UK Poverty 2026: The essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK
This report sets out the nature of poverty in the UK, and evaluates changes under the last Conservative-led Government.
It also sets out the scale of action necessary for the current Government to deliver the change it has promised.
Today, we’ve launched our annual state of the nation report, UK Poverty 2026. The report, which accounts for the time just before the current government took power and clearly shows the depth of the problem and the scale of the challenge.
Some of the key findings of the report include:
More than one in five people in the UK, around 14.2 million, were living in poverty. Britain’s poorest are getting poorer: 6.8 million people are now living in very deep poverty, almost half of everyone in poverty, the highest level on record.
Poverty has hardened, not eased: the average person in poverty now lives 29% below the poverty line, compared with 23% in the mid-1990s.
Child poverty has climbed again: 4.5 million children are in poverty, rising for the third year in a row.
Hunger is spreading fast: 1.1 million more people in poverty cannot afford enough food than two years ago bringing the total to 3.5 million, while 2.8 million more people overall are now food insecure bringing the total to 7.5 million.
Work doesn’t guarantee security: around two-thirds of working-age adults in poverty, 5.4 million people, live in households where someone is in work.
New JRF analysis shows that, under central Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) projections, the headline poverty rate will remain broadly unchanged (21.3% to 21.1%) between 2026 and 2029.
Current policies will see little progress towards meeting the government’s manifesto commitment to end the mass dependence on food banks.
People in very deep poverty now make up the biggest group of people in poverty, at 6.8 million people.
This is unacceptable for the fifth richest country in the world, and it has consequences.
Overall poverty rates have flatlined since 2005/06 at just over a fifth. The longer a family spends in poverty, the worse the effects on that family.
The longer we tolerate unacceptably high levels of poverty, the worse it is for our country.
THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW.
We found that Britain’s poorest people are getting poorer. And poverty is hardening, not easing.
Almost 1/2 of all people in poverty in very deep poverty
More than 1/4 disabled people living in poverty
Around 2/3 of working-age adults in poverty live in a household where someone is in work
Feelings of frustration – and the need for urgent action – were evident
The lives behind the numbers — unacceptably tough, and getting harder
With a foreward from our Grassroots Poverty Action Group (GPAG), this report speaks to some of the policies that would lift hundreds of thousands of children, disabled people and other families out of poverty.
It can be done, and it has been done before. The alternative is a reality that feels harder to thrive in.
For the first time ever, Impact Arts is launching a manifesto ahead of the 2026 Scottish elections.
Our vision: A Scotland where people and communities benefit from life-transforming creativity that tackles inequalities and addresses poverty.
CEO Fiona Doring says: “For decades, Impact Arts has seen first hand how arts-based approaches transform their lives through improving wellbeing, strengthening communities, and developing life chances.
“Ahead of the 2026 Scottish elections, we urge decision makers to recognise the arts as a vital part of building a fairer, healthier, and more connected Scotland.”
OUR MANIFESTO ASKS
Scotland’s leaders, we urge you to:
1. Recognise Creative Engagement as a Public Health Approach
2. Improve Access to Creative Preventative Mental Health Approaches
3. Ensure Access to Arts-Based Therapies for Children Facing Trauma and Poverty
4. Embed Creative, Flexible and Person-Centred Approaches into Whole Family Wellbeing
5. Support Creative Ageing to Bring Joy to Later Years
6. Increase Access to Quality Arts-Based Education & Employment Programmes
7. Support Neurodiverse Young People Through Quality Arts & Creativity Projects
8. Promote Creative Home-Making as Key to Sustaining Tenancies & Preventing Homelessness
9. Celebrate Creative Placemaking
Impact Arts urges Scotland’s leaders to embed creativity across public policy. By investing in arts-based and creative approaches, we can build a more inclusive, stronger, and imaginative society.
Explore our extended manifesto featuring references to research and commentary from Culture Counts, Arts Culture Health and Wellbeing Scotland, Voluntary Health Scotland, Social Biobehavioural Research Group, National Academy for Social Prescribing, Scotland’s Mental Health Partnership, The Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland, Children’s and Youth Arts Advocacy (CYAA), Scottish Autism, Homeless Network Scotland, and SURF – Scotland’s Regeneration Forum.
At yesterday’s meeting of the city council’s Finance and Resource Committee (Thursday 15 January) the Scottish Greens presented an amendment which drew attention to a £15m Scottish government budget cut to community organisations and the end of Investment in Communities.
The shock proposed cut by the Scottish government risks a long list of local community groups being left high and dry as core funding for charities continues to be a pressing issue in the city (see list below).
