Tag: support

Movement for Good awards: Scottish charities win £10,000 each

Four Scottish charities scoop share of £300,000

Four charities based in Scotland have shared a £40,000 windfall as part of Ecclesiastical Insurance Group’s annual Movement for Good awards.

Cutting Edge Theatre Ltd, Peebles CAN, Towards Transition Stirling SCIO and Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland are four of 30 charities chosen by a panel of judges that will benefit from the money. 

The fund will allow Cutting Edge Theatre Ltd, which aims to make a difference to those who are marginalised by using creativity, to kick-start its new project, Inspire Young Company – an initiative which will increase the confidence, self-esteem and communication of young people with a learning disability through theatre training and performance. 

Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland will be using the donation to identify victims of human trafficking, to ensure they are recovered safely and enable them to get the specialist support they need.

Each of the £10,000 awards are designed to help charities make a real difference in their communities. Applications were assessed against four key areas; impact and effectiveness, sustainability, innovation, and care and compassion.

Mark Hews, Group CEO of Ecclesiastical, said: “At Ecclesiastical we believe business should be a force for good. Charitable causes need sustained support and a sense of financial stability.

“Through the second phase of our Movement for Good awards we are actively championing innovation, giving charities the backing they need to propel their plans forward and turn creative ideas into practical solutions that benefit society.

“We know that £10,000 can make a huge difference to the incredible work that charities do and we’re looking forward to seeing how this financial boost will change lives for the better.”

“Ecclesiastical, the fourth largest corporate donor in the UK, is a unique financial services group. We are owned by a charity which means all available profits can be given to the good causes that are so important to our customers. As a company whose purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society, charitable giving is at the heart of our business.”

Suzanne Lofthus, Artistic Director at Cutting Edge Theatre Ltd, said: “We believe that every person has potential and we work with those who often feel more marginalised to realise this.

“Nothing gives us greater pleasure than seeing someone discover their talents and abilities. Winning this donation will make a huge difference to the lives of 20 young learning disabled artists, giving them a taste of working professionally in the performing arts. It will open up opportunities for them to be artists in their own right, bringing a much needed and desired diversity to our industry.”

Elyse Kirkham, Senior Philanthropy Officer at Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland, said: “At Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland we work tirelessly to ensure the identification, safe recovery and long-term wellbeing of survivors of human trafficking in Scotland.

“We support survivors to rebuild their lives, minimising their risk of re-trafficking, strengthening their independence skills and ability to integrate into the community. We couldn’t do what we do without the support of funders like Ecclesiastical and their Movement for Good awards. Together we can make a difference!”

For the third year running, the awards, set up by specialist insurer Ecclesiastical, will see a total of £1million go to charities across the UK.

An amazing 210,000 people around the UK supported the Movement for Good awards during its first phase earlier this year, with over 13,000 charitable causes up and down the country receiving votes. The 500 winning charities were picked at random from those nominated and were awarded £1,000 each.

Phase two saw over 1,000 project submissions for the £10,000 awards. Following a review of all the applications, a panel of judges made their final selection of the 30 winning projects. The remaining money will be awarded at a later date.

For further information on the Movement for Good awards please visit: www.ecclesiastical.com/movement-for-good 

  1. Full list of 30 winning charities:

NEPACS http://www.nepacs.co.uk/

Sharks Community Trust https://www.salesharks.com/community/

Gloucester Rugby Foundation https://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/foundation

Cutting Edge Theatre Ltd http://cuttingedgetheatre.co.uk/

Woodhorn Charitable Trust https://museumsnorthumberland.org.uk/

The Foundling Museum https://foundlingmuseum.org.uk/

Sittingbourne Heritage Museum https://www.sittingbourne-museum.co.uk/

The Cardiff Institute for the Blind https://sightlife.wales/

Aids Care Education and Training https://www.acet-uk.com/

Kids’ Own Publishing Partnership Limited https://kidsown.ie/

FarmAbility https://farmability.org.uk/

Abby’s Heroes https://www.abbysheroes.org/

Children with Cancer Fund (Polegate) https://www.childrenwithcancerfund.org.uk/

Chums Charity https://chumscharity.org/

Phenalgin’s Friends http://www.penhaligonsfriends.org.uk/

Seal CofE Primary School https://www.sealcommunityschoolfarm.co.uk/

Peebles CAN https://www.peeblescan.org/

Link Visiting Scheme https://www.linkvisiting.org/

Dorset Mind https://dorsetmind.uk/

NE Youth https://neyouth.org.uk/

First Light South West Ltd http://www.firstlight.org.uk/

Humans MCR https://humansmcr.org/

Towards Transition Stirling SCIO https://www.transitionstirling.org.uk/

Common Ground CLG https://www.commonground.ie/

Sheffield Wildlife Trust https://www.wildsheffield.com/

Bethnal Green Nature Reserve Trust https://phytology.org.uk/

Transition Network https://transitionnetwork.org/

The Maggie Oliver Foundation https://www.themaggieoliverfoundation.com/

Hillingdon Women’s Centre https://hillingdonwomenscentre.org/

Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland https://sohtis.org/

Improving response for people at risk of suicide

Suicidal Crisis Support Action Group will drive implementation of the Time, Space and Compassion approach

