The Fraser of Allander Institute has tday published a new report, jointly authored with @MMUPolicyEval & @PovertyAlliance, that explores some of the challenges and opportunities that the Scottish Government faces in meeting its Child Poverty Targets:
Around 1 in 4 children in Scotland live in relative poverty. This means they live in a household with an income 60% below the UK median income after housing costs have been deducted.
Child poverty can have serious and lifelong impacts across a range of outcomes, and the Scottish Government have stated their aim to reduce significantly the incidence of child poverty. The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 20172 includes a target to reduce relative child poverty to 10% by 2030/31.
Meeting this target would represent an unprecedented reduction in child poverty to levels not seen in Scotland certainly since the early 1990s when the current statistical series began.
The purpose of the analysis in this report is to look at some of the large, national level, devolved policy levers that the Scottish Government could use to meet the targets. We have focussed on childcare, employability programmes and social security.
By analysing variations of these types of policies, and different combinations, this analysis illustrates the scale of the impact on poverty and the associated costs and benefits of different options.
We envisage that this will be helpful for policymakers and stakeholders who will be focused on developing actions for the next Tackling Child Poverty Delivery plan, due to be published by the Scottish Government by the end of March 2022.
The 2022-2023 Scottish Budget will help transition Scotland to becoming more prosperous, fairer and greener, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes has said.
Speaking ahead of delivering the Budget to Parliament today, Ms Forbes said the Scottish Government will deliver a bold and ambitious package of public investment that delivers on the priorities which matter most to the people of Scotland.
Ms Forbes said: “The Scottish Budget will provide taxpayers with stability and support, set out clearly how we will accelerate our Covid recovery, and crucially, how our spending plans will set Scotland on a new ambitious path.
“It has been a challenging Budget due to the continuing impact of the pandemic, and the uncertainty and worry that Covid poses for us all. This has been confounded by the UK Government’s decision to remove necessary Covid consequential funding at a time when we undeniably need to help our public services.
“The Scottish Government has taken spending decisions that prioritise supporting people and our vital public services through the twin crises of Covid and the cost of living. It is a budget for Scotland’s future – one that will help us secure a fairer, greener and more prosperous country.”
Responding to the Scottish Budget, Tracy Black, CBI Scotland Director, said:“While the Finance Secretary has outlined some helpful interventions for business, firms that have been working tirelessly to get back on their feet after two miserable years will be left with little to get excited about.
“The removal of the business rates cliff edge in April for hospitality, retail and tourism firms will be welcomed, however many will be disappointed that the government hasn’t gone further – particularly as uncertainty around Omicron gathers pace.
“Increased funding for employability is clearly a step in the right direction but much more detail is needed on how skills funding will help firms address immediate challenges. Ultimately, greater ambition is needed on upskilling and retraining if we’re to ensure workers are equipped with the skills they need for a modern economy.
“On green investment there were some welcome announcements around green jobs and just transition. However, failing to use the non-domestic rates system to incentivise private sector investment in low carbon infrastructure feels like a missed opportunity that could have helped Scotland push-on towards its net zero target.
“Overall, business shares the Scottish Government’s vision for a fairer, greener and more prosperous economy. Firms will be keen to see how the forthcoming National Economic Transformation Strategy turns ambition into action; setting Scotland on a path towards competitiveness, dynamism and productivity growth – which is the only sustainable route to higher living standards.”
Scottish workers bitterly disappointed by pay deal as STUC insists ‘budget will result in robbing Peter to pay Paul’
The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) acknowledged the increase in public sector pay floor to £10.50 and insisted that pay rises must be fully funded by Scottish Government to avoid cash strapped councils having to make other cuts to pay the increased rate.
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “Workers across Scotland will be bitterly disappointed as they hear about the pay cuts announced today. Below inflation pay increases do nothing to help people deal with escalating costs this winter. Councils will have to rob Peter to pay Paul as services could be cut to meet the gaps in funding.
“There is a desperate need to back our public services. Huge gaps in funding in the NHS and social care have left some of the most vulnerable people in our communities without the treatment and services they urgently need. The Scottish Government have failed to take the opportunity before them to step up and back public sector workers.”
COSLA released its ‘Budget Reality’ document last night in response to the Scottish Budget.
COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson Councillor Gail Macgregor said that COSLA Leaders will meet today to discuss the implications for Local Government and respond more fully then.
In a brief statement Councillor Macgregor, said: “Our ‘Budget Reality’ document is important as it sets out the facts about the Local Government Settlement.
“It appears to be a disappointing budget for the communities that we represent, as it does not give Local Government what we need to survive and nor does it meet our campaign aspiration to help those communities to ‘Live Well Locally’,
“Once more, our core financial settlement has been hit.
“That said, we will take time to consider the finer details of today’s announcement and the full implications for both ourselves and our communities.
“As a membership organisation, our Council Leaders will come together virtually tomorrow to consider the implications, before we make a more formal response following that meeting.”
Responding to the Scottish Government’s budget, which was published today, Peter Kelly (Director, Poverty Alliance), said: “Today’s Scottish Government budget contains a number of welcome commitments.
“Doubling the Scottish Child Payment from April, as we and so many others across Scotland campaigned hard for, will help stem the rising tide of poverty across the country. Introducing free bus travel for young people under 22 is also a positive step toward a transport system that can tackle inequality.
“But with over one million people in Scotland living in the grip of poverty, it is clear that we cannot let up. In 2022 we must see these actions built upon, with further steps taken to build a Scottish social security system that unlocks people from poverty.
“We must also go further in redesigning our public services, like by extending free bus travel available to all under 25s and to everyone on low incomes.”
Scottish debt help charity welcomes the doubling of the Scottish Child Payment in the Scottish Budget
Child poverty is rising in every local authority in Scotland. Even before the pandemic, one in four children in Scotland were growing up in poverty and food bank use has increased by 63% over the last five years.
The pandemic has made things even more difficult for those already struggling as it has disproportionately impacted people living on low incomes.
CAP Scotland National Director, Emma Jackson, says, “We are delighted to hear about the Scottish Government’s commitment to double the Scottish Child Payment for families with children under the age of six.
“This is the single most impactful action that will take us four percentage points closer to reaching our interim child poverty targets and signals that ending child poverty will be a defining priority for Scotland. It is encouraging to see Scotland leading the way with this unique payment for families.
“This additional income will make a significant difference for the families we work with at Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Scotland. Families like Holly’s, who experienced problem debt after an overnight reduction in hours at work. Coupled with ill health and the challenges of being a single parent, debt began to deeply impact all aspects of Holly’s life.
