Tag: Poverty

Supporting people in hardship through Cash-First Fund

Organisations at the frontline of helping people facing poverty and hardship can now apply for a share of government funding to help tackle food insecurity.

The £1.6 million Cash-First Fund is aimed at public sector and third sector partnerships to deliver cash grants for food and other essentials, helping to reduce the need for food parcels.

Up to £200,000 will be made available to partnerships including community food initiatives, local authority teams, and money advice services.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Taking a cash-first approach to tackling food insecurity means people can access the essentials they need while maintaining dignity. When this is delivered collaboratively, with advice and support to strengthen people’s income, it can also help prevent future hardship.

“Local public and third sector services know their communities best and are well-placed to support households in crisis, so I encourage them to work together and apply for the Cash-First Fund.

“Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is a critical mission for this government and our actions are already making a difference to households, including some of our most vulnerable children, across Scotland. The Cash-First Fund is another important milestone on this journey and our learning from this will take us another step closer towards a Scotland without the need for food banks.”

Head of Scotland at the Trussell Trust, Polly Jones said: “Cash-first partnerships will play a key role in taking us closer to a Scotland where no one needs to use a food bank.

“We are delighted the Scottish Government is launching this innovative pilot, supporting public sector bodies and community organisations to work together to ensure people get the support they need in a crisis and to reduce the need for food banks in their communities.”

Coordinator of the Independent Food Aid Network, Sabine Goodwin said: “This funding provides a critical opportunity to cement local cash first actions aimed at reducing food insecurity.

“Ending the need for food banks undoubtedly requires strategic vision and close collaboration at a local level. We very much welcome the Scottish Government’s support of local partnerships and the prioritisation of a cash first approach to food insecurity.

Cash-First Fund: form and guidance

Public and third sector partnerships are invited to apply to the Cash-First Fund by 5pm on Friday 1 September.

Up to eight successful partnerships will each be provided with up to £200,000 over two years to deliver activities that improve urgent local access to cash in a crisis.

Scotland is the first nation in the UK to publish a plan towards ending the need for food banks, and this ambition is shared by food bank networks.

Anyone who is struggling financially can get advice through their local authority, a local advice service, Social Security Scotland or by visiting the Scottish Government’s cost of living website: https://costofliving.campaign.gov.scot/

Progress in tackling child poverty

Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan report published

It is estimated that 90,000 fewer children will live in relative and absolute poverty this year as a result of Scottish Government policies.

The Scottish Government analysis is published alongside the first annual report on its Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan ‘Best Start, Bright Futures’.

The report sets out progress made on the four year plan, including that an estimated £3.03 billion was invested across a range of programmes targeted at low income households in 2022-23, with £1.25 billion directly benefiting children.

These figures represent an increase of £430 million and £150 million respectively, compared with 2021-22. As a result of that spending, poverty levels this year will be nine percentage points lower than they would have otherwise been.

The report also details key actions to help households and address the three main drivers of poverty – income from employment, cost of living and income from social security and benefits.

These include almost £83 million to help deliver employability support, introducing a rent cap to help protect tenants during the cost of living crisis and providing over £84 million to support housing costs, while increasing the Scottish Child Payment by 150% and expanding it to all eligible children under 16.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The report demonstrates that we are preventing children falling into poverty and lifting people out of it. This year, 90,000 fewer children will live in poverty as a result of the concerted actions and focus we are providing, including lifting an estimated 50,000 children lifted out of hardship through the Scottish Child Payment.

“We are focused on driving forward action at the pace and scale required and the investment of around £3 billion in a range of programmes, with £1.25 billion directly benefiting children, demonstrates our commitment to taking action.

“By March this year, 303,000 children were receiving the Scottish Child Payment. Having increased the payment by 150% and by extending it to eligible children under 16, we are providing vital financial support to families worth £1300 a year.

