period from 01 May 2023 to 30 April 2025, over 1.9 million people were invited to complete a home bowel screening test:
Two-thirds of people successfully returned their kit (65.2% uptake), meeting the programme minimum uptake target of 60%. Uptake was higher in females (67.7%) than males (62.7%).
Image captionUptake by deprivation category and sex, May 2023 to April 2025
There was a 22.1 percentage point gap between uptake in the most (52.3%) and least (74.4%) deprived population quintiles as measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). Uptake for both men and women in the most deprived areas was below the programme target of 60%.
34,676 people (2.8% of the tests) had a positive result and were referred for a colonoscopy – a more detailed investigation. Three-quarters received a colonoscopy, while most of the remaining quarter either chose not to proceed or had medical reasons that made it unsuitable. This was similar to last year’s report.
While waiting times for screening colonoscopies have improved generally, only four out of 10 (41.5%) people received their colonoscopy within four weeks of their positive referral. This was an increase of 12.7 percentage points since last year’s report. However, two out of 10 people (18.6%) waited more than eight weeks for their colonoscopy. This was a reduction of 10.0 percentage points since last year’s report.
Overall, 5.0% (1,295 people) of those having a colonoscopy following a positive screen were found to have bowel cancer. Three out of five cancers (63.4%) were diagnosed at the earliest two stages, when treatment is most likely to be successful.
In people eligible to participate, about one third of bowel cancers are identified through screening. These cancers are often at an earlier, more treatable stage which is why anyone sent a bowel screening test is encouraged to complete the test and return using the pre-paid envelope provided.
Peter Hastie, Macmillan External Affairs Manager in Scotland, comments on the latest bowel screening figures issued by the Scottish government:“This latest data continues to show an extremely worrying picture – there is a gap of 22 percentage points in the take up of bowel screening between the most and least deprived areas of Scotland. This isn’t fair, and it has to change.
“Macmillan is committed to working to address the huge gaps and the unfairness that exists in cancer care in Scotland. But we need to see more joined up action, so everyone gets the early diagnosis and support they need, whoever they are and wherever they live.
“As the election looms, we need commitments from the next Scottish Government to work with the health system, professionals, sector partners, community organisations and most importantly, people living with cancer, to fix this unfairness. We deserve nothing less.”
See Macmillan’s Holyrood election manifesto below:
Campaigners have called for a Minimum Income Guarantee and an immediate increase in the Scottish Child Payment that will lift thousands out of poverty.
He said: “Poverty is a profound injustice that robs people of what they need to build a decent life for themselves and a better future for our country. These figures show that MSPs in the next Scottish Parliament need to invest much more in the social foundation we all rely on.
“Because of changes in the way the figures have been worked out, we have to be cautious about the comparisons we make. But they show some welcome progress over the last few years, with the overall number of people in poverty falling by about 130,000 since 2021/22, and the number of children in poverty from 540,000 to 420,000.
“But we have serious concerns that those numbers could increase again, as people face yet another energy crisis and the prospect of rocketing living costs across the board.
“The figures show that there are 630,000 people in severe poverty – with children making up 150,000 of them. It is simply wrong that so many of our fellow citizens find themselves pushed so close to deprivation.”
The Poverty Alliance repeated its calls to boost the Scottish Child Payment to £55 a week.
Peter Kelly said: “Our new MSPs will have a legal responsibility to make sure that fewer than 10% of Scotland’s children are in poverty by 2030/31. Today’s figures show that 21% of our children are living with that daily injustice.
“We simply cannot allow this to continue. The Scottish Government can help by strengthening the support we give to households with children, and the UK Government can help by scrapping the unjust benefit cap.
“And over the course of the next Parliament, we will continue to build public support for real Living Wages and a Minimum Income Guarantee that will make sure everyone has what they need to use their talents for the benefit of themselves, their households, and all of us.”
Responding to today’s statistics on household incomes and poverty which show one in five children in Scotland are trapped in poverty, Chief Executive of Children First, Mary Glasgow said: “A small drop in child poverty does not change the urgent need for action to tackle Scotland’s childhood emergency and meet Scotland’s 2030 child poverty target.
“It is not acceptable that one in five children in Scotland are living in poverty. It has a devastating impact on children’s mental health, wellbeing, education and prospects that can last into adulthood. Reducing child poverty is an investment in Scotland’s future, improving public health, strengthening communities and reducing public costs in the long term.