“Through working with CAP Scotland, Holly was able to access the right debt solution for her and begin a debt free fresh start. The additional £40 per month will mean not having to worry as much about keeping her home warm for her and her son or buying him more food.
“Yet the very real challenges of making a low income stretch far enough to meet essential living costs remains. We welcome the news of free bus travel for those under the age of 22, the extension of free school meals to older age groups and the accelerated roll out of the Scottish Child Payment to include all children under the age of 16 by the end of next year. However, we would urge the Scottish Government to do all it can to bring the roll out of the Scottish Child Payment forward.
“With the rising cost of living and the end to the Universal Credit uplift, many families are facing a significant struggle this winter. We’re concerned that even more people will be pushed into poverty. We are keen to hold the Scottish Government to their commitment that “we can’t leave anyone behind”.
“The announcements in today’s budget leave a risk that key groups could experience further hardship. For too many households we work with at CAP, like single adult households, there is insufficient income to cover everyday essentials – rent, food, fuel, toiletries – and borrowing money is often a necessity to survive. No one should be forced into problem debt in order to survive.”
The Scottish budget 2022-23 includes £150 million for walking, wheeling and cycling, an increase of £19.6m.
Living Streets Scotland, part of the UK charity for everyday walking has welcomed the significant funding and the impact it will have to make cleaner and healthier forms of transport.
Stuart Hay, Director, Living Streets Scotland said: “Today marks a fundamental and positive change in how transport is funded with a much greater focus on people walking, wheeling and cycling.
“Walking accounts for 22% of all trips, so it’s great to see spending levels reflecting this reality, switching from a focus on new road schemes that have resulted in congestion and emissions.
“The £150 million investment will make it easier, safer and more attractive for more people to choose cleaner ways to travel. This is vital in the face of a climate emergency and a crisis in public health brought about by inactivity.
“This level of investment means new projects, such as national action to get more children walking to school are possible. It also makes plans to cut traffic on Scotland’s roads and streets by 20% more realistic.”
Responding to the Scottish Government’s Budget for 2022-23, Dr Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said:“Scotland’s economy is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic faster and stronger than many expected, and this budget offered the Scottish Government an opportunity to accelerate this return to growth.
“Whilst there was much to welcome in this budget the Scottish Government should have gone further to support Scotland’s businesses, the drivers of economic growth.
“Many economic deterrents as a result of the pandemic remain in place, impacting on footfall on our town and city centre high streets, driving down demand in our vital tourism and aviation sectors, and the looming threat of a return to greater level of restrictions is holding back investment. The Scottish Government should have provided assurances for businesses that targeted financial support will be made available to those ongoing affected sectors to deliver a clear pathway to recovery.”
On Non-Domestic Rates:
“Businesses will welcome the extension of rates reliefs afforded to properties in the retail, leisure, and hospitality sectors for an additional three months, however, this should have gone further to give businesses the time they need to recover from this incredibly challenging period.
“Scotland’s town and city centres have already lost thousands of businesses over the past twenty months and prolonged periods of home working have made the trading conditions for brick-and-mortar retailers tougher than ever, and many ratepayers will question if this extension goes far enough to support them.
“It was also disappointing that the Scottish Budget failed to confirm whether or not the long awaited NDR Revaluation due to take place in 2023 will go ahead as planned.”
Training, Skills and Supply Chain:
“Scotland’s businesses are still experiencing challenges through supply chain connectivity problems, rising cost prices, inflationary pressures, and recruitment difficulties.
“Additional funding for training interventions at all levels is welcome news and investment in Scotland’s workforce drive up business capacity and improve investment opportunities.
“Cost pressures and supply chain challenges require urgent action from government and whilst we await further details in the forthcoming National Economic Transformation Strategy, it’s important Scottish Government act now, collaborate with business and begin to resolve these issues as a priority for our economy.”
Energy and Just Transition:
“The energy sector remains a critical part of Scotland’s economy and the funding commitments in the budget to support a Just Transition are a step in the right direction.
“To meet Scotland’s Net Zero ambitions and secure the future of jobs in the energy sector and North and North-East though, this investment and funding needs to continue to be stepped up, at pace, in partnership with industry to enable businesses to pivot successfully.”
The Covid-19 pandemic has “intensified” the poverty experienced by low income families across Scotland, according to a report published by the Poverty Alliance. It calls for increased action in order for Scotland to meet its 2030 child poverty targets.
The report, published by the Poverty Alliance as part of its Get Heard Scotland project, is based on interviews with 32 low-income families from Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, which explored their experiences during the pandemic.
It found that Covid-19 had intensified their challenges, with lone parents, Black and minority ethnic families, and families with a disabled parent or child the most impacted.
Particular issues that the report highlights include:
The mental health impact of living on a low income through the pandemic, with the loss of support networks and the loss of childcare and schooling having a significant impact
The precariousness of incomes through the pandemic, with an increased reliance on crisis support
The prevalence of insecure employment, with structural discrimination against Black and minority ethnic communities and disabled people being highlighted
The importance of access to good community spaces and infrastructure, including green spaces
Digital exclusion was also a key issue, with participants needing digital access for leisure, shopping and reducing isolation. But despite the research exploring the negative impacts of the lack of digital access, it also highlights the importance of robust non digital alternatives. It calls on service providers to continue investing in face-to-face support for their clients to ensure everyone can access the help they need.
Recommendations made by the report in order to better support people living on low incomes include:
Increasing investment in mental health services, including addressing stigma through targeted local activity
Undertaking more action to increase the number of workers receiving the real Living Wage, as well as ensuring employability services work for everyone regardless of age, gender, race or other characteristics
Ensuring that income adequacy is central to the development of Scottish social security, and doing more to promote people’s awareness of their social security entitlements
Increasing support for community groups and local anchor organisations
Peter Kelly, Director, Poverty Alliance says: “Through our Get Heard Scotland programme we heard about some amazing efforts made by community organisations and local public services to make sure people were supported during the pandemic.
“Groups and local authorities worked together to get help to those who needed it. But the reality that we found is that despite these efforts many people felt their experience of poverty deepen during the pandemic.
“The Scottish Government have set themselves ambitious targets on tackling child poverty. This report demonstrates, through the experiences of people living on low incomes, how much work is still required if they are to meet them. Communities across Scotland are held back by the grip of poverty , with the report highlighting the particular challenges communities in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde face.
“It is vital that policy-makers at every level – particularly local authorities and the Scottish Government – listen to and act on the voices of people experiencing poverty. To help do that, they must also place those voices at the heart of their decision-making processes.”
