Strengthening tenants’ rights and preventing homelessness
Legislation to strengthen tenants’ rights and prevent homelessness has passed stage 1 in the Scottish Parliament.
The Housing (Scotland) Bill aims to tackle poverty across Scotland by improving the renting experience for tenants, through a range of new rights and a system of rent controls, in a way that maintains investment.
The Bill will also place a stronger emphasis on homelessness prevention based on better coordination across services and providing support earlier.
Housing Minister Paul McLennan said: “The Housing (Scotland) Bill will play an important role in helping to tackle poverty by keeping rents affordable and ensuring people can stay in their homes.
“Ensuring everyone has the right to a safe and stable home is essential to the Scottish Government’s priority of ending child poverty and the Bill will play a role in reaching that goal.
“Scotland has led the way in protecting tenants and providing rights for homeless people. The Housing (Scotland) Bill aims to create a rental system that improves the rights of tenants while maintaining investment and provides greater support for people threatened with homelessness.
“I am pleased Parliament has supported the general principles of the legislation, especially on our proposals for a system of rent controls that keep costs lower for tenants.”
Living Rent campaigners said: “Make no mistake this would not have happened without the work of Scotland’s tenants union.
“Right now we need to celebrate the vote bringing rent controls one step closer. But landlords are fighting hard and it’s clear there is a lot of work to be done.”
Universal payments to be reinstated from next year
The Scottish Government will provide universal support through the introduction of Pension Age Winter Heating Payments next year ensuring a payment for every pensioner household in winter 2025-26.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has confirmed that on the roll-out of the new benefit next winter, pensioners in receipt of a relevant qualifying benefit, such as Pension Credit will be receiving Pension Age Winter Heating Payments of £300 or £200, depending on their age. Meanwhile all other pensioner households will receive £100 from next winter, providing them with support not available anywhere else in the UK.
Ms Somerville also announced a £41 million package of support for people struggling with energy costs this winter. These measures include an additional £20 million which will be provided for the Scottish Welfare Fund, to enable councils to provide more vital support to people in crisis this winter.
An additional £20 million will be invested into the Warmer Homes Scotland Scheme, the national fuel poverty scheme which helps people install energy efficiency measures and more efficient heating systems, saving on average around £300 per year in household energy bills.
Meanwhile grant-funding of £1 million will be made available to registered social landlords and third sector partners to fund work to help sustain tenancies and prevent homelessness. This is in response to calls from a coalition of housing and anti-poverty organisations for a shift in spending from crisis intervention to prevention.
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Ms Somerville said: “The measures I have announced today will go some way to allay the fears of pensioners in Scotland ahead of next winter, but the Scottish Government recognises that more must be done.
“Ahead of next winter I will bring forward regulations to introduce universal Pension Age Winter Heating Payments in winter 2025-26 for Scottish pensioners.
“This universal benefit – providing much needed support not available anywhere else in the UK – will deliver support for all pensioner households as we had always intended to do before the UK Government decision to means-test Winter Fuel Payments cut the funding available to support our new benefit in Scotland this winter by £147 million.
“We will not abandon older people this winter or any winter. We will do our best to make sure no-one has to make a decision between heating and eating, and we will continue to protect pensioners”.
Reacting to yesterday’s announcement by the Scottish Government, Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Independent Age said: “The reintroduction of winter heating support for all pensioners in Scotland from next winter is welcome and will offer some comfort to the 900,000 pensioners who were set to completely lose the previous Winter Fuel Payment.
“Since the decision to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment to only older people on Pension Credit, we’ve seen a surge in the number of older people getting in touch with Independent Age who are worried about heating their homes, and making ends meet, through the winter. Many have told us they are heating only one room, staying in bed all day with a blanket, and cutting back on food to avoid the energy costs associated with cooking.
“With energy prices set to rise again in January, and a staggering 330,000 older households living in fuel poverty in Scotland, it is clear that changing the eligibility of the payment in this way was the wrong decision. It is positive that this has been recognised in Scotland, with the Scottish Government making a payment available to all older people next year, and we hope the UK Government will also reconsider their decision.
“In a compassionate and socially just society, no one should face fuel poverty. We are pleased the Scottish Government has listened to older people, and taken this action today. However, we remain concerned about older people who face this winter without this much needed financial support.
“Going forward, the Scottish Government should continue to monitor the situation and be open to taking further action in future.”
A spokesperson for AGE SCOTLAND said: “Bringing back an energy support payment for all pensioners is very good news and will be a huge relief. It shows the power of this campaign and the relentless efforts from all quarters.