“At the First Minister’s Anti-Poverty Summit in May our stakeholders, partners and people who have experienced poverty backed the approach we are taking. We will continue to do everything we can within the scope of our limited powers and fixed budget to help give more children the start in life they deserve.

“But it is only with the full economic and fiscal powers of an independent nation that Ministers can use all levers other governments have to tackle poverty and inequalities.”  

Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan – Annual Report

Scottish Government: ‘Cash-first’ approach to tackling food insecurity

New plan will strengthen access to cash in a crisis

A commitment to a ‘cash-first’ approach to tackling food insecurity is at the heart of a new plan to reduce the need for people to turn to food banks.

The plan, which is the first of its kind in the UK and is underpinned by human rights, sets out nine actions which will be taken over the next three years to improve responses to food insecurity.

Actions include establishing a new £1.8 million Cash-First Programme to help reduce the demand for emergency food parcels by improving urgent access to cash in crisis and associated support.

The Scottish Government will work with councils, the third sector and community food initiatives to help prevent future need by integrating money advice and wider support into crisis responses.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Whilst none of us want food banks, we recognise the important role they play for people in need. This plan, the first of its kind by any UK Government, will support people who face food insecurity and will move us closer to our longer-term ambition of a country where there is no need for food banks.

“We want to ensure we reach people in need and by providing a cash-first approach, backed by advice and support, we will support people to strengthen their incomes and prevent future hardship and crisis, allowing them more choice and dignity.

“Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is one of the Scottish Government’s three critical missions. The Trussell Trust suggests that our Scottish Child Payment may have helped to slow the pace of demand for emergency food parcels last year.

“Without the full economic and fiscal powers of an independent nation we can’t eradicate poverty, but we are taking all the action we can to support people within our limited powers and fixed budget.”

The plan also includes up to £623,000 funding for the British Red Cross to continue a Scottish Crisis Fund, which provides people at risk of destitution – including survivors of domestic abuse, and those no recourse to public funds – with emergency grants to purchase the food and other essentials.

Phil Arnold, Head of Refugee Support for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, British Red Cross said: “The Scottish Crisis Fund is a lifeline emergency payment for people in crisis.

“The fund enables people to continue accessing essential food, clothing, hygiene products and transport to get to key appointments, at an acute period of distress in their lives.

“The increased cost of living, widening dispersal of people seeking asylum to areas without specialist support, and reduced rights for people seeking protection in the UK, all underline the importance of a joined-up, properly resourced safety net which this fund plays an important role in providing.”

Polly Jones, head of Scotland for the Trussell Trust said: “We welcome this first plan to end the need for food banks from any government in the UK, and it comes at a time when the use of food banks is at an all-time high. Ending the need for charitable food aid requires significant leadership and urgency from all levels of government.

“The Trussell Trust is committed to working with the Scottish Government to support it to do what charities cannot and deliver bold long-term action to increase people’s income and ensure everyone can afford the essentials.”

Sabine Goodwin, Coordinator of the Independent Food Aid Network, said: “The Scottish Government has powers to reduce food insecurity and adopt a truly cash-first, income-focused strategy to end the need for charitable food aid in Scotland.

“As the poverty crisis deepens, frontline teams across Scotland are eager to see a time when no one needs to turn to any form of charitable food aid provision to get by. We welcome this plan and the Scottish Government’s commitment to critical steps towards that cash-first future.”

Cash-First: Towards ending the need for food banks in Scotland

cash-first-towards-ending-need-food-banks-scotlandDownload

Council ‘driving forward’ plans to tackle the impact of poverty on women and girls

A key factor in the bid to end poverty in the Capital by 2030 is the steps being taken by the Council and partners to prevent and mitigate the impacts on women.

The Impact of Poverty on Women and Girls report highlights that women show a higher risk of poverty, and deeper experience of poverty, than men across Scotland.

This is closely linked to child poverty, given there is a proportionately high share of caring responsibilities adopted by women in general – 90% of lone parents are women, 38% of those in Scotland live in poverty.