Laura Robertson, Research Officer, Poverty Alliance: “Covid-19 has not only tightened the grip of poverty on the lives of many children and young people, but has also exacerbated these inequalities.
“We hope that this report can be a call to action, with its recommendations acting as a blueprint on how we can redesign our society to tackle hardship and create a more just Scotland.”
The Scottish Child Payment will be doubled to £20 per week per child from April 2022, the First Minister has announced. The decision has been welcomed by poverty camapigners.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that more than 105,000 children will immediately benefit from the increased payment, which supports low income families with children aged under 6.
First introduced in February 2021 as a £10 per week payment designed to tackle child poverty, it provides regular, additional financial support for eligible families.
The benefit, which is unique in the UK, will be fully rolled out to children under the age of 16 by the end of 2022, subject to data on qualifying benefits being received from the Department of Work and Pensions. It is expected over 400,000 children could be eligible for the doubled payment from that point.
From 2023/24 it will represent an annual investment in tackling child poverty of around £360 million a year. The increase to £20 per week further underlines the Scottish Government’s national mission to tackle child poverty.
The First Minister said: “The Scottish Government is determined to lift children out of poverty.
“Of the £2 billion a year that the Scottish Government invests to support people on low incomes, over £670 million is already targeted at children. Through the range of new payments delivered by Social Security Scotland, low income families receive, in the early years of each child’s life, £5,000 of additional financial support.
“At the heart of this is the Scottish Child Payment – the only payment of its kind anywhere in the UK, designed solely to lift children out of poverty and give them better lives. The £10 per week payment for eligible children under age 6 will be extended to all eligible children under 16 at the end of 2022; and we committed to doubling the payment to £20 per child per week within this Parliamentary term.
“I am proud that our budget will confirm that we will double the Scottish Child Payment from the start of the new financial year. This increase to £20 per child per week will reach over 105,000 children under age 6 in just four months’ time. When we extend the Scottish Child Payment to all under 16s at the end of next year, over 400,000 children and their families will be eligible.
“This is the boldest and most ambitious anti-poverty measure anywhere in the UK. Delivering it isn’t easy. It will involve hard choices elsewhere in our budget. But it is a choice we are opting to make.
“Eradicating child poverty is essential if we are to build the strongest foundation for Scotland’s future. And that is what we are determined to do.”
Scottish Government Minister and Scottish Green Party Co-Leader Patrick Harvie said: “With rising inflation, energy costs and the recent UK Government cuts to Universal Credit, further action to tackle child poverty could not have been more urgent.
“I’m therefore delighted that the Scottish Government has been able to double the Scottish Child Payment from April, just months after our policy of free bus travel for children and young people goes live.
“These bold actions deliver on key commitments made in the cooperation deal between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party, and will make a real difference to families across Scotland.”
Scottish Greens MSP Lorna Slater said the decision will be pivotal to tackling child poverty in Lothian.
Ms Slater said: “With a new Covid variant, rising energy costs, inflation and the catastrophic impact of a Tory Brexit being felt, it is more important than ever that we do everything we can to help people that are being hit by Westminster’s cuts and austerity.
“That is why I’m delighted that we will see the Scottish Child Payment doubled in the forthcoming Scottish budget. This will be pivotal to tackling child poverty and will be welcomed by families that are feeling stretched, particularly those that have been hit by Boris Johnson’s punishing Universal Credit cut.
“With Greens in government we are delivering for people and the planet and making a real difference to families in Lothian and beyond.”
“That is why we are introducing free bus travel for everyone under 22 from January, extending free school meals to all primary school pupils and ensuring that government contracts pay the real living wage. We will continue to work towards a fairer, greener Scotland.”
Social Security Scotland delivers a number of benefits for families. These include Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Early Learning Payment, School Age Payment and Best Start Foods.
The newly doubled Scottish Child Payment, together with the three Best Start Grant payments and Best Start Foods, could give families up to £8,400 by the time their first child turns 6.
Campaigners have welcomed the announcement:
Chris Birt, Associate Director for Scotland at Joseph Rowntree Foundation said:“This is very welcome news that will provide vital support for families with young children following what is expected to be a challenging winter as the cost of living continues to rise. Doubling the payment for older children cannot come soon enough.
“As we noted in our Poverty in Scotland report, this investment alone will not be enough to meet the interim child poverty targets, but it is an important step in the right direction and will make a real difference to families.”
A majority of people in Scotland support next month’s Scottish Government budget being used to double the Scottish Child Payment immediately, new polling released today has found, as campaigners continue to press for Kate Forbes, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, to back the move.
The polling, conducted by Survation for the End Child Poverty coalition in Scotland, revealed that – once ‘don’t knows’ were excluded – 68% of people in Scotland support the immediate doubling of the benefit for low income families.
Among those who voted for the SNP at May’s Holyrood elections, this figure jumped to 74%. Young people aged 16-34 were even more likely to back the call, with that figure reaching 79% in favour.
It comes amid mounting pressure on the Scottish Government to respond with urgency to what campaigners are calling a “rising tide of child poverty” across Scotland. On 18th November, over 100 organisations from across Scotland wrote to Kate Forbes urging her to “do the right thing” and use December’s budget to double the payment.
While the Scottish Government have said the payment will be doubled ‘as soon as possible’ during the course of this Scottish Parliament, as of yet they have resisted calls to do so immediately. But anti-poverty campaigners have warned that, unless the Finance Secretary uses December’s budget to act immediately, Scotland’s child poverty targets risk failure.
Responding to the poll findings, Peter Kelly (Director, Poverty Alliance) said: “In Scotland, people believe in protecting one another and in doing the right thing. As this new polling makes clear, they overwhelmingly support taking action now to stem the rising tide of child poverty.
“Children and families living in the grip of poverty right now simply cannot wait. Scottish ministers must listen to people across the country who are calling on them to do the right thing, and double the Scottish Child Payment now.”
Polly Jones (Head of Scotland, Trussell Trust) said: “Families across Scotland are facing a really difficult winter. Right now, food banks in the Trussell Trust network in Scotland are giving out a food parcel every three minutes to people in crisis.
“This isn’t right, especially when we have the power to change this. Doubling the Scottish Child Payment now would be a huge boost to Scotland’s struggling families and I hope Ministers will listen to the public and act.”
Claire Telfer, head of Scotland, Save the Children, said: “This polling confirms what we know and what we’re hearing from parents and families across Scotland: the Scottish Child Payment is making a huge difference but it’s not going far enough and it needs to be doubled.
“Just last week a parent told us ‘Doubling the Scottish Child Payment would make a massive difference, any extra money a week would help.