“In the run up to the election, every political party must prioritise policies that support families, strengthen incomes and uphold Scotland’s commitment to eradicating child poverty.”
Commenting on today’s latest official poverty statistics, Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Independent Age said: “Today’s statistics show there are still too many pensioners living in poverty in Scotland.
“As the national charity supporting older people on low incomes, we know that older people are skipping meals, washing in cold water and not turning the heating on. This is wrong and a social injustice.
“As the Holyrood elections approach, all political parties must prioritise action to reduce pensioner poverty. This should start with a national strategy, a plan setting out the key actions to reduce poverty in older age and act as a map for how we will get there.
“They must also pledge to improve the social security support for older people on low incomes, and commit to supporting older people improve the energy efficiency of homes.
“We also urge the UK Government to introduce a social tariff for energy across the whole of the UK to reduce the cost of heating for older people on low incomes. The UK Government must also improve the take-up and adequacy of the payments they administer to older people.
“The levels of poverty in later life are too high in Scotland, and with around 1.7 million older people now in poverty across the UK, today’s figures must be a call to action.”
TRUSSELL commented: “It’s encouraging that child poverty is falling in Scotland. It shows the power of investing in social security.
“But it’s not acceptable that 1 in 5 children are locked in poverty. All parties must commit to decisive action to ensure every child has a decent start in life.”
Cara Hilton, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Trussell, said: “Today, the Family Resources Survey has revealed a heartbreaking injustice; persistently high numbers of people across Scotland are trapped in the grip of severe hardship.
“While the latest figures indicate that some people are getting back on their feet, the numbers of people facing hunger in our communities are still too high. As we find ourselves yet again facing uncertain times, we know that progress can be too easily undone. People just surviving could once again be pushed over the edge if the price of food and bills increases.
“Food banks in our community provided more than 220,000 food parcels in Scotland in 2025 – that’s 64% more than in 2015. These new figures from the government confirm that 500,000 people are facing hunger across Scotland. This isn’t right.
“With the Holyrood election just six weeks away, Trussell is calling on all political parties to commit to building a Scotland where everyone can afford the essentials and where every child has a decent start in life.
“This should include immediate investment to increase the Scottish Child Payment to £40 a week, increasing to £55 by the end of the next Holyrood session. We need the Scottish government to build firmer foundations for people on the lowest incomes so all of us have the support we need to thrive.”
Latest poverty statistics published
Two poverty statistics publications were released by the Scottish Government yesterday. Poverty and income inequality in Scotland 2022-25 covers the period up to March 2025, presenting poverty rates for children, working-age adults and pensioners.
Methodological changes have been applied to the statistics in this report as the Department for Work and Pensions have linked the source data from the Family Resources Survey to administrative records on social security benefits.
As a result, there have been revisions to previously published poverty rates back to 2021/22, and further revisions are planned as part of on-going development work. Users should therefore note that caution is needed when interpreting the statistics to assess trends over time.
The most recent three-year averages for 2022-25 show that:
Around 17 per cent of Scotland’s population (940,000 people) were living in relative poverty after housing costs. This was 15 per cent (840,000 people) before housing costs. Poverty rates for Scotland’s population have been broadly stable for around a decade.
Children are more likely to be in relative poverty: 21 per cent of children are in relative poverty after housing costs, compared to 13 per cent of pensioners and 18 per cent of working-age adults. Children in relative poverty are more likely to be in a working household; 75% of children in relative poverty have at least one person working in the household while 25% have no-one in household working.
The median household income before housing costs was £707 per week and after housing costs was £636. Prior to 2021/22, median incomes had increased slowly but steadily since the recession in 2008/09.
Persistent Poverty in Scotland 2010-24 presents statistics on people who live in relative poverty for at least three out of the last four years. The latest figures show that around one in ten people in Scotland (11 per cent) were in persistent poverty, after housing costs, between 2020 and 2024. Persistent poverty rates were highest for children (17 per cent), and lower for working-age adults (10 per cent) and pensioners (9 per cent).
Persistent poverty is an important measure because the longer someone is in poverty, the more it impacts on their health, well-being, and overall life chances. These impacts can affect an individual throughout their lifetime.