“The decision to remove the universal winter fuel payment by the UK Government, and its impact on pensioners this winter is nothing short of disastrous.
“Over the last few months we have been urging the Scottish Government to bring this back and we are delighted that they have listened to the strong arguments and have taken action.
“It also demonstrates the power of devolution and what Scotland can do when we put our minds to it.”
Enhancing water and air quality, protecting and restoring vulnerable marine and coastal ecosystems, and establishing a programme of species recovery are all part of a new plan to make significant progress in restoring nature by 2045.
A new Biodiversity Delivery Plan for 2024-2030 contains over 100 actions to accelerate the pace and scale of efforts to address the biodiversity crisis.
It supports the Biodiversity Strategy, which sets out a strategic vision for a nature positive, net zero future where natural environment loss is halted and restored. Statutory targets for nature will be included in a new Natural Environment Bill to be introduced this Parliamentary year.
Delivery plan actions include:
substantially reducing deer densities, protecting 30% of land for nature and developing a nature positive agriculture programme
investing in nature restoration – through the Nature Restoration Fund, more than £65 million over this parliament and investing in woodland creation and peatland restoration
tackling the indirect drivers of biodiversity loss, particularly engaging and strengthening the connection between people and nature
Launching the plan at Bawsinch and Duddingston Reserve, Acting Climate Minister Dr Alasdair Allan said: “The Global Climate Emergency and the Nature Emergency are twin reinforcing crises: the actions we take to address each are fundamental to our wellbeing and survival as a species. We need a partnership approach to delivery – government cannot do it alone.
“This new Biodiversity Delivery Plan sets out clear actions that government, businesses and individuals can take to protect and restore our precious natural environment for future generations to come.
“The whole of society has a role to play but especially the stewards of our land, rivers, lochs and seas such as farmers, gamekeepers and fishers who have the knowledge and skills to drive the transformation that is needed.
“Biodiversity supports these essential industries – food production needs pollinators and healthy soils whilst, fish and fish farming depend on healthy, thriving seas.”
NatureScot Chair Professor Colin Galbraith said: “We all rely on nature for our survival, and it is everyone’s responsibility to care for it. The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy is Scotland’s response to the nature crisis, and it sets out a clear and comprehensive plan, supported by a series of actions that will help restore nature back to a healthy, thriving state.
“To restore nature across Scotland will take a sustained national effort, but in doing so, we will increase our resilience to climate change and reaffirm our connection with the natural world. This will bring many benefits for the people of Scotland, and we urge everyone to stand up and play their part in creating a net-zero and nature positive future for all.”
Jo Pike, Chief Executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust said: “We are pleased to see the launch of the long-awaited and much-needed Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and Delivery Plans.
“The Scottish Wildlife Trust believes that a huge effort is needed across the whole of society if we are to realistically tackle the climate and nature emergencies. Alongside the strategy, we welcome the Government’s commitment to develop statutory targets for nature’s recovery in the forthcoming Natural Environment Bill.
“Together, they can help us move closer to realising the ambitions of the many people who have fed into this strategy. However, this will require leadership at all levels, increased resources and a recognition that nature is vital to our economy, our wellbeing and our future.”
Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart has called for the UK Government to consider a pilot proposal in Scotland which would give people seeking asylum the right to work in some parts of Scotland.
The Scottish Right to Work Pilot Proposal proposes a number of changes to current UK policy, including enabling the right to work from six months instead of twelve months, and removing restrictions on the types of work they can undertake. Additionally, those on the pilot would have access to support around key topics such as employability and language learning.
A report from the Scottish Government’s independent Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population, published in December 2023, shows that granting people who are seeking asylum the right to work at an earlier stage could improve their wellbeing and integration, reduce their risk of exploitation, and have longer-term benefits to our economy and public service delivery.
Equalities Minister @KaukabStewart has asked @GOVUK to consider a pilot proposal to give people seeking asylum in some parts of Scotland the right to work after 6 months and remove some restrictions on the type of work they can undertake.
Ms Stewart said: “Scotland has a long history of welcoming refugees and people seeking asylum. We believe that giving people seeking asylum the right to work from an earlier point can have a positive impact on them, their families and our communities.
“This means that following a positive decision they will be better equipped to support themselves and their families.
“These measures would also enable asylum seekers to integrate more quickly, making a positive contribution to our workforce and economy by reducing the cost and demand on our public services.
“We ask that the Home Office engages with us to take forward this pilot proposal, in collaboration with our partners.”
New research from Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) Scotland reveals that 70% of all councils believe they will be unable to pass a balanced budget within the next five years without immediate changes.