“We know that many families with young children in Scotland are struggling to make ends meet, parents are going without food or not putting the heating on, to care for their children.
“As a society we can – and must – do better. Next month’s budget is a golden opportunity to act now and support families and drive down poverty by doubling the Scottish Child Payment.”
Edinburgh has today been awarded Living Wage City status as the UK marks Living Wage week (15 – 19th November), an annual celebration of the real Living Wage.
The accreditation has been awarded by Living Wage Scotland in recognition of the Scottish Capital’s ambition to deliver on its new Edinburgh Living Wage City action plan and double the number of Living Wage accredited businesses to over 900 across the city over the next few years.
Around 450 Edinburgh businesses are already committed to voluntarily paying their staff the Living Wage, paying a minimum hourly wage of £9.90 per hour. This new Living Wage rate was announced yesterday (Monday 15 November) as part of Living Wage Week 2021.
Now through the action plan – developed by the Edinburgh Living Wage Action Group, a collaboration of employers, public sector bodies, trade unions, social enterprises, and business organisations, supported by key city anchor institutions including the City of Edinburgh Council and the Edinburgh Partnership – the aim is to see at least 500 new accredited businesses.
It is expected that this will mean up to 40,000 workers in Edinburgh are protected by Living Wage commitments from their employers. Of those, at least 10,000 will be workers who receive a direct pay increase as a result of this commitment.
The commitment to becoming a Living Wage City arises from the calls to action made by the Edinburgh Poverty Commission report. To pay a fair wage is one key aspect of eradicating poverty across the Capital.
Last year, the City of Edinburgh Council became the first UK local authority to commit to ending poverty by a specific date – by 2030. Tackling poverty in Edinburgh remains one of the Council’s key priorities to making sure everyone can take advantage of everything the Capital has to offer and is paid a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.
The City of Edinburgh Council’s Fair Work Convener and Co-Chair of the Edinburgh Living Wage City Action Group, Councillor Kate Campbell, said:“All partners in the Edinburgh Living Wage City Action Group have put so much work into getting to this point.
“We are all incredibly proud that we can call our Capital an official Living Wage City. We now need to continue that work so that we sign up 100 new accredited businesses every year for the next five years. That’s double the current number of businesses signing up.
“Being an accredited living wage employer is about so much more than paying a Living Wage. It’s about embedding a culture of Fair Work and giving staff financial security, showing them that they’re truly valued for the contribution they make. And the benefits for employers include being able to keep and attract skilled staff – something many businesses are struggling with right now.
“So, we’re asking all businesses and organisations across the city to join us. Together, we can make our city fairer and make sure everyone shares in our economic recovery.”
The City of Edinburgh Council’s Fair Work Vice Convener, Councillor Mandy Watt, said:“In-work poverty needs to end – and Edinburgh is taking a welcome step towards that today by becoming a real Living Wage City. Fair pay, fair hours and respect at work should be something that all workers can expect from their job.
“We’re hoping that a huge number of Edinburgh employers share our ambition and will raise wages to the level of the real Living Wage, which was announced yesterday (15 November). Once that’s done, they can move forward to full accreditation and show everybody that they’re helping to end poverty in our city.”
The Scottish Government’s Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work Richard Lochhead said:“I am pleased to see Edinburgh achieve the significant milestone of becoming a Living Wage City.
“There is increasing evidence demonstrating the benefits of Fair Work to both workers and business and by promoting the real Living Wage, the Edinburgh Action Group recognises the importance that fair pay has on the local economy.
“I congratulate the Action Group and all the 2employers in Edinburgh that have played a part in this important achievement.
Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine, CEO at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, said: “We are very proud to part of a business community that recognises the importance of providing the Living Wage to their staff, and what an impact this has on both their income and wellbeing.
“At Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, happy people always means happy animals, and through our commitment to the living wage, we are reducing financial pressures that our staff might otherwise face, ensuring the highest standard of care for our dogs and cats.
Peter Kelly, Director of The Poverty Alliance (above) said: “Today’s announcement that Edinburgh has been awarded ‘Making Living Wage Places’ recognition sends a strong signal of the determination to end low pay and loosen the grip of in-work poverty for workers and their families in Scotland’s capital city.
“The commitment by this alliance of employers to the people of Edinburgh is very important, and we look forward to working with them on making Edinburgh a Living Wage city. We want to see towns and cities in Scotland come together to tackle in-work poverty, and this is a significant step on that journey.”
Christine McCaig, Projects Coordinator and Living Wage Scotland said:“This Living Wage Week, we are delighted to announce the launch of an ambitious action plan to ‘Make Edinburgh a Living Wage City’. There are now more than 2400 accredited Living Wage employers in Scotland, over 450 of which are based in Edinburgh, who together want to ensure workers have what they need to thrive.
“The impact of the real Living Wage in tackling in-work poverty is strengthened by a collective effort from local employers, anchor institutions, key stakeholders and communities working together. We hope to see many more employers in Edinburgh become accredited to drive the vision of Making Edinburgh a Living Wage City.”
The real Living Wage rate this year has largely been driven by sharply rising fuel and rent costs. The real Living Wage is different to the Government minimum wage for over 23s, called the ‘National Living Wage’ (NLW).
While the real Living Wage is independently calculated based on living costs and is paid by employers voluntarily, the government’s NLW is based on a percentage of median earnings, and all employers are required to pay it.
In Scotland, more than 15% of all jobs pay less than the real Living Wage – around 350,000 jobs.
Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 45,000 people in Scotland and put over £240 million extra into the pockets of low paid Scottish workers.
Stark gaps in educational attainment in Scotland could be reduced through the rollout of mentoring and tutoring support, according to a new report.
Highlighting evidence showing that mentoring and tutoring have positive impacts on attainment for young people living in the grip of poverty, the report, based on research conducted by the Poverty Alliance for The Robertson Trust, calls for mentoring and tutoring to be available and targeted to all school-aged children and young people at risk of poverty in Scotland.
It showed that high-quality tutoring programmes, in particular, can significantly reduce inequalities in educational attainment. Despite this, the report reveals that the provision of free tuition for young people living in Scotland is sparse.
In comparison to the National Tutoring Programme, which provides free tuition for pupils in England and Wales, the Scottish Government has not committed to widespread, accessible tuition as part of Covid-19 recovery.
Published yesterday on National Mentoring Day, the report highlights the success of mentoring as an effective intervention for improving self-confidence and raising aspirations amongst young people affected by poverty.
Earlier this year, the Scottish Government and The Hunter Foundation committed to the expansion of mentoring and leadership support for care-experienced young people through funding the roll-out of MCR Pathways’ Young Scottish Talent and Columba 1400’s Leadership Academies across Scotland.