Finance spokesperson Alex Staniforth said, “We’re glad our amendment passed at committee and officers will investigate the impact of these proposed cuts, but every time we think we’ve got a handle on cuts to the third sector some other proposal comes forward to squeeze it still further.
“The Scottish government should reflect on whether this is the best way to save £15 million given the vital work community organisations do in the city.”
List of Edinburgh organisations potentially affected:
About Youth, Calder Youth Action Project (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £105,822
Community Renewal Trust, Our Neighbourhood: A new hyperlocal Community Wealth Building partnership, City of Edinburgh, £300,732
Dr. Bell’s Family Centre, Start Well, Live Well: Wellbeing Support for Families in Leith, City of Edinburgh, £348,067
Edinburgh Food Social Cic, Changing Craigmillar Food Culture, City of Edinburgh, £325,847
Fresh Start, Fresh Connections, City of Edinburgh, £280,201
North Edinburgh Arts, North Edinburgh Arts Link Up, City of Edinburgh, £331,400
Space @ The Broomhouse Hub, Together We Can, City of Edinburgh, £350,000
The Venchie Children And Young People’s Project, Family Support Service, City of Edinburgh, £208,732
Transition Edinburgh South (Scotland) Ltd, Investing in Gracemount, City of Edinburgh, £302,196
Whale, The Arts Agency, Creativity, Place and Enterprise in Wester Hailes (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £332,494
Budgets reflect the choices and priorities of our Governments. Our political leaders have a responsibility to use them to build an economy and society in which all people the income necessary to live in decency and dignity.
In October 2025, thousands of people from across Scotland took to the streets of Edinburgh in the Scotland Demands Better campaign march and rally, the largest anti-poverty demonstration our country has seen in decades.
They stood together to demand that politicians build a Scotland free from poverty, creating the conditions for better jobs, better investment in life’s essentials and vitally, better social security.
In this briefing, we set out how MSPs can build a better future for Scotland’s children:
Our Community Pantries offer a unique, low cost way to access a variety of foods, including Chilled and fresh produce, and ambient cupboard staples.
We’re working so that no one suffers from food insecurity – it’s part of our work tackling the causes and consequences of homelessness.
Find our pantries at St Brides Centre, Goodtrees Community Centre, The Neighbourhood Centre, The Ripple, Hibernian Community Foundation, Valley Park Community Centre and Southside Community Centre.
Two-child limit mitigation funding for 2025-26 reinvested to tackle child poverty
More support will be available to families and households to help cover the cost of life’s essentials and to deal with emergencies.
First Minister John Swinney has confirmed that £10 million originally earmarked in 2025-26 to support the two-child limit mitigation payment in Scotland will be reallocated to tackling child poverty.
The majority of the funding will be split between charities and government programmes that provide emergency financial support, including:
£5.5 million additional funding for the Scottish Welfare Fund. The fund is administered by local authorities and provides people on low incomes with emergency grants if they are facing crisis, homelessness or other housing or caring challenges
An additional £0.55 million for Aberlour Children’s Charity and £1.5 million for Children First to provide extra emergency support to families in crisis
£1.5 million for the Corra Foundation to distribute additional emergency funds via local organisations
A further £1 million will support various strands of the Scottish Government’s national Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2022-2026, including parental employability schemes, funding to support women back into the workforce, additional investment into the King’s Trust’s NHS employability programmes, and targeted support for households experiencing homelessness.
Visiting children’s charity Children First, First Minister John Swinney said: “When I became First Minister, I said that I will pursue priorities that will make Scotland the best our country can be, and the most important priority that I have pursued in government has been that of eradicating child poverty.
“We have made progress. Scotland is the only part of the UK where relative child poverty rates fell in the last year. Our investment in a more dignified and generous social security system, funded childcare, free school meals and free bus travel for under-22s is putting more money in families’ pockets.
“However, as we start 2026, there are still far too many children in Scotland growing up hungry, or cold, and unable to reach their full potential. That is unacceptable.
“Today’s announcement will provide some immediate short-term relief for individuals and families facing the most challenging of circumstances. Our local authorities and charities have well-established means of getting support out quickly to people in need.
“Next week we will set out in more detail our intention to put tackling child poverty at the heart of the next Scottish Budget and I look forward to unveiling landmark interventions to drive this work forward.”
Chief Executive of Children First, Scotland’s national children’s charity, Mary Glasgow said: “These funds from the Scottish Government will allow Children First to offer life changing and immediate support to thousands of children as part of the national mission to eradicate child poverty.
“Through our national support line we will be able to reach more children and families to offer the financial, practical and emotional support they need to improve their circumstances and tackle the hardships they face in the short and longer term.