A new group will be set up to make sure that everyone at risk of suicide can access the right support when then need it, following recommendations made by the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG).

The Suicidal Crisis Support Action Group will drive implementation of the Time, Space and Compassion approach, a new way to improve help for people who are suicidal.

Nigel Henderson, former Chief Executive of Penumbra and member of the NSPLG, has been appointed as National Lead for Suicidal Crisis Support to lead this work.

Wellbeing Minister Kevin Stewart (above) said: “I welcome the report from the NSPLG and the recommendations it makes on improving responses to people in suicidal crisis. We will consider the recommendations in full.

“To deliver the scale of change set out in their recommendations, a dedicated Suicidal Crisis Support Action Group will be established to take forward and oversee the implementation of this work. 

“The appointment of Nigel recognises his career in developing compassionate support for vulnerable people, including those at risk of suicide.  The group will be accountable to ministers and continue to work in close partnership with NSPLG.

“We know there are some excellent examples of suicidal crisis support services across Scotland already, and we have an opportunity to learn from those to make sure this type of support is available right across Scotland.

“Every day, people in our communities, and those working in statutory and third sector services, are responding compassionately to people in crisis.  However, there is more we can do. This report offers a real opportunity to transform how we engage and support our most vulnerable people at times of suicidal crisis.”

Nigel Henderson said: “I am very pleased to have been asked to lead on implementing this work.

“Having been a member of the NSPLG and directly involved in this work,  I believe that developing the Time, Space, Compassion approach has the potential to make a positive difference to how we respond to people experiencing suicidal crisis.

“There is much to do, and I look forward to working with people, communities and organisations to take forward the recommendations.”

Scotland’s National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group (NSPLG) has welcomed the Scottish Government’s acceptance of recommendations for improvements to the response provided to people in suicidal crisis.

Established by the Scottish Government, the NSPLG brings together people with lived experience of suicide alongside academic, third sector, and statutory partners to support the delivery of Scotland’s Suicide Prevention Action Plan: Every Life Matters.

These key NSPLG recommendations have been accepted in full by the Scottish Government and will be published on their website today (Wednesday 13 October ).

The NSPLG report uses evidence on the effectiveness of differing models of crisis support to make recommendations to service providers and share best practice.

It deliberately does not recommend a particular model of crisis support. Instead, it sets out an approach which sees suicidal crisis response as a human reaction, not a service model, and sets out the principles of Time, Space and Compassion as the basis of improvement in support for those in crisis.

The recommended approach is at the core of the NSPLG’s vision in supporting delivery of Every Life Matters, ensuring the right support is available for people when they are actively contemplating suicide at a time of crisis.

Time allows a person to discuss their feelings, and Space recognises the need to provide an accessible, quiet, comfortable, pleasant place for a person to talk and/or a virtual space to access support by phone, text or online.

In addition, research shows that Compassion in response to a person in crisis encourages them to disclose details which, in turn, can lead to more effective support being offered and lay the foundations for self-compassion, reducing the need for support from frontline services in the future.

Embedding the principles of Time, Space and Compassion into responses to suicidal crisis in Scotland will require concerted action across national and local government, and services across sectors, communities and citizens.

NSPLG chair Rose Fitzpatrick CBE QPM, said: “We believe that this approach, rooted in Time, Space and Compassion, can be implemented across all sectors and communities, transforming the experiences of those in crisis and at immediate risk of suicide.

“It is important to highlight that this report is not critical of existing crisis support. Based on the experiences of those who have been in suicidal crisis and those around them, it recommends a radically different cultural landscape, and requires a different sort of resourcing to enable this approach to be implemented consistently.

“People with lived experience of the impacts of suicide and those providing services tell us these recommendations have the potential to improve the experiences of those who seek help at a time of suicidal crisis, and ultimately to save lives.”

Member of NSPLG Lived Experience Panel, Shumela Ahmed (39) from Bridge of Allan near Stirling, is the managing director at Resilience Learning Partnership. She has family and friends who have experienced poor mental health and made suicide attempts.