The second annual State of Local Government Finance in Scotland, found councils are taking every measure available to balance their budgets including raising council tax, reducing expenditure and increasing fees and charges, sharing services and engaging in commercial activity. However, many councils believe this will still not be enough to prevent the risk of an unbalanced budget.
Nearly every respondent said they believe cuts to services will have a negative impact on quality of life in their council, and over 90% that cuts will increase the risks to vulnerable people.
The report found satisfaction with the Scottish Government is alarmingly poor across the sector. Not a single respondent said they were happy with the Scottish Government’s performance on delivering a sustainable funding system or considering local government in wider policy decisions.
Respondents representing 84% of Scottish councils, made up of council leaders, CEOs and CFOs said times are increasingly hard for local authorities, with ongoing pressure from the cost of living crisis and inflation adding new burdens on top of long-term challenges: demographic change, financing of Scottish Government priorities, and pressures with recruitment and retention of staff.
With councils’ confidence in the sustainability of council finances critically low, the sector is in favour of widespread reform, including multi-year financial settlements, ending ring-fencing, and reform of council tax.
Councils are optimistic about the role that local government, sufficiently funded and empowered, could have to advance the prevention agenda, tackle local and national shared priorities, deliver services and empower communities.
The report recommends an agreed national convention between Scottish Government and local government to cover procedures and actions that would then be needed to set a balanced budget; enshrining in legislation the principles of the Verity House Agreement, and committing to an annual review by Scottish Parliament covering the key principles.
Some of the medium to long-term recommendations include reconsidering a whole-system approach to funding wider public finances including a review of council tax, the funding formula and increasing the range of revenue-raising options available for councils.
Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, LGIU Scotland, said: “This year’s results make for grim reading about the state of local government finances in Scotland. The message from our second annual State of Local Government Finance in Scotland builds on last year: we are nearing the point of no return. The report paints a picture of a system under continual and significant strain, with the scale of financial pressures increasing from 2023.
“Local government finances in Scotland are hanging by a thread. However, the thread has not yet broken. Today’s report delivers a stark warning that councils are in a precarious financial position and there is not much time until the sector starts to see potentially catastrophic consequences.
“Change is urgently needed. Councils will soon be unable to balance their budgets, meet their statutory duties, or provide for their communities. We need to change course now before it is too late.
“The challenge now is how do we move from the situation we are in now, to one where councils are able to deliver the transformative impact they are confident that they could deliver.
“Reform is necessary, empowerment will be essential, and trust between Scottish Government and local government – in a critically poor state – must be restored.”
The LGIU asked Scotland’s Council Leaders, Chief Executives and Chief Finance Officers about their experiences trying to run councils in the last financial year, and their views on how councils’ financial sustainability could be assured.
COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Katie Hagmann, commented:“The publication of today’s report by the LGIU highlights the sheer scale of the financial challenges facing our councils.
“The fact that 70% of councils in Scotland may be unable to balance budgets in the near future should serve as a warning to all. Additionally, it emphasises the need for the Scottish Government to provide Local Government with an increased funding settlement which is both fair and flexible in 2025/26.
“COSLA also welcomes the LGIU’s call for a whole system approach to Local Government finance.
“This echoes our asks in our ‘Invest Locally in Scotland’s Future’ budget lobbying campaign. Without a clear focus on prevention and upstream investment, along with local flexibility, our councils will be unable to tackle higher demand, in key areas such as homelessness prevention and social care.
“COSLA is calling for the Scottish Government to provide at least £14.5bn in revenue funding and £872m in capital funding in the 2025/26 Budget.
Meeting this demand would not make up for the cuts councils have faced and felt by our communities in recent years, however it would be a positive step forward in providing fair and flexible funding to meet the challenges outlined in the LGIU report.”
New figures show over £1 billion paid out to help end child poverty
New figures show that the Scottish Government’s five family payments have reached a landmark figure since their launch, paying over £1billion to families across Scotland to help end child poverty.
The latest statistics released from Social Security Scotland reveal that between February 2021 and September 2024 £905.6 million has been paid out in Scottish Child Payment and a further £172.3 million since the launch of Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods.
The payments support children throughout key stages from pregnancy then birth, to starting school and on to age 16.
Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment, Best Start Grant School Age Payment and the ‘game changing’ Scottish Child Payment are only available in Scotland.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Summerville said:“Ending child poverty is the Scottish Government’s single greatest priority. At a time when families are struggling with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, we have been delivering payments which offer vital to support families and children at key stages in their lives.
“There is help during pregnancy and in the months after a baby is born; help paying for early learning; help with that all important first day at school and help with buying the healthy, nutritious food that is vital for developing children.