However, this report reveals a mixed landscape in terms of mentoring provision, with geographical gaps and a lack of provision directed at groups of children and young people who are more likely to be living in poverty compounded by other forms of disadvantage.
Dr Jim McCormick, Chief Executive, The Robertson Trust said: “Too many young people across Scotland are seeing their life chances restricted by poverty.
“At a time when painstaking progress is at risk of unravelling, it is deeply concerning to see any research which highlights an uneven educational playing field. The lack of free tutoring support is just one example of this and something that will invariably put young people living in poverty at a further disadvantage.
“We are keen to use these findings to understand what the role of an independent funder should be in working towards equal access to tutoring/mentoring opportunities which can lead to positive academic, developmental and emotional outcomes.
“Based on what we’ve heard, we are calling for greater collaboration between funders and support organisations to help bridge the gaps, both to level the playing field and to build a stronger evidence base of what works.
“Equally, we hope that this review will stimulate renewed commitment to act on the poverty-related attainment gap across Scotland, particularly in light of the disproportionate impact Covid-19 has had on those most affected.”
Dr Laura Robertson, Research Officer at the Poverty Alliance and lead author of the review, said: “The Scottish Government has put tackling the poverty-based attainment gap at the heart of its agenda.
“However, inequalities in education attainment remain stark. Covid-19 has not only tightened the grip of poverty on the lives of many children and young people, but has also exacerbated these inequalities. Now, more than ever, children and young people need access to additional support.
“This report reveals that – despite the evidence that it works – young people living in poverty still don’t have equal access to high quality tutoring free of charge. In a just society, all children and young people should have access to support that allows them to reach their potential, so the Scottish Government must – if it wants to end the attainment gap – respond with action.”
UK Government will provide a record £41 billion per year to the Scottish Government.
Scotland will also benefit from UK-wide support for people and businesses, green jobs and investment to level up opportunities.
Targeted funding will support local projects across Scotland, including road and infrastructure improvements, investment in local communities and funding for businesses.
The Chancellor today announced Barnett-based funding for the Scottish Government of £41 billion per year – delivering the largest annual funding settlement, in real terms, since devolution over 20 years ago. This includes a £4.6 billion per year spending boost – as part of a Budget and Spending Review that delivers a stronger economy for the whole of the UK.
Rishi Sunak set out a plan to deliver the priorities of the British people by investing in stronger public services, levelling up opportunity, driving business growth and helping working families with the cost of living.
As part of the significant spending plans, Scotland will receive an average of £41 billion per year in Barnett-based funding representing a 2.4% rise in the Scottish Government’s budget each year. The Scottish Government will now receive around £126 per person for every £100 per person of equivalent UK Government spending in England.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak said: “This is a budget for the whole of the UK. We’re focused on what matters most to the British people – the health of their loved ones, access to world-class public services, jobs for the future and tackling climate change.
“By providing record funding, the Scottish Government can tackle backlogs in the NHS and ensure people in Scotland get the support they need as we recover from the pandemic.
“The UK Government continues to level up opportunities across all parts of the UK, with investments in green jobs and high-speed internet access for thousands more homes in Scotland through Project Gigabit.
Scottish Secretary, Alister Jack said: “The Budget delivers for people in Scotland, and right across the UK.
“The Scottish Government’s block grant, boosted by an additional £4.6 billion a year due to spending in England, means that the funding for the Scottish Government is the highest it has ever been.
“It demonstrates our commitment to level up right across the UK. The Budget ushers in an era of real devolution, ensuring money is spent on projects that matter most to people in Scotland.
“The UK Government made a clear commitment to maintain Scotland’s level of funding following the vote to leave the EU, and we have delivered on that promise. We are taking decisions in the UK rather than in Brussels and dealing directly with local authorities who know their communities best.
“From the Knoydart community pub, to Dumbarton town centre and the Granton Gasworks – all these projects will bring real, visible improvements for local communities. Special funding for Glasgow’s iconic Burrell Collection and Extreme E will help drive economic growth and jobs on the back of culture and tourism.
“The continuation of the freeze on spirit duty will be a boost to Scotland’s thriving whisky industry.
“Over the past 18 months the UK Government has been focused on protecting people’s livelihoods, their incomes, and their jobs. We now need to look to the future, to build a stronger economy for people in all parts of the UK.”
Targeted funding in Scotland
On top of the record funding for the Scottish Government, Scotland will benefit from the UK Government’s commitment to invest in people, jobs, communities and businesses. Targeted projects in Scotland include:
Over £200 million to be invested in Scotland to boost the post-pandemic recovery and enhance the Scottish economy, including:
£172 million of the Levelling Up Fund for 8 important projects including the redevelopment of Inverness Castle, the much-needed renovation of the Westfield Roundabout in Falkirk, and a new marketplace in Aberdeen City Centre.
Over £1.07 million of the Community Ownership Fund for five projects in Whithorn, Inverie, New Galloway, Kinloch Rannoch and Callander that are protecting valued community assets.
Providing £1.9 billion for farmers and land managers and £42.2 million to support fisheries.
Up to £1 million, to support the delivery of a ‘green’ formula E race showcasing Hebridean Green Hydrogen to a global audience.
Expanding the existing trade and investment hub in Edinburgh to grow trade for Scotland.
Up to £3 million to bring world-class art exhibitions to the Burrell Collection in the heart of Glasgow.
UK-Wide Support
As a result of our strong United Kingdom, Scotland will benefit from:
A 50% cut in domestic Air Passenger Duty for flights between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and an additional £22.5 million of new funding in anticipation of the Union Connectivity
Review recommendations where we will work with the devolved administrations on improving UK-wide connectivity.
New funding for the British Business Bank to establish a £150 million fund in Scotland, helping Scottish businesses to get the financing they need.
The new £1.4 billion Global Britain Investment Fund which will support investment directly into Scotland.
A record £20 billion by 2024-25 in Research and Development supporting innovation in Scotland.
Confirmation that total funding will at a minimum match the size of EU Funds in Scotland, each year through the over £2.6bn UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which will invest in skills, people, businesses, and communities, including through ‘Multiply’, a new adult numeracy programme that will provide people across Scotland with essential numeracy skills.
An increase to the National Minimum Wage of £9.50 an hour, with young people and apprentices also seeing increases.
Freezes to fuel duty for the twelfth consecutive year and a freeze on Vehicle Excise Duty for heavy goods vehicles.
A freeze on alcohol duty, which will mean that whisky benefits from the lowest real terms tax rate since 1918.