Further information on the two publications is set out below:
This Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland publication contains statistics on poverty, child poverty, poverty risks for various equality characteristics, household income and income inequality for Scotland. This report also includes statistics on household food security. The data comes from the Department for Work and Pensions’ Family Resources Survey (FRS), Households Below Average Income dataset. Comparable UK income and poverty figures are published on the same day by DWP.
Statistics from this report have been revised, back to 2021/22, due to a methodology change. The FRS is now linked to administrative data, which means the majority of FRS responses for benefit income and tax credits have been replaced with data from DWP’s administrative sources. Further years of linked estimates back to survey year 2018/19 will be published in summer 2026 in a follow up release. The absolute poverty measure has also been amended as a result of the data linkage; full details can be found in the report.
This publication has been designated as official statistics in development in line with the other devolved administrations in order to acknowledge the changes to the methodology and that there will be a period of flux as further methodological changes are implemented. Future changes are announced by DWP in their release strategy, which is updated periodically as plans develop. A statistical blog has been published on the Scottish Government website to inform users of developments.
Figures are presented in the main report are three-year averages of each estimate. Three-year estimates are better to identify trends over time. The four child poverty measures in the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act are based on single-year figures. These statistics are available in the reference tables and in the child poverty summary.The single-year estimates exhibit more year-on-year fluctuation compared to the three-year averages and should be interpreted with caution.
This Persistent Poverty in Scotland publication presents estimates of the proportion of people in Scotland who live in persistent poverty. The data comes from the Understanding Society Survey, and the latest statistics cover the period from 2020 to 2024. Statistics from this report are badged as official statistics.
Poverty statistics are used by the Scottish Government and other organisations to monitor progress in tackling poverty and child poverty, and to analyse what drives poverty and what works for tackling poverty and income inequality.
Relative poverty: A person is in relative poverty if their current household income is less than 60% of the current UK median. Relative poverty statistics fall if income growth at the lower end of the income distribution is greater than overall income growth.
Absolute poverty: A person is in absolute poverty if their current household income is less than 60% of the UK median in a given reference year, adjusted for inflation. Absolute poverty statistics fall if low income households are seeing their incomes rise faster than inflation. Due to the structural break introduced by the data linkage the reference year for absolute poverty has been moved from 2010/11 to 2024/25.
Combined low income and material deprivation identifies the proportion of children in households with incomes below 70% of the median UK income and going without certain basic essential goods and services.
Persistent poverty identifies the number of people in relative poverty for three or more out of four years. People who live in poverty for several years may be affected by it throughout their lifetime.
The poverty publications present poverty figures before and after housing costs. Before-housing-costs figures are a basic measure of household income from earnings and benefits. After-housing-costs figures subtract spending on rents, mortgage interest payments and other unavoidable housing costs from this basic income. In Scotland, poverty statistics focus mainly on poverty after housing costs.
Research challenges political assumptions and highlights widespread concern about wealthinequality
A new national study from Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland has found overwhelming concern about wealth inequality and strong backing for fairer taxation of wealth, including among people in higher-income households, challenging the common assumption that such reforms lack public support.
Key findings include:
• 85% support increasing taxes on the wealthy
• 90% say wealth inequality is more harmful than good for Scottish society
• 83% say the wealth gap is too large
• Two-thirds would prefer higher taxes to protect public services rather than cuts
Concern about inequality and backing for fairer taxation were consistent across income levels, age groups, and social backgrounds.
Participants described wealth inequality as damaging to people’s security, opportunities, and quality of life. Many said those with the greatest wealth should contribute more, particularly to support public services.
There is also strong public backing for specific reforms. Around 70% of people supported changes to ensure those with higher-value properties pay more council tax, reflecting broader support for progressive taxation.
Participants consistently linked their views on taxation to fairness and public benefit. Support was strongest where people believed the system was fair, transparent, and clearly linked to protecting public services such as healthcare, education, and local communities.
Lisa Hough-Stewart, Director, Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland and a member of the campaign Tax Justice Scotland, said: “This research shows clearly that people across Scotland are deeply concerned about wealth inequality and strongly support fairer taxation of wealth.
“For too long, political debate has assumed that taxing wealth is unpopular or politically impossible. Our findings show that this is not the case.
“Support comes from across society — including people who recognise they may need to contribute more.
“People recognise the role public services play in supporting everyone in society, and believe those with the greatest wealth should contribute more to sustain them.