“Then there is the unique Scottish Child Payment. More than 325,000 children and young people were benefitting from the payment by the end of September 2024. Our modelling projects Scottish Child Payment will keep 60,000 children out of relative poverty in 2024-25.”
Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment – one off payment of £314.45 to help with the costs of early learning when a child is between two and three years and six months
Best Start Grant School Age Payment – one off payment of £314.45 to help with the costs of starting school when a child is first old enough to start primary one
Best Start Foods – up to £42.40 every four weeks from pregnancy up to when a child turns three to help buy healthy food
Parents, carers and guardians can get more information at mygov.scot/fivefamilypayments or by calling free on 0800 182 2222.
All 31 Health and Social Care Partnerships have now signed up to a programme which supports people experiencing distress.
The Distress Brief Intervention (DBI) service was first launched as a pilot seven years ago and provides support to people who present to emergency services or in primary care settings in a distressed state. Since then, more than 75,000 people have been helped.
The programme can offer people an initial call within 24 hours. They are then provided with up to two weeks of one-to-one support with a specially trained practitioner to help address issues which might be contributing to their distress, such as money worries and relationship problems.
Frontline staff in Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service, Accident and Emergency Depts, Primary Care and NHS24 can refer people who present to them in emotional distress – and if assessed as appropriate – to third sector organisations which provide compassionate and personalised support.
People in distress who speak to a call handler at NHS24, Police Scotland or the Scottish Ambulance Service can also be referred for DBI support, from anywhere in Scotland.
Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “In developing our world leading DBI programme over 75,000 people across Scotland have received the right support at the right time and in the right place.
“This innovative referral pathway and collaborative approach has helped reduce pressures in the Scottish Ambulance Service, A&E and Police Scotland, allowing frontline staff to focus on other responsibilities.
“By investing £24 million in the programme since 2016, the Scottish Government has ensured a Scotland-wide approach has been taken to help people cope when they are in a distressed state. It is clear that this help provided to people is invaluable.”
Professor Rory O’Connor, Professor of Health Psychology at University of Glasgow, President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention and co-lead for the intervention and training components of DBI, said: “DBI is an incredible achievement.
“Tens of thousands of people in distress have received immediate, compassionate support since its launch in 2017. DBI is a remarkable team effort by colleagues up and down the country, driven by the shared purpose of delivering compassionate, connected support to people when they need it.
“I am so proud to be involved in this world-leading mental health intervention.”
Kirstie McCulloch, who received support and now works for DBI said: “I was experiencing severe panic attacks, anxiety, and depression, due to the Covid lockdowns. NHS 24 helped me when I had a severe panic attack, and I came off the call feeling less distressed. I still needed some support, so I was referred to the DBI service, which in my local area is run by SAMH.
“I was a little unsure initially, but the support was invaluable. By the end of the two-week service, I felt I had a better perspective on how to move forward. I asked my practitioner how they came into the role, and I knew this was something I would like to do for others.
“In the 18 months I have worked here, I have delivered compassionate support and helped people get back on their feet. I get huge satisfaction from this role.
Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton said: “Policing is often the first response when people need help. Our mission is to keep people safe and we’ll always respond to threat, harm and risk to ensure public safety.
“Our involvement in mental health incidents and supporting vulnerable people has a significant impact on this organisation and is beyond where policing should be. That’s not the best support for those who need help and it’s not delivering best value for the public.
“DBI enables trained officers to identify when someone needs support and signpost them to the right service, allowing them to redirect to tackling threat, harm and risk and preventing crime.”
Vision for progress in St Andrew’s Day address ahead of 2025-26 Budget
First Minister John Swinney will use an address ahead of St Andrew’s Day to outline his vision for government – and his determination to deliver government from the ground up.
The First Minister will set out the need for collaboration and consensus-building to deliver solutions to some of the problems facing communities in Scotland.
Speaking ahead of next week’s Scottish Budget, the First Minister will commit the Scottish Government to prioritising funding and investment needed to build on his four priorities – eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, investing in public services and tackling the climate emergency.
The First Minister is expected to say: “Scotland is best served when we collaborate, when we build consensus and work together across sectors, across disciplines and across cultures.
“The need to do so has never been more urgent. For the issues we face now are complex, pervasive and entrenched – and they are mounting.
“In these last seven years, we have seen global challenges stacked upon global challenges. From Brexit and COVID-19, to international conflicts, economic crises and climate disasters.
“On top of this, we have seen domestic problems, such as delayed discharge and the availability of housing, become more and more acute, due to rapidly increasing need in our society.