Women have also been disproportionately affected by the cost of living crisis and, alongside childcare, these patterns are strongly driven by gender inequalities in the workplace. Women account for 60% of all low paid workers in Edinburgh and 78% of all part time workers.

In response to these challenges, actions in the Council’s End Poverty in Edinburgh Delivery Plan, and other plans, which are expected to prevent or mitigate the impact of poverty on women and girls, include:

  • Raising awareness of the gender impacts of poverty
  • Helping to increase incomes for women in poverty
  • Reducing the costs and impact of childcare responsibilities

Council Leader Cammy Day said: “Tackling poverty is one of our key priorities as a Council and our 2030 target is ambitious but one I’m convinced can be achieved. We have to act decisively if we’re to eradicate poverty in Edinburgh.

“It’s a fact that women are more likely to experience poverty and thus it was important that we had a separate update on specific actions being taken to help to further highlight this issue.

“It’s also of course not just the material constraints of living in poverty that make things hard, it’s the emotional strain and it is important that we do all we can to tackle this.

“This update on actions currently underway was well received by councillors who fully support the work of the End Poverty in Edinburgh Delivery Plan which gives an important overview of where we are. We know that we can’t achieve our goals in insolation.

“That’s why we are working with partners such as the End Poverty Edinburgh citizen’s group who help us make sure that the real experiences of people who live in poverty are at the centre of shaping the actions we take to tackle poverty and inequality in the capital city.

“Analysis of these actions will be continued, and I look forward to the update on the wider End Poverty in Edinburgh progress later in the year where will look at all households and priority groups.”

NO Poverty concerns for one new council employee. Edinburgh’s interim Director of Adult Social Care will be paid no less than £403,390 A YEAR!

I’m sure that will go down really well with the capital’s care workers, the majority of whom are women! – Ed.

Poverty Summit: Prioritising those most in need

Tax, targeted support and tough budget choices will all need to be considered as part of bold measures to tackle poverty, First Minister Humza Yousaf said yesterday after meeting poverty campaigners.

The anti-poverty summit, convened by the First Minister, saw political leaders from across the Scottish Parliament meet with people who have direct experience of poverty, campaigners, and third sector organisations.

Speaking after the event, which was attended by around 90 delegates, the First Minister said: “I called the summit to listen to the views of a wide range of partners, particularly those at the sharp end of the cost of living crisis and with direct experience of poverty, about what they believe needs to be done.

“Everything I heard confirmed that poverty and the cost of living crisis is the biggest challenge facing this country – one that has been exacerbated by some of the UK Government’s actions and inactions.

“We have already acted to tackle the pressure on those most in need – for example, our game-changing £25 per week per child Scottish Child Payment, Carer’s Allowance Supplement, and Winter Heating Payment.

“But we must do more. We must be bold in considering future tax decisions. Tough choices will need to be made about existing budgets, and we need to consider whether targeting help is the way forward when money is so tight.

“It’s not enough to wish poverty away. We have to be hard-headed and realistic about what can be done – and then we have to focus on making it happen. That means the debate must now be about tax, targeting and tough choices. We are listening and will not shy away from the decisions needed to reduce poverty.”

COSLA President Councillor Shona Morrison said: “The initiative from the Scottish Government is a good one and one which Local Government can get fully behind. Tackling poverty is a core objective for Local Government working in partnership with the Scottish Government, the third sector and public and private sector partners.

“The cost- of-living crisis we are living through at present is being tackled head-on by Councils the length and breadth of Scotland and partnership working is vital to achieving positive outcomes for individuals, families and our communities across Scotland.”

Commenting on reports around the expansion of universal free school meals in Scotland, Poverty Alliance director Peter Kelly said: “The First Minister has to recognise the injustice that leaves so many children in Scotland hungry and without food they need.

“With figures from the Trussell Trust showing record numbers of families accessing food banks, this is not the time to roll back on commitments relating to free school meals.