“Public opinion is not the barrier to reform. The public is ready for change.”
The findings come at a time of continued pressure on public services and growing debate about inequality, taxation, and Scotland’s public finances. The Scottish Fiscal Commission has forecast a shortfall of £4.7 billion by 2029-30 even to fund existing spending commitments.
Support for tax reform was closely linked to fairness and trust. Participants emphasised the importance of ensuring that tax changes are proportionate, transparently implemented, and designed so those with the greatest wealth contribute their fair share.
The results add to mounting calls for a fairer tax system. Tax Justice Scotland – a campaign backed by more than 50 organisations, from anti-poverty and environment charities to social enterprise bodies, academics, policy think tanks and trade unions – is calling for fair tax reform at UK and Scotland levels.
Ahead of the Scottish election, it is urging every party to set out Tax Justice Plans to ensure national and local taxes in Scotland do more to help tackle inequality, poverty and the climate crisis while fairly generating additional money to invest in crucial public services.
Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland and a member of Tax Justice Scotland, said: “People in Scotland are well ahead of the current political debate on inequality and tax. They can see too much wealth sitting in too few hands while children live in poverty and public services struggle and people know that’s not right.
“Most of us are willing to pay a bit more to support the services we all rely on but we expect the money to be spent wisely and those with the deepest pockets to contribute properly too. That it isn’t radical or complicated economics, it’s basic fairness.
“With the Scottish election fast approaching, every party should set out how they will help deliver a fairer tax system within the next Scottish Parliament.”
The study draws on nationally representative research conducted with more than 2,300 people across Scotland, alongside in-depth focus groups exploring attitudes to wealth inequality, taxation, and council tax reform.
A new framework aimed at reducing poverty and inequality in Edinburgh has received unanimous backing from councillors.
Equal Edinburgh aims to make council and other services easier to access and understand for residents, while reducing the stigma associated with doing so.
The four-year plan draws on lessons learned from its predecessor (which ran from 2021–25), but more specifically from extensive engagement with communities and other partners, including the Scottish Government, Equality and Rights Network and Scottish Women’s Budget Group, carried out over the past 12 months.
Some of the key outcomes include:
Safer and better access to council buildings
Improved online access and clearer communication methods
Improved mental health and wellbeing by making it easier to access services (in person or online)
Better opportunities for residents to participate in local activities and events to reduce isolation and foster good community relations
Improved data gathering and reporting so that decisions are made in an informed way
Improved access for residents to have their say on citywide issues and to engage in consultation and voting processes
Amongst other things, this will allow continued investment in the delivery of the British Sign Language Plan (2024-2030) and additional BSL Videos on the council website, funding for Volunteer Edinburgh to facilitate the Equalities and Rights Network and development of more inclusive communications.
From day one, Equal Edinburgh will support staff to provide high quality service to all residents and foster positive relationships with local communities through partnership working. A new EDI board will be set up to monitor progress and support delivery, with a progress update presented to councillors in 2028.
Councillor Jane Meagher Council Leader, said: “We’re clear that we want Edinburgh to be a city where everyone feels safe, secure and welcome – and we’ve set ourselves ambitious targets around tackling poverty and inequality.
“This new framework celebrates the diversity of this city and our communities, made up of people with a rich variety of life experiences. I’m particularly pleased by the role our communities and other partners have played in shaping this work, and that we’re learning the lessons from what has gone before.
“We’re building on best practice already underway across the city to deliver better services and outcomes for residents, ensuring that everyone has access to, and can benefit from, our support as quickly as possible – in a way that suits them.”
For the first time ever, Impact Arts is launching a manifesto ahead of the 2026 Scottish elections.
Our vision: A Scotland where people and communities benefit from life-transforming creativity that tackles inequalities and addresses poverty.
CEO Fiona Doring says: “For decades, Impact Arts has seen first hand how arts-based approaches transform their lives through improving wellbeing, strengthening communities, and developing life chances.
“Ahead of the 2026 Scottish elections, we urge decision makers to recognise the arts as a vital part of building a fairer, healthier, and more connected Scotland.”