Shumela has also experienced suicidal thoughts herself.

She said: “I believe Time, Space and Compassion is the right approach because it’s trauma informed and it understands that it takes time to build up trust and connect with a person when they are in a suicidal crisis.

“Every interaction is an opportunity for intervention. When a person is at risk of suicide they need a compassionate response from someone who will spend time with them and offer a safe space for them to talk.

“A really kind, compassionate, empathetic human conversation is often what is actually needed rather than following some big, important framework.

“I look forward to these recommendations being implemented in workforces so that staff have the tools and the resources to take this approach.”

The NSPLG recommendations are intended to be a starting point for work in this area and they focus, in the first instance, on the practical support and evidence required to make this culture shift collaboratively, and on ensuring the availability of existing crisis services as we emerge from the pandemic.

Biffa joins with Simon Community to help fight homelessness

Leading sustainable waste management company Biffa is launching a partnership with Simon  Community Scotland (SCS) to tackle homelessness in the country.

SCS is a Scottish charity that provides  help and support to homeless people via their street teams, drop in support and advice centres, and  24-hour helpline. SCS work across Glasgow, Edinburgh and Central Scotland.  

The partnership with Biffa will support the services that SCS provides as well as raising awareness for  the charity.

Biffa is sponsoring the cost of the helpline and street team throughout the month of  October to give advice and support to those in need. On average, the helpline receives 500 to 600 calls  per month. On the streets 140 Biffa vehicles will also carry the SCS logo and helpline number as they  complete their rounds in Scotland.  

SCS are committed to eliminating homelessness and firmly believe that everyone should have a safe  space to live and access the support they need.  

Gavin Money, the regional manager at Biffa, commented: “This is a really positive, socially-engaged  organisation that I am excited to be a part of with Biffa. The reality is our collection teams are on the  streets every day and come across people that need support, and we want to be able to do as much  as we can to help.

“Our partnership with SCS will allow us to educate our staff, volunteer and make a  difference to people’s lives.” 

Biffa has worked hard to raise awareness of the dangers of people sleeping in bins, issuing a call to action on waste management companies to make their bins harder to access, as well as commissioning  research with the Open University and the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management to find out the extent of the issue in the sector. Biffa introduced its own approach to the issue by implementing warning stickers, locks and even trialling human detection technology.

The collaboration with SCS is  part of Biffa’s continued support to tackle the issue and eradicate homelessness.  

In 2020 – 2021, the Scottish government recorded 42,000 people in homeless households with 25% of  these households’ containing children, despite rooms and housing offered during the pandemic  reducing applications for housing. With the lockdown rules ending, this figure is likely to increase to  pre-pandemic levels. 

Murray Easton, Head of Fundraising & Communications at Simon Community Scotland, said:  “Everyone at SCS is delighted to be working in partnership with Biffa. Our street teams in Edinburgh  and Glasgow are out every single day, connecting with people who are sleeping rough or at risk of  sleeping rough. We provide advice, support to access services and some on-street services. 

“Our partners at Biffa are also out on the streets every day, making this partnership  feel incredibly natural and we’re excited about how we can work together to increase awareness of  the issue, change and ultimately save lives.

We really appreciate Biffa’s support – their teams will be  on the ground helping with our helpline the week commencing with world homeless day on 10th  October.” 

You can find out more about the work Simon Community Scotland are doing here:  https://www.simonscotland.org/, or you can ring their helpline on 0800 027 7466.

ELREC launches new BAME RECAP project

ELREC have launched a new project to support people from BAME communities affected by Covid-19. A brief launch event took place at the ELREC meeting room on Monday (4 October). 

The BAME RECAP will work towards restoring the livelihoods of BAME communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Edinburgh and the Lothian.  

The Global Majority Fund, financed by Comic Relief in partnership with the National Emergencies Trust (NET), supports this project. In Scotland, CRER is an Intermediary Partner for Comic Relief’s Global Majority Fund. 

CRER’s Yasmin Luqman said: “We are delighted to act as an Intermediary Partner of The Global Majority Fund and to make grants available to support BME community organisations like ELREC to continue delivering services to communities facing racial inequality who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns.

“This fund is also focussed on creating a positive impact with and for communities facing racial inequality across Scotland. The Global Majority Fund, financed by Comic Relief in partnership with the National Emergencies Trust (NET), supports this project”.

Lothian MSP Foysol Choudhury MBE attended the launch event as a chief guest. He said ‘’ I would like thanks to CRER and funders for providing the grants for the BME communities aftermath of the Covid-19. It will help create a positive impact and improve the livelihood of the affected communities.’’  