“We know that many low-income families just miss out on qualifying for means-tested free school meals, and many others don’t claim because of shame or stigma.

“The best way to tackle this problem is through universal free school meals that benefit all of our children and young people.”

Peter Kelly was speaking just after attending yesterday’s anti-poverty summit, chaired by the First Minister.

He said: “The First Minister’s poverty summit was a timely opportunity to refocus on tackling the injustice of poverty in Scotland. Across all those who took part, there was a clear sense of urgency on the need to deliver real change.

“There was no shortage of ideas for action. We can expand funded childcare, use public contracts as a lever to improve pay and conditions in key sectors, and remove barriers to work for those people most affected by poverty – women, disabled people, people from Black and ethnic minority communities.

“Now is the time for the Scottish Government to turn those ideas into concrete action. We look forward to a follow up summit in the coming year to check where progress has been made.”

Positive anti-poverty summit soured by possible roll-back on Free School Meals

THE sCOTTISH Trades Union Congress (STUC) and the STUC Women’s Committee have warned of massive resistance to any reversal on the SNP free school meals pledge and called for an acceleration, not a roll-back of the programme.

STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “We were enthusiastic participants in the summit today. Our key message is that better and fairer wages tied to redistributive taxation must lie at the heart of strategies to tackling poverty and inequality. Current levels of in-work poverty are totally unacceptable and place further pressure on our under-funded benefits system. We need to see real action coming out of this summit.

“Suggestions this morning that the Scottish Government might consider breaking pledges to extend free school meals is not what we are looking to hear. Investing in the health of all of our young people and removing stigma is a key priority and any roll-back will be fiercely resisted.”

Andrea Bradley, Chair of the STUC Women’s Committee and General Secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland said: “The STUC Women’s Committee would be deeply concerned if the First Minster’s comments around a potential reversal of the Scottish Government’s progressive policy on universal free school meals expansion as reported today, were to be put into action.

“1 in 4 children in Scotland were living in poverty before the onset of the cost-of-living crisis, which the previous First Minister declared a humanitarian emergency. Now, food inflation of 20%, together with exorbitant energy costs, and stagnant wages is making life even harder and more miserable for hundreds of thousands of parents in Scotland and their children – many already missing out on a decent meal at school because of the stigma or the bureaucracy of means-testing.

“Now is the time to accelerate the roll-out of universal free school meals – not to roll back on what were essential promises.”

Increasing childcare in disadvantaged communities

£4.5 million for after school and holiday clubs

Councils can now apply for their share of £4.5 million to support the provision of after school and holiday clubs for Scotland’s most disadvantaged areas.

The funding will help improve both indoor and outdoor spaces in the school estate, with schools also encouraged to consider wider community needs.

First Minister Humza Yousaf set out details of the funding as he convened a national anti-poverty summit in Edinburgh yesterday.

The First Minister said: “Tackling poverty must be a shared priority for us all and this summit offers the opportunity to listen to a wide range of views to help us take the right action to drive down inequality across Scotland.

“Helping families deal with cost of living pressures is one of our key priorities and providing further funding for affordable and accessible school age childcare will help deliver that.

“Funded school age childcare supports parents and carers into work and enables them to support their families, while also providing a nurturing environment for children to take part in a wide range of activities.

“Scotland already has the most generous childcare offer anywhere in the UK. All three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds are entitled to 1,140 hours a year of funded early learning and childcare. We are working with partners to make further progress, with plans to develop a funded early learning and childcare offer for one and two-year-olds by 2026, focusing on those who need it most.”

The Scottish Government will provide a £4.5m recurring Capital Fund, managed and administered by Scottish Futures Trust, to deliver improvements to the school estate that will support the provision of before and after school and holiday clubs within Scotland’s most disadvantaged communities.