OUR MANIFESTO ASKS
Scotland’s leaders, we urge you to:
1. Recognise Creative Engagement as a Public Health Approach
2. Improve Access to Creative Preventative Mental Health Approaches
3. Ensure Access to Arts-Based Therapies for Children Facing Trauma and Poverty
4. Embed Creative, Flexible and Person-Centred Approaches into Whole Family Wellbeing
5. Support Creative Ageing to Bring Joy to Later Years
6. Increase Access to Quality Arts-Based Education & Employment Programmes
7. Support Neurodiverse Young People Through Quality Arts & Creativity Projects
8. Promote Creative Home-Making as Key to Sustaining Tenancies & Preventing Homelessness
9. Celebrate Creative Placemaking
Impact Arts urges Scotland’s leaders to embed creativity across public policy. By investing in arts-based and creative approaches, we can build a more inclusive, stronger, and imaginative society.
Explore our extended manifesto featuring references to research and commentary from Culture Counts, Arts Culture Health and Wellbeing Scotland, Voluntary Health Scotland, Social Biobehavioural Research Group, National Academy for Social Prescribing, Scotland’s Mental Health Partnership, The Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland, Children’s and Youth Arts Advocacy (CYAA), Scottish Autism, Homeless Network Scotland, and SURF – Scotland’s Regeneration Forum.
New report reinforces case for stronger wealth taxes as a key building block of wider package of UK and Scottish fair tax reforms
A new report for Tax Justice Scotland has exposed Scotland’s staggering wealth gap with just five families holding more wealth (£19.3bn) than a quarter of Scotland’s population with the least wealth combined (£18.9bn).
The news comes as campaigners, frontline delivery organisations, academics, trade unions and others gather in Edinburgh for a major tax justice conference to explore the urgent need for a package of fair improvements to the tax systems at Scotland, UK and global levels.
The report, Taxing Wealth for a Fairer and Greener Scotland, produced by the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) on behalf of the campaign, makes clear that fairer taxes on wealth at UK and Scotland levels must be at the heart of this package of reforms to invest in and drive progress towards a fairer, greener and more prosperous future.
Tax Justice Scotland says improved wealth taxation is only one part of a fairer tax system and is today also challenging all political parties in Scotland to outline detailed proposals for using the powers of the Scottish Parliament to improve devolved and local tax systems.
The STUC analysis highlights the extreme end of wealth inequality after official data showed the wealthiest 2% of Scottish households have more wealth than the poorest 50% combined.
The report shows that the fortunes of Scotland’s very wealthiest people are surging far faster than people’s pay packets. Between 2024 and 2025, the combined wealth of Scotland’s ten richest families shot up by almost 8%, outstripping average earnings growth (5.9%).
Incredibly, the five richest families in Scotland are estimated to have more wealth (£19.3bn) than the Scottish Government collected in Income Tax (£19bn) last year.
For illustrative purposes, the STUC analysis shows that a modest annual wealth tax of just 2% on all those with assets of more than £10 million could raise nearly half a billion pounds (£492 million) from Scotland’s 10 richest families alone, enough to pay for 12,000 new nurses, or 11,000 new teachers, or to double the Scottish Child Payment and lift more than 30,000 children out of poverty.
Given such a wealth tax would apply to all those with assets of more than £10 million in Scotland, it would raise even more.
Roz Foyer, General Secretary of the STUC, said on behalf of Tax Justice Scotland:“This research lays bare the shocking concentration of wealth in Scotland. While families across the country are struggling to pay their bills, a handful of the super-rich are lining their pockets with more and more money.
“It doesn’t have to be this way: fairly taxing this eye-watering wealth could, according to STUC research, mean more 12,000 new nurses in hospitals, 11,000 more teachers in classrooms or to double the Scottish Child Payment and lift more than 30,000 children out of poverty
“Politicians across the UK should be in no doubt that it’s their dithering and delay that is deepening the crisis within our communities and public services. The powers to make a radical change to our tax system are at their disposal. The excuses must end. Scotland can work for everyone, not just the richest few. It’s time that work was started without equivocation.”
Tax Justice Scotland believes a series of tax reforms are needed to deliver the investment Scotland needs, while incentivising positive behaviours, to tackle poverty, strengthen public services, cut emissions and support fair work, while reducing the many forms of inequality that persist, including gender and economic inequality.
The campaign says this package of reform is essential to building a fairer, greener and more prosperous future for everyone in Scotland. While, over time, raising enough revenue is likely to require broad-based tax increases – fairer wealth taxation is vital.