BUDGET REACTION
Rachel Reeves MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, responding to the Budget, said:Families struggling with the cost of living crisis, businesses hit by a supply chain crisis, those who rely on our schools and our hospitals and our police – they won’t recognise the world that the Chancellor is describing. They will think that he is living in a parallel universe.
The Chancellor in this budget, has decided to cut taxes for banks. So, Madame Deputy Speaker, at least the bankers on short haul flights sipping champagne will be cheering this budget today.
And the arrogance, after taking £6 billion out of the pockets of some of the poorest people in this country, expecting them to cheer today for £2 billion given to compensate.
In the long story of this Parliament, never has a Chancellor asked the British people to pay so much for so little.
Time and again today, the Chancellor compared the investments that he is making to the last decade. But who was in charge in this lost decade? They were.
So, let’s just reflect on the choices the Chancellor has made today – the highest sustained tax burden in peacetime.
And who is going to pay for it?
It’s not international giants like Amazon – the Chancellor has found a tax deduction for them. It’s not property speculators – they’ve already pocketed a stamp duty cut. And it’s clearly not the banks – even though bankers’ bonuses are set to hit a record high this year.
Instead, the Chancellor is loading the burden on working people. A National Insurance Tax rise – on working people. A Council Tax hike – on working people. And no support today for working people with VAT on their gas and electricity bills.
And what are working people getting in return? A record NHS waiting list, with no plan to clear it, no way to see a GP and still having to sell their home to pay for social care.
Community policing nowhere to be seen, a court backlog leaving victims without justice and almost every rape going unprosecuted.
A growing gap in results and opportunities between children at private and state schools. Soaring number of pupils in supersize classes and no serious plan to catch up on learning stolen by the virus. £2 million announced today – a pale imitation of the £15 billion catch up fund that the Prime Minister’s own education tsar said was needed. No wonder, Madame Deputy Speaker, that he resigned.
Now the Chancellor talks about world class public services. Tell that to a pensioner waiting for a hip operation. Tell that to a young woman waiting to go to court to get justice. Tell that to a mum and dad, waiting for their child the mental health support they need.
And the Chancellor says today that he has realised what a difference early years spending makes. I would just say to the Chancellor, has he ever heard of the Sure Start programme that this Tory government has cut?
And why are we in this position? Why are British businesses being stifled by debt while Amazon gets tax deductions?
Why are working people being asked to pay more tax and put up with worse services?
Why are billions of pounds in taxpayer money being funnelled to friends and donors of the Conservative party while millions of families are having £20 a week taken off them?
Madame Deputy Speaker, why can’t Britain do better than this?
The Government will always blame others. It’s business’ fault, it’s the EU’s fault, it’s the public’s fault.
The global problems, the same old excuses. But the blunt reality is this – working people are being asked to pay more for less for three simple reasons:
Economic mismanagement,
An unfair tax system,
And wasteful spending.
Each of these problems is down to 11 years of Conservative failure and they shake their heads but the cuts to our public services have cut them to the bone. And while the Chancellor and the Prime Minister like to pretend they are different, the Budget they’ve delivered today will only make things worse.
The solution starts with growth. The Government is caught in a bind of its own making. Low growth inexorably leads to less money for public services, unless taxes rise.
Under the Conservatives, Britain has become a low growth economy. Let’s look at the last decade – the Tories have grown the economy at just 1.8 percent a year.
If we had grown at the same rate as other advanced economies, we could have spent over £30bn to invest in public services without needing to raise taxes.
Let’s compare this to the last Labour Government. Even taking into account the global financial crisis, Labour grew the economy much faster – 2.3 percent a year.
If the Tories matched our record, we would have spent £30bn more on public services without needing to raise taxes.
It could not be clearer. The Conservatives are now the party of high taxation, because the Conservatives are the party of low growth.
The Office for Budget Responsibility confirmed this today – that we will be back to anaemic growth. The OBR said that by the end of this Parliament, the UK economy will be growing by just 1.3%. Which is hardly the plan for growth that the Chancellor boasted about today, hardly a ringing endorsement of his announcements.
Under the Tory decade we have had ow growth and there’s not much growth to look forward to.
The economy has been weakened by the pandemic but also by the Government’s mishandling of it.
Responding to the virus has been a huge challenge. Governments around the world have taken on debt, but our situation is worse than other countries.
Worse, because our economy was already fragile going into the crisis. Too much inequality, too much insecure work, too little resilience in our public services.
And worse, because the Prime Minister dithered and delayed, against scientific advice – egged on by the Chancellor – we ended up facing harsher and longer restrictions than other countries.
So, as well as having the highest death toll in Europe, Britain suffered the worst economic hit of any major economy.
The Chancellor now boasts that we are growing faster than others, but that’s because we fell the furthest.
And whilst the US and others have already bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, the UK hasn’t. Our economy is set to be permanently weaker.
On top of all of that, the Government is now lurching from crisis to crisis. People avoiding journeys because they can’t fill up their petrol tank is not good for the economy. People spending less because the cost of the weekly shop has exploded is not good for the economy. And British exporters facing more barriers than their European competitors because of the deal that this government did is not good for the economy.
If this were a plan, it would be economic sabotage. When the Prime Minister isn’t blagging that this chaos is part of his cunning plan, he says he’s “not worried about inflation.”
Tell that to families struggling with rising gas and electricity bills, with rising prices of petrol at the pump and with rising food prices. He’s out of touch, he’s out of ideas and he’s left working people out of pocket.
Madame Deputy Speaker, Conservative mismanagement has made the fiscal situation tight. And when times are tight it’s even more important to ensure that taxes are fair, that taxpayers get value for money. But the Government fails on both fronts.
We have a grossly unfair tax system with the burden heaped on working people.
Successive budgets have raised council tax, income tax and now National Insurance. But taxes on those with the broadest shoulders, those who earn their income from stocks, shares, and property portfolios have been left largely untouched.
Businesses based on the high street are the lifeblood of our communities and often the first venture for entrepreneurs.
But despite what the Chancellor has said today, businesses will still be held back by punitive and unfair business rates. The Government has failed to tax online giants and watered-down global efforts to create a level playing field.
And just when we need every penny of public money to make a difference, we have a government that is the by-word for waste, cronyism and vanity projects.
We’ve had £37 billion for a test and trace system that the spending watchdog says, ‘treats taxpayers like an ATM cash machine’. A yacht for ministers, a fancy paint job for the Prime Minister’s plane and a TV studio for Conservative Party broadcasts, which seems to have morphed into the world’s most expensive home cinema.