The intention is that the fund will be limited to the school estate (both indoor and outdoor spaces) for year one, but schools will be encouraged to consider wider community needs and spaces where children want to be after school or during the holidays, particularly where links or partnerships already exist.

The £4.5m fund will be open to all Local Authorities who will be required to demonstrate how they have worked in partnership with school age childcare and activities providers, to be ambitious in their ideas, and to define projects which will deliver benefit for children and families, particularly those from low-income areas.

Funded school age childcare is targeted at families on the lowest incomes, specifically the six priority family types identified in the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan (lone parent families, minority ethnic families, families with a disabled adult or child, families with a younger mother [under 25], families with a child under one, and larger families.)

First Minister to convene anti-poverty summit

Targeted action to further tackle poverty and inequality in Scotland will be the focus of discussion at a summit convened by the First Minister later this week.

The anti-poverty summit will bring people together from a variety of backgrounds – those with lived experience of poverty, the third sector, academics, campaigners, local government, business, and cross-party representatives of the Scottish Parliament.

Attendees will share expertise, experiences and ideas that can be used in a collective effort to drive progress and reduce inequality across Scotland.

The First Minister said: “Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is one of the Scottish Government’s three key priorities.  

“Working within our limited powers and fixed budget, the Scottish Government has already taken a range of actions that are making a real difference, with almost £3 billion allocated both last year and this year to support policies which are helping to tackle poverty and protect people as far as possible during the cost of living crisis.

“Our five family payments, including the Scottish Child Payment, could be worth more than £10,000 by the time an eligible child turns six. This compares to less than £2,000 for eligible families in England and Wales, with Scottish support providing over £20,000 by the time an eligible child is 16 years old.

“There is also much more to be done to reverse the impact of the UK Government’s policies of austerity and lack of concrete action on the cost of living crisis, which have contributed to rising poverty across the UK.

“While the Government’s actions and ideas to tackle poverty are extremely important, I also want to hear fresh ideas about what else we could be doing together. Nothing should be off the table, and I am ready to lead an honest and frank discussion on Wednesday.

“I firmly believe that all of us across society want Scotland to be the best place to grow up and the best place to live. I am determined to harness that shared ambition so we leave no stone unturned in the drive to create a more equal and more socially just Scotland.”

The summit will take place in Edinburgh on Wednesday 3 May.

Humzah Yousaf announces another £1 million to tackle health inequalities

First Minister Humzah Yousaf has announced additional support for general practices in most deprived areas. People living in some of Scotland’s most deprived communities will benefit from an additional £1 million of funding to help tackle health inequalities.

The Inclusion Health Action in General Practice programme provides targeted funding for support to patients whose social circumstances have a negative impact on their health.

The funding is allocated directly to practices which are in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board area and feature on the list of 100 most deprived practices in Scotland.

First Minister Humza Yousaf made the announcement as he visited the New Gorbals Health Centre in Glasgow.

The First Minister said: “General practice is at the heart of our communities and is uniquely placed to deliver the care and support needed by patients who experience health inequalities.

“Of the one hundred poorest practices in the whole of Scotland, shockingly 81 currently sit within the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board area – a statistic I am determined to change.

“This additional funding of £1 million will build on the foundations of previous funding. At a time when the cost of living crisis is widening health inequalities, this is an important step that supports our commitments to prevention and early intervention with patients at highest risk of poor health.”

Lorna Kelly, Chair of the Primary Care Health Inequalities Development Group said: “The NHS needs to be at its best where it is needed the most, or health inequalities will continue to worsen.

“This additional resource to general practices serving the most deprived communities in Scotland is therefore very welcome.”

Delivering for Scotland: New ministers ‘will take a bold approach’

The First Minister chaired the first meeting of his new Scottish Cabinet in Bute House yesterday, charging Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers to take a bold approach to delivering for Scotland.

Cabinet had a substantive discussion on the priorities of the government, ahead of the First Minister giving a planned statement to parliament immediately after recess. They had a further conversation around the budget that will underpin those priorities.