As the Chancellor prepares her autumn Budget, campaigners point to growing momentum behind fairer taxes, with 68% of people in Scotland thinking the very richest should pay more. Over three-quarters (79%) of people in Scotland back a UK-wide wealth tax on the very richest people.
Previous analysis has shown that the measure, alongside a series of other reforms to improve existing UK-level taxes on wealth, like increasing Capital Gains Tax and applying National Insurance to investment income, could raise up to £60 billion a year across the UK.
A UK-wide wealth tax, if introduced, could help boost the Scottish Budget. But the STUC’s analysis shows that if the UK Government fails to act, the Scottish Parliament could use its own tax powers, with HMRC support, to introduce a locally-administered wealth tax.
The findings come against a backdrop of growing fiscal pressure: the Scottish Fiscal Commission has warned of a £4.7 billion shortfall in the Scottish Budget by the end of the decade, alongside mounting longer-term challenges. The Commission is urging all parties to work together before and after the Scottish election to address these challenges.
While making the case for improved taxation on all forms of wealth, Tax Justice Scotland says improving tax on property wealth in Scotland is particularly essential. Campaigners say the outdated and unfair Council Tax, still based on property values from 1991, must finally be replaced with a reformed property tax that reflects today’s housing wealth.
Property wealth has surged by almost £100 billion in just ten years, yet the Council Tax system remains frozen in time, letting those in the most expensive homes pay far less than they should, while many others are left paying over the odds.
Tax Justice Scotland say replacing Council Tax, alongside wider reforms to better tax the wealthiest and to build upon modest but progressive changes to Income Tax in Scotland, would collectively make sure those with the broadest shoulders contribute a fairer share.
Campaigners emphasise that while tax isn’t a silver bullet, it can play a much bigger role in building the Scotland we want to see.
Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, a member of Tax Justice Scotland, said:“Our tax system can do so much more to help build the country the people of Scotland want, but, right now, it’s stacked in favour of the wealthy.
“It’s time to fix the system; and that must include better taxing wealth right across the UK and, in Scotland, finally replacing the outdated Council Tax.
“With the Scottish election fast approaching, all political parties have a clear choice: defend a broken system that protects the richest while short-changing critical priorities or back a fairer one that delivers a fairer, greener and more prosperous country for all of us.”
New statistics show average wealth remained stable, while wealth inequality remained high.
According to the latest data which covers the period during the pandemic, a typical household in Scotland had £239,500 in total wealth, similar to previous years.
A typical household in the wealthiest 10% of households had £1.3 million in total wealth, whereas a typical household in the least wealthy 10% of households had £7,600.
The least wealthy households rarely own property or have any private pension savings. Their wealth is mainly made up of the value of their possessions such as cars, furniture and clothing.
Wealth inequality is more severe than income inequality: the 2% of households with the highest incomes had 10% of all income, while the wealthiest 2% of households had 15% of all wealth.
Households that tend to be wealthier than others are higher income households, pensioner couples, and home owners. In contrast, households with below average wealth tend to be low income households, lone-parent and single working-age adult households, and those in rented housing.
A fifth of households had insufficient savings to keep them above the poverty line for a month should they lose their income. Three per cent of households were in unmanageable debt. Just over a third of households did not own any property, and a third of adults had no private pension savings.
The released figures were produced in accordance with professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
Westminster’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) warns of lack of clarity over how much tax is paid or avoided by the very wealthy, as new report highlights significant opportunities to collect more revenue.
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) cannot identify how much tax is paid by UK billionaires. In a report on collecting the right tax from wealthy individuals, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) calls on HMRC to publish its plan for increasing tax yield from wealthy taxpayers both domestically and offshore.
Despite UK billionaires making up a relatively small number of people and the significant sums of money involved, the PAC was disappointed to find that HMRC cannot use the wide range of data it uses to identify wealthy people to provide transparency about the tax paid by the wealthiest.
A billionaire has wealth and assets 500x greater than a wealthy person who just meets HMRC’s definition* of ‘wealthy’, and so has huge potential on their own to affect how much revenue is available for public spending.
The PAC is seeking HMRC’s plan for improving its understanding of the wealth and assets held by billionaires, including how it might immediately start work on comparing available data on known billionaires, such as the Sunday Times Rich List, with its own records.