“Yet, too often – and particularly in politics – discussions and the public discourse are dominated by surface solutions, because they are the few that can gain consensus.
“The temptation then arises to throw money and strategies at a problem, or simply to find someone to blame for it, because the hard work of finding true consensus, of peer reviewing ideas in good faith, can feel unrealistic in our increasingly polarised reality.
“We must maintain enough hope and energy to work together, to understand the root causes and the complexity of problems and to find the right solutions.
“These solutions may not always be quick or easy – but that does not make them any less necessary. This is the approach that people should expect from a Swinney government.
“I want to bring people closer to their communities, which is particularly important in a country like Scotland, where the picture in the Central Belt or the Borders can be so different to the Highlands or the Islands.
“Being closer to our communities also makes it easier for us to bring those communities into policy-making: government from the ground up.”
Engagement to tackle gendered violence highlighted at start of 16 Days
More than 27,000 young people have benefited from education and awareness-raising sessions on tackling gender-based violence over six months, thanks to 45 grassroots organisations across Scotland.
The latest Delivering Equally Safe impact report, published by Inspiring Scotland, shows that the number of young people accessing sessions on issues including consent and gender equality through these organisations is increasing. The report also includes data on the number of people who have received frontline support, and the type of support provided.
The report publication comes as the global 16 Days of Activism campaign gets underway. To mark the start of the campaign, Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart visited Monklands Women’s Aid in Airdrie to hear about their vital work to support women, children and young people.
Ms Stewart said: “Preventing violence against women and girls is key to creating a society where women and girls can live safely. I am proud to be supporting the 16 Days of Activism campaign to tackle and prevent violence against women and girls.
“Thanks to organisations supported by our Delivering Equally Safe fund, workshops supporting young people to understand consent, healthy relationships and the signs of abusive behaviour have reached more than 27,000 young people.
“In the two years since Delivering Equally Safe started, nearly 17,000 children and young people have engaged in frontline funded support.
“Among the organisations providing frontline support is Monklands Women’s Aid, whose work to address both traditional and emerging forms of violence against women and girls is vital and innovative.”
Monklands Women’s Aid Chairperson, Christine Buckel said: “Grassroots organisations like Monkland’s Women’s Aid are the backbone of community support for those facing the trauma of domestic abuse.
“Our integrated approach ensures women, children, and young people receive tailored support when they need it most. Most importantly, we listen to and respond to those we serve, ensuring that their voices shape the services that make a real difference in their lives.
“The Delivering Equally Safe programme fund provides vital funding that enabled the organisation to deliver frontline domestic abuse interventions to 1,571 people since October 2021.”
First Minister: “Engaging young people is key to ending abuse”
Ahead of the global 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence, First Minister John Swinney has highlighted the importance of engaging and educating young people on the importance of healthy and respectful relationships.
A report showing the progress that organisations have made to prevent abuse and support survivors will be published today (Monday 25 November). This will highlight an increase in the number of children and young people who have accessed education and awareness-raising workshops.
The organisations delivering these workshops have all received funding through the Scottish Government’s Delivering Equally Safe programme, which aims to eradicate violence against women and girls.
On Friday (22 November), First Minister John Swinney joined an event in Perth to raise awareness of the 16 Days of Activism campaign.
First Minister John Swinney said: “Gender-based abuse and violence has no place in modern Scotland and we are committed to eradicating it.
“As First Minister, but also as a husband and a father, I am proud to support the 16 Days of Activism campaign and recognise the vital role that men need to play in tackling violence against women and girls, including challenging abusive behaviour wherever it occurs.
“The Scottish theme for this year’s 16 Days of Activism is “Imagine a Scotland without Gender-Based Violence”, and the only way we can realise that is by ensuring the next generation are equipped to spot abusive behaviour and call it out.”
Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart said: “Our focus is on preventing abuse before it occurs, as well as improving support services for survivors and ensuring the justice response is robust and well-equipped to deal with abuse when it occurs.
“The work that grassroots organisations across the country are delivering to teach young people about consent and healthy relationships and empower them to stand against harmful gender stereotypes is vital. We are determined to help them build on that progress.
“This is at the heart of building the kind of society we want to see, where everyone can live free from gender-based violence.”
16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is a key international moment to call for an end to violence against women and girls (VAWG). It runs from 25th November (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) until 10th December, Human Rights Day.
Violence against women happens in every country and culture, causing harm to millions of women and girls. Risks and challenges to access care increase even more for women and girls living in humanitarian emergencies. Around the world today, prolonged and intense conflicts have resulted in a continuous rise in of all forms of gender-based violence.