“Any family in Scotland in need of help can contact Children First’s friendly, specialist support line team 365 days a year by calling 08000 28 22 33 or starting a web chat at www.childrenfirst.org.uk/supportline.”
Chief Executive of Aberlour Justina Murray said: “Aberlour is delighted to receive this funding boost from the Scottish Government for our Urgent Assistance Fund.
“We know that families living in poverty particularly struggle with the cost of living during the winter months, with the post-Christmas period particularly challenging and often very bleak.
“This additional funding will be used to provide emergency cash grants via our UAF to families in desperate need for essentials like heating, food, warm clothing and bedding.
“This generous contribution by the Scottish Government will ensure that around 1,660 families living in poverty will have the basic essentials they need this winter such as food on the table, adequate clothing for their children and a warm home at night.”
The Scottish Welfare Fund is made up of two different grants (Crisis Grant and Community Care Grant) which can be applied for through your local authority and do not need to be paid back.
To apply for a grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund you must be 16 or older and on a low income or getting certain benefits.
As we step into 2026, we’re reflecting on a year that showed both the scale of hardship in the UK and the power of people coming together to change it.
Last year our network of food banks supported millions facing crisis, while continuing to push for the changes needed to tackle the root causes of poverty and hunger.
None of this happened by chance. It happened because of the commitment, compassion and determination of our food banks, volunteers, partners and supporters across the country.
Now, we’re looking ahead. Because emergency food should never be the answer, and together, we can make even more change in 2026.
Last winter, food banks in the Trussell community across Scotland provided an emergency food parcel to someone every 2 minutes 12 seconds.
Over 19,000 food parcels were provided for Scottish children last winter – that’s just under one in every three parcels, according to new figures
Over 5,400 families visited a Trussell food in Scotland for the first time last winter, with thousands expected once again this year
The level of support provided by food banks to people in Scotland aged 65 and over last winter was almost double (+99% higher) than what it was before the pandemic
Still Games star Sanjeev Kohli calls on the public to support food banks this Christmas
New figures from Trussell reveal alarming numbers of people in Scotland needing support from a food bank over the winter period.
Over 59,000 emergency food parcels were distributed overall last winter between December 2024 and February 2025 to people across Scotland with more than 19,000 of these provided for children – representing just under one in every three parcels.
There has been an alarming increase in the support provided for people aged 65 and over. Last winter, people aged 65 and over received more than 1,400 food parcels – that’s nearly double (99% higher) the level of support compared to the same period five years ago.
Last winter alone, over 5,400 families visited a Trussell food bank in Scotland for the first time and -as the country heads into the festive season – the charity estimates that once again thousands of people will need to turn to a food bank for the first time.
Last winter food banks in the Trussell community across Scotland provided emergency food to someone every 2 minutes 12 seconds.
Over the coldest months this year, as the rising costs of essentials – like food, electricity and rent – push more families to the brink, we expect to see sustained high levels of need.
Winter is consistently the busiest season for food banks, with need typically peaking due to colder temperatures and increased energy costs. At this time of year, food banks play a vital role in ensuring that people who cannot afford the essentials can still get by.
But worryingly, over half (58%) of Trussell’s community of food banks across the UK say that preparing for this winter feels harder than ever, as levels of need continue to outpace donations.
Many food banks say they are at breaking point and having to purchase significant amounts of food just to keep up.
Last winter alone, food banks in Scotland spent an estimated £205,000 on food as donations struggled to keep up with high levels of need.
That’s why Trussell is urging people to support them and their local food banks in any way possible – to help provide emergency food and advice for people facing hardship and play their part in ending hunger for good.
Sanjeev Kohli, Still Games star and Trussell supporter, said: “Finport and Craiglang might be fictional, but in very real communities the length and breadth of our country, too many people will struggle to afford the essentials this winter and will have no choice but to turn to their local food bank for support.
“No one should have to face our bitterly cold months worrying about whether to heat their home or have a hot meal, but so many people sadly will. No one should be forced to a food bank because they don’t have enough money to live on.
“Winter is often the busiest time for food banks, but when you walk through their doors you’re met with such warmth and care. I’ve witnessed first-hand the relief that food banks provide to people facing hardship and it’s a reminder of the compassion and dignity that brings our communities together, even in the toughest of times.
“It breaks my heart that so many people will be forced to turn to a food bank to support themselves or their families this winter, that’s why I’d ask all of you to get down to your version of Navid’s and fill your basket with items for your local food bank. You can also support Trussell’s winter appeal by making a donation through their website.”
Lynsey, a mum from Fife who was forced to turn to a food bank after her relationship broke down, said: “I was working full-time but my world collapsed when my partner left.
