Scottish charity Arts & Business Scotland has been officially accredited as a Living Wage employer by the Living Wage Foundation and Scottish accreditation body, the Poverty Alliance, joining organisations in Scotland who have committed to paying their staff at least the Living Wage rate of £8.45 an hour. Continue reading Arts & Business Scotland becomes Living Wage employer
It’s dedicated team of 41 Armed Forces veterans hand assemble more than five million poppies and 12,000 wreaths every year – but now Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory (LHPF) can add another feather to its cap after becoming an accredited Living Wage Employer. Continue reading Poppy Factory becomes Living Wage Employer
Hello,
You are invited to the following event:
Event to be held at the following time, date and location:
Saturday, 26 November 2016 from 10:00 to 13:00 (GMT)
Cineworld Fountainpark
30/3 Dundee Street,
EH11 1AF Edinburgh
United Kingdom
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You are invited to a private screening of the film I Daniel Blake with a Q and A on Saturday 26th November at Cineworld Fountainpark Edinburgh. The film will be followed by a Q&A session which will begin immediately after the film screening.
On the panel will be Peter Kelly, Director of Poverty Alliance, Bill Scott from Inclusion Scotland, Paul Laverty, script writer for IDB, Jack Munro National campaigner around IDB, Sacha Callaghan, Disability History Group, a spokesperson for the STUC and a representative of the Scottish Parliament.
We hope you can join us and participate in this event.
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We hope you can make it.
Best,
Action Against Austerity
The First Minister has welcomed the new Living Wage rate of £8.45 an hour and urged more Scottish organisations to sign up as Accredited Living Wage Employers. The rise of 20 pence will benefit thousands of employees at Living Wage-accredited organisations in Scotland. Continue reading Living Wage set at £8.45
The City of Edinburgh Council introduced the Living Wage for its employees in 2013 and has now gained accreditation through the Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative. Continue reading Living Wage accreditation for city council
Hi everyone
Just a wee reminder about the community event we are having in the centre on Wednesday. The aim of the event is to give people from North Edinburgh an opportunity to take part in the Scottish Government’s consultation process on a new Social Security System for Scotland.
We will be kicking off at 10.00 and finishing at 12.30. A community lunch will be provided afterwards in the cafe. To help us with the arrangements for the day, we would appreciate if you could let us know if you are coming and if you require childcare or have any other needs we should be aware of.
Thanks and best wishes
Lynn
At least 2,000 people who have direct experience of receiving benefits are to help shape Scotland’s first ever social security system. People from across the country who currently receive a benefit which will be devolved to Scotland, or who have received it in the last year, will be recruited to help to design and test the new system to ensure it works for them.
The Experience Groups will be set up from spring 2017, and will build on the feedback which is already being gathered through the Scottish Government’s current social security consultation.
Announcing the project, Cabinet Secretary for Social Security, Angela Constance said: “We want to build a fairer social security system that treats people with dignity and respect. When we set out our guiding principles for social security, we said that we would put the user experience first, and that our system would be designed with and for the people of Scotland.
“As part of that process we are already consulting with a wide range of people from across Scotland to gather their feedback on how the current system works.
“We have listened to what goes well, but have also heard many reports of the problems so many people face when accessing benefits. We want to make sure that does not happen in our new system – therefore we will recruit at least 2,000 people from across Scotland, who are in receipt of benefits, to help us shape and test our new system.
“We are determined that our new social security system is built to support those people who need it most. This crucial involvement from people with direct experience of receiving social security payments will help make sure that we get it right.”
Once fully devolved, Scotland will take control of around £2.7 billion, or 15% of the total Scottish social security bill. The remainder of spending in Scotland will remain under control of the UK Government.
The Scottish Government is currently consulting on Scotland’s first ever social security consultation. You can give you views at https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/social-security/social-security-in-scotland
You can also get involved in the consultation by email at socialsecurityconsultation@gov.scot or telephone on 0131 244 7763 or in writing at Social Security Consultation, 5th Floor, 5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw, Glasgow, G2 8LU.
LOCAL EVENT: ROYSTON WARDIEBURN COMMUNITY CENTRE
Wednesday 26 October 10am – 12.30pm
We inivte you/your group to take part in a local consultation event about Social Security in Scotland. The event will take place in Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre on Wednesday 26th October from 10 – 12.30. The event has been organised in conjunction with the Poverty Alliance who have been running these sessions throughout Scotland during the last couple of months. We are keen to ensure that people from North Edinburgh who have experience of the current system are able to take part in the process and have their voices heard.
Continue reading Scots on benefits to help shape our welfare system
Hi folks,
I am writing to invite you/your group to take part in a local consultation event about Social Security in Scotland. The event will take place in Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre on Wednesday 26th October from 10 – 12.30. Continue reading Have your say on our benefits system
Scotland on track to hit Living Wage target
A significant milestone in the push to have 500 Living Wage-accredited employers in Scotland has been reached. Beatson Cancer Charity has been confirmed as the 300th employer to be accredited, meaning that Scotland is well on track to reach its target by March next year.
The charity delivers a range of patient and family support including patient wellbeing and complementary therapy services. These are delivered through their unique and award-winning Wellbeing Centre and throughout the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre and related facilities throughout the West of Scotland.
They also provide funding for a range of specialist posts including specialist nursing, radiography, physics and research-based staff as well as providing funding for enhanced medical equipment, innovative service developments, unique research projects and developmental staff training.
Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training Roseanna Cunningham said: “The Scottish Government is committed to fairness and supporting those on the lowest incomes. We recognise the real difference the Living Wage can make to working people and are leading by example by becoming the first accredited government in the UK earlier this year.
“We have been working closely with the Poverty Alliance to encourage employers to seek accreditation and today’s landmark demonstrates excellent progress in our aim to have 500 employers signed up by next March.
“The charity and its staff is a key partner of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and of NHS Scotland and they should be commended for their work in supporting the treatment, care and wellbeing of current and former cancer patients and their families. Today’s news ensures that all staff at the charity will be paid the Living Wage, good news for staff and a good example set for the sector in Scotland.
“Research shows that the Living Wage can enhance productivity, reduce absenteeism and improve staff morale, but we need even more organisations to recognise those benefits and sign up for accreditation and help those on the lowest pay.”
David Welch, Chief Executive of Beatson Cancer Charity said: “Beatson Cancer Charity is proud to be the 300th Living Wage-accredited employer and to have contributed to reaching this significant landmark. We are committed to continue to support this initiative and to ensuring that all of our staff are well supported and paid a fair wage for their work.”
Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance said: “Warm congratulations to the Beatson Cancer Charity on becoming the 300th employer in Scotland to receive accreditation as a Living Wage Employer. Over the course of the past year, employers from the public, private and third sectors in Scotland have been standing up to be counted as Living Wage Employers.
”Scotland now has the highest public awareness of the Living Wage, and has the fastest rate in terms of growth of number of accredited Living Wage Employers than any other part of the UK.”