£3.5bn of Government contracts awarded to friends and donors of the Conservative Party, a £190 million loan to a company employing the PMs former Chief of Staff, £30 million to the former Health Secretary’s pub landlord. And every single one of those cheques signed by the Chancellor.
And now he comes to ordinary working people and asks them to pay more. More than they have ever been asked to pay before and at the same time, to put up with worse public services. All because of his economic mismanagement, his unfair tax system and his wasteful spending.
There are of course some welcome measures in this budget today, as there are in any budget.
Labour welcomes the increase in the National Minimum Wage, though the Government needs to go further and faster. If they had backed Labour’s position of an immediate rise to at least £10 an hour then a full-time worker on the minimum wage would be in line for an extra £1,000 a year.
Ending the punitive public sector pay freeze is welcome, but we know how much this Chancellor likes his smoke and mirrors. So, we’ll be checking the books to make sure the money is there for a real terms pay rise.
Labour also welcomes the Government’s decision to reduce the Universal Credit taper rate, as we have consistently called for. But the system has got so far out of whack that even after this reduction, working people on universal credit still face a higher marginal tax rate than the Prime Minister. And those unable to work – through no fault of their own – still face losing over £1000 a year. And for families who go out to work everyday but don’t get government benefits, on an average wage, who have to fill up their car with petrol to get to work, who do that weekly shop and who see their gas and electricity prices go up – this budget today does absolutely nothing for them.
We have a cost-of-living crisis.
The Government has no coherent plan to help families to cope with rising energy prices. Whilst we welcome the action taken today on Universal Credit, millions will struggle to pay the bills this winter.
The Government has done nothing to help people with their gas and electricity bills with that cut in VAT receipts as Labour has called for. A cut that is possible because we are outside the European Union and can be funded by the extra VAT receipts that have been experienced in the last few months.
Working people are left out in the cold while the Government hammers them with tax rises.
National Insurance is a regressive tax on working people, it is a tax on jobs.
Under the Chancellor’s plans, a landlord renting out dozens of properties won’t pay a penny more. But their tenants, in work, will face tax rises of hundreds of pounds a year. And he is failing to tackle another huge issue of the day. Adapting to climate change.
Adapting to climate change presents opportunities – more Jobs, lower bills and cleaner air. But only if we act now and at scale. According to the OBR, failure to act will mean public sector debt explodes later, to nearly 300% of GDP.
The only way to be a prudent and responsible Chancellor is to be a Green Chancellor. To invest in the transition to a zero-carbon economy and give British businesses a head-start in the industries of the future.
But with no mention of climate in his conference speech and the most passing of references today, we are burdened with a Chancellor unwilling to meet the challenges we face.
Homeowners are left to face the costs of insulation on their own, industries like steel and hydrogen are in a global race without the support they need and the Chancellor is promoting domestic flights over high speed rail int he week before COP26.
It is because of this Chancellor that in the very week we try and persuade other countries to reduce emissions, this Government can’t even confirm it will meet its 2035 climate reduction target.
Madame Deputy Speaker, everywhere working people look at the moment they see prices going up and shortages on the shelves. But this Budget did nothing to address their fears.
Household budgets are being stretched thinner than ever but this Budget did nothing to deal with the spiralling cost of living. It is a shocking missed opportunity by a government that is completely out of touch.
There is an alternative. Labour would scrap the business rates and replace it with something much better by ensuring online giants pay their fair share. That’s what being pro-business looks like.
We wouldn’t put up National Insurance for working people, we would ensure those with the broadest shoulders pay their share. That’s what being on the side of working people looks like.
We’d end the £1.7 billion subsidy the Government gives private schools and put it straight into local state schools. That’s what being on the side of working families looks like.
We’d deliver a climate investment pledge – £28bn every year for the rest of the decade. That’s Giga-factories to build batteries for electric vehicles, a thriving hydrogen industry and retrofitting, so we keep homes warm and get energy bills down. That’s what real action on climate change looks like.
This country deserves better but they’ll never get it under this Chancellor who gives with one hand but takes so much more with the other.
The truth is this – what you get with these two is a classic con game. It’s like one of those pickpocketing operations you see in crowded places. The Prime Minister is the front man – distracting people with his wild promises. All the while, his Chancellor dips his hand in their pocket. It all seems like fun and games until you walk away and realise your purse has been lifted.
But people are getting wise to them. Every month they feel the pinch. They are tired of the smoke and mirrors, of the bluster, of the false dawns, of the promises of jam tomorrow.
Labour would put working people first. We’d use the power of government and the skill of business to ensure that the next generation of quality jobs are created right here, in Britain.
We’d tax fairly, spend wisely and after a decade of faltering growth, we’d get Britain’s economy firing on all cylinders.
That is what a Labour budget would have done today.
Edinburgh Pentlands SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald said that the Tory UK Government’s budget makes it clear that “independence is the only way to give Edinburgh a fair recovery from the pandemic.”
Gordon MacDonald said that the budget, described by the head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies as “actually awful” for living standards, is failing the people of Scotland by failing to tackle the cost of living crisis, the Brexit crisis and the climate crisis whilst the Tory Government prioritise cuts to the cost of champagne and giving tax breaks to bankers.
The Edinburgh Pentlands MSP said: “What the Tory UK Government has outlined today does not meet the ambition needed to build a fair and sustainable recovery and to tackle the cost of living crisis.
“It’s painfully clear that there will be no fair recovery from the pandemic under Westminster control.
“This Tory budget fails Scotland as a whole and doesn’t go anywhere near supporting people in Edinburgh, who are being hit by an energy crisis, a Brexit crisis, labour shortages and an inflation crisis under Westminster control.
“The UK Government budget is leaving families in Edinburgh hundreds of pounds worse off next year due to Tory cuts, tax hikes and the soaring cost of Brexit.
“It’s little wonder that, in May’s election, the people of Scotland voted overwhelmingly for a different future when they gave the SNP the highest share of the vote since the dawn of devolution and a clear mandate for an independence referendum – Independence is the only way to keep Scotland safe from Tory cuts.”
“The chancellor admitted that we will have zero pay growth across the economy next year. And he has no plan to get real wages rising for everyone after an eleven year pay squeeze, with average real pay growth over the next four years predicted to be just 0.3 per cent.
“He should have announced fair pay deals for whole industries, negotiated with unions, designed to get pay and productivity rising in every sector.
“Families face a triple whammy of a £1,000 universal credit cut, tax hikes and fast-rising energy and food bills. All the while wages across the economy stand still.”
On the universal credit taper cut, she added:
“Workers on universal credit should always have been able to keep more of their wages. This change does not make up for the £1,000 per year cut to universal credit, and does not help those on universal credit who cannot work.”