“It meant I had to leave my job to care for the children, and not long after I was also registered disabled. I have five children and after I became ill, I reached a point where I was completely overwhelmed.
“I was nervous when I first went to the food bank. I was worried I’d be judged but this wasn’t the case at all. The staff and volunteers were so welcoming and reminded me that keeping my children happy and fed was what mattered most.
“They provided us with emergency food when we couldn’t afford the essentials and I couldn’t be more grateful. Life is still tough and this winter will be a struggle once again with extra costs, like heating and energy bills.
“Thankfully, it’s such a relief to know that the food bank will be there to support my family. I don’t know what I’d do without them.”
Cara Hilton, Trussell’s senior public affairs manager in Scotland, said: “Christmas should be a time of joy and celebration, but too many people in Scotland will be struggling just to get by.
“Thousands of families will be forced to turn to a food bank for the first time as they are left exhausted, isolated and without enough money to live on.
“Essentials like food on the table, a warm home and toiletries become a luxury many people simply cannot afford as people will be forced to make impossible decisions like whether to eat or heat their homes this winter.
“As the coldest months draw in, food banks need your help now more than ever. If you are in a position to help, you can make sure food banks are there for everyone who needs their support this winter by donating to Trussell’s winter appeal.
“Food banks are a lifeline, but they shouldn’t have to exist. This winter, will you help end hunger for someone today, and play your part in ending hunger for good?”
Lori Hughes, project manager at Perth and Kinross Foodbank, said: “We’re preparing for another very tough winter, and we’re asking for the support of our whole community so we can continue to be here for people facing hunger and hardship.
“Every week we see working families, carers, pensioners, and people just doing their very best to get by – and it shouldn’t be this way.
“This winter, we expect to distribute almost 2,500 emergency food parcels, and this means we’ll need over 24 tonnes of food to be donated to meet need. To put that in perspective, that’s the weight of 46 adult male polar bears.
“Food banks are not the answer, but right now they’re a lifeline. Donations are down, while need remains consistently high. When people’s cupboards are empty, our shelves must be full – and that is becoming harder to sustain.
“If you’re able to support us, whether through food, money, or time, it will make a real and immediate difference this winter.”
STUC Disabled Workers Conference 2025: Usdaw seeks to tackle poverty and address the impact of new technology
Retail trade union Usdaw has a delegation of members, reps and officials attending the annual Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) Disabled Workers Conference in Glasgow this weekend, 22 and 23 November.
The union is raising the impact of new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), on disabled workers; along with seeking action to address and prevent disabled people’s poverty.
Tony Doonan – Usdaw regional secretary for Scotland says:“New technologies are dramatically changing the world of work and the daily lives of workers.
“The pace and scale of change is accelerating and disabled workers are disproportionately affected by technological advancement.
“The Scottish Government’s response remains a significant factor in disabled people’s inequality. Unless unions, and specifically disabled workers, are properly consulted about the development, application and implementation of new technologies in the workplace, including AI, disabled workers will continue to be discriminated against and excluded.”
Usdaw is calling on the STUC to work with all key stakeholders including governments to:
· Ensure conversations and decisions regarding the introduction of new technologies in the workplace include disabled workers, to improve their access to and experiences of paid work.
· Introduce a statutory duty requiring employers in both the public and private sectors to conduct and publish equality impact assessments specifically on the introduction of new technologies at work.
Tony Doonan continued:“Disabled people are already more likely to be living in poverty, with the continuing cost of living crisis adding to the extra costs that come with living as a disabled person.
“Disabled people also continue to face discrimination in the labour market and are more likely to be employed on short-hours contracts in low-paid work. The Adult Disability Payment in Scotland is key to enabling disabled people to meet the additional costs of being disabled, including costs associated with work.
“The recent publication of an independent review calls for a simplified and more accessible application process. Significantly, the review urges the Scottish Government to protect and improve access to ADP, advising them against restricting eligibility or introducing further barriers to application.
“We urge the Scottish Government to adopt the recommendations, including investing in sustainable funding for welfare advice services and more inclusive communication.”
Usdaw is calling on the Scottish Government to take a strategic and preventative approach to disabled people’s poverty by dealing with the long-term drivers including:
· Reviewing the adequacy of all disability benefits and disability-related premiums.
· Working with the UK Government to fully implement the disability pay gap reporting proposals in the UK’s draft Equality Bill.
· Raising awareness of the crucial role the social model plays in disability equality, and ensuring that they lead by example, embedding it in their approach to policy and decision making.
For the first time ever, Impact Arts is launching a manifesto ahead of the 2026 Scottish elections.
Scotland’s leaders, we urge you to:
Explore our extended manifesto featuring references to research and commentary from Culture Counts, 
