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.”
The progress being made by the Scottish Government in reducing the educational attainment gap will be explored by the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee as it begins a year long piece of work on the issue.
Recent figures show a large difference between the average attainment of pupils in the most and least deprived areas. For example, 28% of children from poorer families perform well in numeracy, compared to 56% of those from advantaged backgrounds. Children from poorer families are also more likely to leave school early and without a qualification.
The Scottish Government has recently committed to ‘pick up the pace’ in closing the differences in attainment between children from the most and least disadvantaged backgrounds. The Committee will monitor progress and consider how successfully this commitment is being delivered by all bodies.
As part of this, the Poverty Alliance hopes to feed into Session 3 of the inquiry which looks at the involvement of parents. We have compiled a short survey which should take under ten minutes to complete. We would like as many parents as possible to take part. The survey can be found here. If you are a parent, we would love to hear your views.
Please feel free to forward onto anyone else you know who may be interested.
For more information, please email carla.mccormack@povertyalliance.org
‘The Low Pay Commission should do what it says on the tin – and fight for the low paid’ – GMB General Secretary Paul Kenny
The Low Pay Commission LPC) has recommended to the Government that the adult rate of the National Minimum Wage should rise by 3 per cent to £6.70 from October – but trade union leaders and anti-poverty campaigners argue the increase simply isn’t enough
The LPC’s aim is to advise on a rate that protects as many low-paid workers as possible without damaging jobs or the economy. The Commission says it has carefully weighed the risk of doing too little to raise the earnings of the lowest paid against the risk of recommending more than business and the economy can afford.
With inflation now forecast at 0.5 per cent, would, if accepted by the Government:
Commenting on the recommendation, David Norgrove, Chair of the LPC said: “Last year we were pleased to recommend the first real terms increase in the value of the minimum wage since the recession. We argued that the minimum wage had proved its worth over the course of the slowdown, increasing relative to earnings generally and protecting the low paid during the downturn in a way not seen before albeit, as with wages for all other workers, its real value fell.
“Sharp increases in the minimum wage would put jobs at risk – not least bearing in mind pressure on low-paying sectors and small firms. We do believe however that the continued recovery, and in particular the impressive growth in employment of the low paid, should this year allow a further increase in the real and relative value of the minimum wage.
“An increase of 3 per cent to £6.70 is a larger real terms increase than last year and, on the basis of the most recent Bank of England inflation forecast, should restore three-quarters of the fall in the real value of the NMW relative to its peak in 2007.
“We judge that the improved economic and labour market conditions mean once again that employers will be able to respond in a way that supports employment. However, our recommendation this year is predicated on a forecast which foresees lower costs for business in fuel and energy, a strong economic performance, significant recovery in earnings across the economy and rising productivity. If these expectations are not borne out over the year we will take this into account when considering next year’s recommendation”.
As well as its recommendation for the adult rate, the Low Pay Commission has also recommended:
However some argue that the increase doesn’t go far enough. The GMB trade union has called on Vince Cable to revise the LPC’s proposal of £6.70 National Minimum Wage from October to make up ground lost during the recession. The GMB says the rate should be at least £6.99 per hour.
Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary, said “This is a missed opportunity by the Low Pay Commission to uprate the national minimum wage to the real term rate that it was before the recession hit in 2007. Vince Cable should revise the proposal.
“With the economic recovery under way there is no justification for the national minimum wage not going back to where it was in real terms before the recession.
“The Low Pay Commission should have recommended a rate of at least £6.99 per hour from October 2015 to make up the ground lost since the rate was fixed at £5.65 from 1st October 2006 before the recession.
“The Low Pay Commission should do what it says on the tin – and fight for the low paid.
“There has to be a concerted effort to make work pay. If this was done, staff would not need their meagre wages to be topped up by taxpayers with family tax credits and housing benefits so as to make ends meet.
“GMB members tell us that in their experience at least £10 an hour and a full working week is needed to have a decent life free from benefits and tax credits. Less than £10 an hour means just existing not living. It means a life of isolation, unable to socialise. It means a life of constant anxiety over paying bills and of borrowing from friends, family and pay day loan sharks just to make ends meet.”
The Poverty Alliance is spearheading the campaign for a living wage in Scotland.
“The Scottish Living Wage Campaign believes that a job should help you out of poverty, not keep you there.
“The National Minimum Wage is not enough for individuals in Scotland to access the essentials of everyday life. £6.50 per hour will just never be enough to cover the day to day basics, nevermind to save some money or plan for emergencies.
“Hundreds of thousands of workers are being paid wages that basically equate to poverty pay. This is simply not right.”
New report shows growing demand for emergency food aid
More than 160 groups and organisations are now providing emergency food aid in Scotland. The figure is in a new report from the Poverty Alliance which states changes to the social security system and the introduction of sanctions, as well as low pay and insecure work are some of the main factors behind the growing need for emergency food.
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Alex Neil launched the report at a food bank in his Airdrie constituency yesterday.
The Scottish Government has now provided the Poverty Alliance with £28,941 to carry out further work with emergency food providers. This will enable the Alliance to work with those providers to take forward research findings and to focus more strongly on the causes of food poverty and work towards ensuring people get the help needed to move them away from reliance on food aid provision.
Mr Neil said: “The Poverty Alliance report perfectly demonstrates the impact of UK welfare changes. It is unacceptable that so many have had to resort to foodbanks. Emergency food aid is not a sustainable response to the issue of food poverty and its underlying drivers and it cannot become an established feature of the welfare system in Scotland.”
“We have seen previously in figures from the The Trussell Trust, that there has been a shocking increase in food bank usage. This speaks volumes about the real poverty in our society when people can’t feed their families without help and support from food aid organisations.”
The Poverty Alliance report follows figures from The Trussell Trust which shows a rapid and dramatic rise in the number of people accessing emergency food aid in Scotland.
The Trussell Trust has reported a 12 fold increase in usage of emergency food aid in just three years – in 2011/12 5726 people in Scotland accessed food aid, while in 2013/14 that figure was 71,428.
The Poverty Alliance report concludes that more effort should be concentrated on how emergency food aid providers can better connect people with mainstream support services. Providers working in close partnership with other services have been shown to offer better support to those in need, connecting them to the advice and support required to address underlying issues which have led them to access emergency food aid in the first place.
Director of The Poverty Alliance Peter Kelly said: “We need to build on the good work that food aid providers are already doing. Volunteers are providing help to people experiencing real difficulties in often complex circumstances. There is a need to develop partnership working between emergency food aid providers to share ideas, experiences and good practice.
“In the longer term we need to ensure that we are developing policy solutions that address the root causes of food poverty. The support from the Scottish Government will help the Poverty Alliance ensure that those who are on the frontline tackling food poverty are able to contribute to finding these solutions.”
The Trussell Trust Scotland Network Manager Ewan Gurr added: “It has been a pleasure to work alongside and support the research carried out by our colleagues at the Poverty Alliance and we appreciate the consistency of the Scottish Government as they explore creative ways to tackle food poverty in Scotland.
“The voluntary sector, largely, has an openness to exploring fresh ways in which we can enhance the level of support people are offered. We welcome the report and believe it is important for us, as well as other food providers, to digest the findings. It has always been my ultimate desire that our foodbanks are places where dignity is restored, hope is revived and the support is comprehensive and robust.”
To help food aid providers develop a better understanding of the range of support available for users of emergency food aid and identify additional support, the Poverty Alliance has developed a web based resource to assist those delivering emergency food aid better link with mainstream services such as Citizen’s Advice Scotland as well as with other information and links to key support services at www.foodaidscotland.org