HMRC’s has done well to ensure wealthy taxpayers comply with tax rules brought in an additional £5.2 billion of tax revenue in 2023-24. This is a significant increase from £2.2 billion in 2019-20. However, the report notes that the scale of this success suggests either wealthy non-compliance has got worse, or that previous estimates of their tax avoidance were too low, and finds that HMRC needs to improve its assessment of the amount of tax that the wealthy avoid paying.
The tax authority told the inquiry that the tax gaps* for wealthy people and for offshore wealth are particularly difficult to measure. Given these difficulties, and the deficiencies in HMRC’s information on wealth, the PAC concerned that HMRC is overly confident and optimistic in its estimate that the wealthy tax gap is only £1.9bn.
Its partial estimate of the offshore tax gap, of £0.3bn, seems far too low, particularly when compared with UK residents holding £849bn in offshore accounts in 2019.
The PAC’s report finds that in 2023-24, there were only 25 criminal prosecutions of wealthy people and 456 penalties (down from 1,747 in 2022-23). This is despite the average time HMRC takes to close an investigation increasing every year between 2018-19 to 2022-23.
For investigations yielding more than £100,000, the average duration in 2023-24 was 40 months.
The PAC finds it particularly disappointing that HMRC has issued no penalties to enablers of tax evasion, despite acknowledging unscrupulous advisers often play a key role in helping the wealthy evade tax, and recommends HMRC assess whether it is using its powers to tackle non-compliance by the wealthy sufficiently, in particular, whether it makes sufficient use of available sanctions.
Lloyd Hatton MP, Member of the Public Accounts Committee, said: “This report is not concerned with political debate around the redistribution of wealth.
“Our Committee’s role is to help HMRC do its job properly ensuring wealthy people pay the correct tax. While HMRC does deserve some great credit for securing billions more in the tax take from the wealthiest in recent years, there is still a very long way to go before we can reach a true accounting of what is owed.
“We already know a great deal about billionaires living in the UK, with much information about their tax affairs and wealth in the public domain.
“So we were disappointed to find that HMRC, of all organisations, was unable to provide any insight into their tax affairs from its own data – particularly given that any single one of these individuals’ contributions could make a significant difference to the overall picture.
“We found a similar apparent lack of curiosity in how wide the tax gap is both for the very wealthy and for wealth stashed away offshore.
“Our report shows that, however you slice it, there is a lot of money being left on the table. HMRC must, under its new leadership, begin collecting the correct amount of tax from the very wealthiest – and this must include wealth that is currently squirrelled away in tax havens.
“There is certainly room for improvement. We hope that HMRC uses both our recommendations and the new funding it has secured in this area to do so.”
TACKLING SOCIAL INEQUALITY AND PROMOTING SUSTAINABILITY
Award winning charity, Street Soccer has today announced the launch of Kitback, a new charitable social enterprise designed to combine a collective love of football with social impact through the sale of pre-loved, upcycled football shirts.
All proceeds from the initiative will go towards supporting the life-changing work that Street Soccer addresses including homelessness, mental health, social exclusion, problem substance use and poverty.
Launching across the UK, Kitback will collect pre-loved football shirts from donors at dedicated drop-off points or by post and upcycle them in preparation for resale.
All shirts from teams, leagues, and countries across the globe are welcomed, offering a wide range of options for like-minded football enthusiasts to choose from. Each purchase made through Kitback gives fans a chance to own a piece of football history while contributing to greater causes.
Supporting the launch, football clubs, players and foundations are getting involved. Fulham FC Foundation have become the first professional club to donate to Kitback with others set to follow suit in the coming weeks and months.
As well as addressing key societal issues, the initiative also promotes environmental benefits by reducing waste and the demand for new clothing production, lowering football fans’ environmental footprint and keeping the circular economy moving.
As Kitback grows, another significant impact the social enterprise will have is to create jobs and volunteering opportunities for Street Soccer players and the wider community, helping to develop skills and experience that can be carried forward into the wider employment environment.
David Duke MBE, Social Entrepreneur & Founder of Street Soccer Scotland, expressed his enthusiasm for the new initiative:“Kitback is more than just a campaign; it’s a movement that brings together our shared passion for football and our collective commitment to helping our local communities.
“Football has a unique ability to unite people behind social causes and through Kitback, supporters can make a real difference. By donating your pre-loved football shirts and buying from Kitback when adding a new kit to your collection, you’re not only reducing environmental waste but also helping to empower and enrich people’s lives through everything we do at Street Soccer.”