Centre for Cities’ Chief Executive Andrew Carter said:“Raising the National Living Wage is a quick win for the levelling up agenda and will have the biggest impact in the places that are crucial to the Prime Minister winning the next election. Four of the five places where the most people will benefit are in the North.
“While a pay increase is good news for people struggling with the cost of living crisis, it does not address the reasons why they live on low pay in the first place: a lack of well-paid jobs in their local area.
“We’ve seen today the beginnings of a plan focused on skills, innovation and infrastructure to address this, but turning it from rhetoric to reality will depend on ministers’ willingness to work with metro mayors and councils on delivering it.
“I am now looking to the delayed Levelling Up White Paper to set out how this will happen.”
Katie Schmuecker, Deputy Director of Policy & Partnerships at JRF said:“This is a tale of two Budgets for families on low incomes.
“For those in work, the change to the taper rate and work allowance, alongside the National Living Wage increase, are very positive steps, allowing low-paid workers to keep more of what they earn. Together these measures improve our social security system for working families and demonstrate a serious intent to turn the tide on the pre-pandemic trend of rising in-work poverty.
“But the reality is that millions of people who are unable to work or looking for work will not benefit from these changes. The Chancellor’s decision to ignore them today as the cost of living rises risks deepening poverty among this group, who now have the lowest main rate of out-of-work support in real terms since around 1990.
“Among the people in our society who cannot work are cancer patients, people with disabilities and those caring for young children or elderly parents.
“Their energy bills and weekly shop are going up like everyone else’s and they face immediate hardship, hunger and debt in the months ahead. The Chancellor had an opportunity to support families on the lowest incomes to weather the storm ahead, and he did not take it.”
New analysis by the independent Joseph Rowntree Foundation reveals that the rising cost of living wipes out much of the financial gain some families will receive from the Universal Credit changes announced today.
Weekly incomes and Costs for 2022/23
Family 1: single adult, no children, not working
Family 2: single parent, with one young child (assume age 5), part-time 16 hours per week
Family 3: couple with two young children (assume 7 and 5). One FT worker
Family 4: single parent, with one young child (assume age 5), full-time 35 hours per week
Family 5: Couple with two young children (assume 7 and 5). 1 FT worker (35 hours), 1 PT worker (16 hours)
Weekly income before new announcements
£77
£278
£433
£333
£489
Weekly gain from taper rate and work allowance
£0
£8
£19
£19
£31
Total loss from higher cost of living due to…
-£13
-£16
-£23
-£18
-£24
1) increase in energy prices
-£7
-£7
-£7
-£7
-£7
2) overall cost of living increase
-£6
-£8
-£13
-£8
-£13
3) increase in National Insurance and impact of inflation on earnings
£0
-£1
-£3
-£3
-£4
Overall weekly gain or loss after measures and cost of living
-£13
-£8
-£4
£1
£7
Note all five families lost £20-a-week in October 2021, due to the cut in the Universal Credit Standard Allowance, so all are worse-off than they would have been in September 2021. All workers are assumed to be paid at the National Living Wage rate, so benefit from its increase.
Peter Kelly,Director of the Poverty Alliance, said: “It is a shameful, unjust decision that makes the Chancellor’s rhetoric about ‘levelling up’ seem as empty as the pockets of the hundreds of thousands of people swept into poverty as a result.”
The Church of Scotland will mark this year’s Challenge Poverty Week (4-10 October) with a series of short videos featuring the work of the Priority Areas team and the congregations they support.
In partnership with The Poverty Alliance, the annual event aims to highlight the issue of poverty across Scotland, as well as what can be done by individuals and organisations to campaign for a more equal society.
Starting today (Monday 4 October) the videos will tie in with environmental issues in the run-up to COP26. They will be available for viewing on the Church of Scotland YouTube channel with a new one released each day during the week.
The churches featured are designated as Priority Areas by the Church of Scotland as they are in areas experiencing the greatest impact from poverty according to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
Speaking about Challenge Poverty Week, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Lord (Jim) Wallace, said: “We need not be defeatist in the face of poverty.
“With vision and determined commitment, solutions can be identified and pursued.
“Challenge Poverty Week gives us an opportunity to come together, and with a united voice calling for such a commitment.”
Shirley Grieve, who is the Church of Scotland’s Priority Areas secretary, said: “As we enter Challenge Poverty week and join our voices in Priority Areas with others engaged in this campaign, we are mindful of the challenges people already struggling with poverty will face this winter.
“On top of the removal of the £20 weekly supplement on Universal Credit, people are already facing huge increases in fuel costs as a result of the recent surge in gas prices.
“We hope people will be encouraged to take part in Challenge Poverty week in whatever way possible and show that we can take action together to eradicate poverty.”
The Priority Areas team will also be holding a series of webinars throughout the month of October, which will explore the connection between climate change and poverty.
Peter Kelly, director of The Poverty Alliance, said: “Too many people in Scotland are living with the constant pressure of living in poverty.
“As we plan our economic recovery, we must redesign our economy to reflect the values of justice and compassion we all share.
“By boosting people’s incomes and reducing the cost of living we can solve make sure we all have what we need.”
Join in on social media using the hashtags #ChallengePoverty #NowIsTheTime
With Challenge Poverty Week fast approaching we wanted to let you know about a couple of events the Poverty Alliance are organising during the week …
Challenge Poverty Lecture: Baroness Ruth Lister
5th October, 6.30pm
Across a distinguished career as a campaigner and academic Baroness Professor Ruth Lister has explored how we understand and conceive poverty, and how these understandings impact both the experience of poverty and our responses to it. Recurring themes in her work include the connection between poverty and human rights; the differential experiences of poverty; discourses of poverty, in particular the experience of ‘othering’.
For the Challenge Poverty Lecture 2021 Professor Lister will explore these themes and what they mean for addressing poverty in Scotland during and after the pandemic.
This year’s lecture will take place online. For more information and to register please click here
Rights in Recovery: Protecting Rights and Tackling Poverty After Covid
Poverty Alliance Annual Conference
8 October 2021, 9.45am-2pm
As we now look forward towards a period of recovery from the pandemic, this conference will consider how we can both tackle poverty and ensure that the human rights of those who have been most affected can be protected and extended. The discussions at the conference will be used to feed into the development of the Scottish Government’s Child Poverty Delivery Plan, as well as the informing the new Human Rights Bill.
Speakers include John Swinney MSP, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery Plans, Professor Olivier de Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Judith Robertson, Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People’s Commissioner for Scotland, and Moira Tasker, CEO of Inclusion Scotland.