Friday’s discussion highlighted the importance of being an open, accessible government through engagement with the public and stakeholders and by reaching out to members of other parties in a genuine spirit of collaboration.

It also stressed the importance of building relationships with counterparts in other devolved administrations and the UK Government.

Cabinet members also reflected on their experiences in their previous ministerial portfolios and how that often brings useful perspective when taking on roles in different areas of government.

As always, a discussion on the immediate issues Cabinet members will be addressing in the coming weeks took place.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “I was pleased to welcome new and returning Cabinet members to our first meeting this morning. I was clear to them that I want Cabinet to be a forum for open and honest discussion.

“We all look forward to reaching out to stakeholders, the business community, opposition parties and the wider public in a spirit of genuine collaboration.

“This government has a strong track of taking forward ambitious and radical policies and reforms over the last few years, against a backdrop of austerity, economic uncertainty and of course the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Under my leadership the Ministerial team have been tasked with taking a bold approach to how we govern – not just in addressing the challenges facing the people of Scotland, but also maximising the opportunities of our many strengths.

“Our key priorities will include eradicating poverty and delivering a wellbeing economy underpinned by sustainable public services.

“I will set out more detail to parliament following Easter recess – but in the next couple of weeks, Cabinet members will be busy getting down to work on the immediate issues in their portfolios.”

Biggest ever cash increase in National Living Wage to boost pay for millions

Low-paid workers across the country will receive a pay increase this weekend as all rates of the National Minimum Wage rise.

The National Living Wage (NLW) increases on Saturday 1 April by 9.7 per cent to £10.42, providing a pay rise to millions of workers aged 23 and over across the UK. 21-22 year olds will see their pay increase by 10.9 per cent to £10.18 per hour while pay for younger workers and apprentices will also rise by 9.7 per cent.

NMW rateAnnual increase (£)Annual increase (per cent)
National Living Wage (23+)£10.420.929.7
21-22 Year Old Rate£10.181.0010.9
18-20 Year Old Rate£7.490.669.7
16-17 Year Old Rate£5.280.479.7
Apprentice Rate£5.280.479.7
Accommodation Offset£9.100.404.6

These increases follow recommendations made to the Government by the Low Pay Commission (LPC) in the autumn.

The NLW increase means another significant step towards reaching the Government’s target of two-thirds of median earnings by 2024. The increase is also expected to boost the real value of the NLW, restoring most of the real value lost since April 2021.

The LPC is now consulting on National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates for April 2024 and beyond and will make its recommendations to the Government in October.

The consultation will run from 23 March to 9 June 2023. For more information, including how to submit responses, click here.

Bryan Sanderson, Chair of the Low Pay Commission, said: “From April, millions of workers will benefit from these increases to the NMW and NLW. Despite turbulent economic conditions, the labour market has remained strong and unemployment is low.

“We remain confident that this increase is unlikely to have a detrimental impact. Indeed, the high levels of inflation are felt more acutely by those on low pay who spend a higher proportion of their income on energy and food.

“The new NLW rate keeps us on track to reach the Government’s target of two-thirds of median earnings by 2024. We estimate the NLW will need to rise next year to between £10.90 and £11.43 to meet this target. We also remain committed to lowering the NLW age threshold to 21 years of age in 2024.

“In our consultation this year we are also looking beyond 2024, and inviting evidence and views on the future of minimum wage policy once the two-thirds target is achieved. The NMW is a central feature of the UK labour market and workers and employers alike will want to contribute to the debate about its future.”

The LPC has published a short report which looks ahead at what the new rates will mean, and sets out an updated path of the NLW to its target of two-thirds of median hourly earnings by 2024.

Estimating the forward path of the NLW is very challenging as earnings growth is difficult to measure and predict in the current economic climate. Our central estimate of the on-course rate of the NLW for 2024 is £11.16, within a range of £10.90 to £11.43.