Football fans, players and clubs are encouraged to come together with businesses and organisations to join the Kitback movement by donating and purchasing shirts, spreading the word, facilitating drop-off points and taking part in kit donation days during the year. Let’s change the world, one football shirt at a time!
Edinburgh residents are being urged to check their cost-of-living support to claim everything they are entitled to.
With 80,000 people living in poverty in Edinburgh – including close to a quarter of all children – tackling inequality and preventing poverty remains one of the biggest challenges facing the capital.
As it’s revealed that households could be owed up to £80 million in unclaimed benefits in Edinburgh, the council has rolled out two new self-help tools to make it easier for people to check what they’re owed.
A DIY benefits calculator, Entitled To, and a one-stop-shop for other forms of financial support, Lightning Reach, have been made available online.
A campaign has been launched to highlight these tools, urging residents not to leave their household budgets to chance.
Council Leader Jane Meagher said:“It’s a worrying time for lots of people who are struggling with rising costs and we want to make sure that every household is claiming all the benefits they are entitled to. If you go online, you’ll find our DIY benefits calculator which makes it straightforward to check what you might be owed, so that you can then apply for support.
“Our efforts to tackle poverty in Edinburgh have put almost £24 million into the pockets of those who need it most, but around £80 million in benefits remains unclaimed. It’s my hope that this campaign will help to challenge the barriers – stigma, complexity and lack of awareness – that prevent people from accessing the support they should be getting.
“I urge everyone to check their cost-of-living support and to get in touch for more advice or support as needed.”
Linda’s story
Linda, 59, has been a full-time-carer for her brother since their mother passed away almost 10 years ago.
She said: “I worked from the age of 17 and in my late 20’s I bought my own home and a car. But in 2015, my mother suddenly became unwell. She spent six months in intensive care on a ventilator and then passed away.
“I very suddenly became a full time carer for my brother, who has additional support needs. I had to stop working and sell my house to go live with him and my life changed completely.
I went from ‘having it all’ – a job, a house, holidays and savings – to having next to nothing. The stigma associated with having to ask for help and being judged for having to rely on benefits has probably been the hardest part.
“I wish I had sought help earlier than I did. I wish I had set my pride and feelings of shame aside and realised that asking for help is not a bad thing. When life events happen that turn your world upside down, there is help available. The hardest part is knowing where to look to find that help – it can be very challenging – and accepting that there is no stigma in asking.”
Progress to End Poverty in Edinburgh
This July will mark the mid-point between the publication of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission’s final report and the city’s target to end poverty by 2030.
Linda (as above) is a member of End Poverty Edinburgh. Speaking about this experience, she said: “By being part of End Poverty Edinburgh, I have had the opportunity to attend and speak at various meetings and events to raise awareness of the issues which those living in poverty have to face.
“We work closely with the council and others to improve customer experiences when seeking advice and help.
“We try to promote the help that is available which a lot of people aren’t aware of. Being part of this group has given me back a feeling of self worth.”
So far, positive collaboration on a range of initiatives between the council and partners has led to:
• Increasing access to grants and welfare advice by 20% over the last year
• Helping residents to receive almost £24 million in previously unclaimed benefits
• Supporting 5,000 people into work or learning (a 19% increase on the previous year)
• Driving down bills for 900 homes thanks to new energy efficiency measures
• Securing savings worth £206k for tenants through Energy Advice Support (an average of £428 per household)
• Helping to prevent homelessness for 461 households
• Over 9,000 free school meal payments and nearly 8,400 clothing grant awards
• Supporting 95% of all pupils to reach positive destinations after school
• Encouraging payment of the living wage (up 80 in a year to 720 accredited employers)
• Agreeing Council contracts committed to paying the real Living Wage (96% of suppliers, up 14%)
• Introducing a new Regenerative Futures Fund, a third sector led programme bringing £15m of new investment.
Last week councillors agreed to redirect all available council-owned housing stock towards people experiencing homelessness.
New local authority lets will be suspended in all but a few cases as the city council tries to address an increasingly worsening homelessness crisis in the capital.
For the first time ever, Impact Arts is launching a manifesto ahead of the 2026 Scottish elections.
Scotland’s leaders, we urge you to:
Explore our extended manifesto featuring references to research and commentary from Culture Counts, 