The BAME RECAP project coordinator Mizan Rahman hosted the launch event and explained that a wide range of support is available for the Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) community.

Tailor-made support and advice services freely available at ELREC. Specialised advocacy support is also available for people with ‘no recourse to public funds’.

He said that the project will address mental health and wellbeing issues by facilitating various activities over the year.  

To access support and services, anyone living across Edinburgh and Lothian can contact the project team by WhatsApp +447392663851 or email: bamerecap@elrec.org.uk.

More information about the project can be found on social media @bamerecap.  

Unpaid carers to receive double additional payment

Tens of thousands of unpaid carers will receive a double payment of the Carer’s Allowance Supplement this winter under legislation passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament last night.

Recognising the additional pressures unpaid carers face as a result of the pandemic, the December payment of the Carer’s Allowance Supplement will be doubled to £462.80, benefitting more than 91,000 people.

This extra investment, forecast to be £21 million, will be the second time the Scottish Government has doubled a Carer’s Allowance Supplement payment.

The Carer’s Allowance Supplement (Scotland) Bill will also give Ministers powers to provide eligible carers with additional financial support in future if the need arises.

Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson said: “We introduced the Carer’s Allowance Supplement in September 2018 to address the fact that Carer’s Allowance was the lowest of all working age benefits. The £230 payment is in addition to the Carers Allowance in recognition of the role carers play in society.

“In recognition of the additional pressures caused by the pandemic, tens of thousands of unpaid carers will now receive another additional payment of more than £230 through our Carer’s Allowance Supplement this winter. This additional payment means that this year carers in Scotland will get £694.20 more in support than carers in the rest of the UK.

“We also made a double payment last year, so over the past two years we have invested over £120 million from our own budget to support around 91,000 unpaid carers. The Carer’s Allowance Supplement is unique in the UK and is one of seven new benefits we have introduced.

“The Scottish Government will always consider if additional payments are needed in the future, bearing in mind the broad range of support we provide across society and taking account of our limited tax and borrowing powers.

Sebastian Fischer, Chief Executive of VOCAL, which supports and empowers unpaid carers in Edinburgh said:  “As we emerge from the pandemic, the Coronavirus Carers’ Allowance Supplement is a welcome measure and we are delighted that the Bill has passed. This will support carers who have faced, and continue to face, enormous challenges due to Covid-19.

“Unpaid carers have propped up the health and social care sector, and it is vital that they are recognised in ways that deliver real positive impact. We look forward to seeing further measures from our new government which value the role of carers as equal partners.”

Scottish Government publishes education recovery strategy

‘Missed opportunity’, says EIS

Plans to help Scotland’s education system continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic have been published by the Scottish Government – but Scotland’s biggest teaching union the EIS has dismissed the plans as a ‘missed opportunity’ and say Scotland must show more ambition.

Created with input from across the sector, including young people, the Education Recovery strategy outlines how almost £500 million has been used to support learners and staff across the country.

The publication also sets out how the Scottish Government will continue to provide ongoing support to the sector.

This includes:

  • further support for learners who are sitting exams in 2022
  • access to in-school mental health and wellbeing support that young people need, including counselling services
  • recruiting 3,500 additional teachers and 500 support staff over this parliamentary term
  • expanding funded early learning and childcare for children aged 1 and 2, starting with low-income households
  • committing £1 billion to tackle the poverty related attainment gap and support education recovery

Speaking after visiting the site of the new £47.2 million Wallyford Secondary Learning Facility, Ms Somerville said: “Our collaborative and ambitious programme of support to aid recovery right across our education sector has been underway for many months.

“Schools are still dealing with the pandemic and we will continue to support them through these challenging time. However, as a Government we must also be focused on recovery. Supporting children and young people remains our top priority, and almost £500 million of additional funding has already been committed during 2020/21 and 2021/22 as part of education recovery. Of this, £240m is to recruit extra staff to ensure resilience and to provide additional support for learners and teachers.

“Other initiatives will play a crucial role, such as the provision of free school breakfasts and lunches all year round for all children in P1-7, digital devices for every child, abolition of fees for instrumental music tuition, removal of core curriculum charges, and our extended early learning and childcare offer.

“Pupils sitting exams in spring 2022 will be offered a package of support, which will include online revision classes and targeted help for those who need it most. At the heart of all of this is our children and young people, who we will ensure have the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential in school and beyond.”

Read Education Recovery: Key Actions and Next Steps.

Commenting following the publication of the plan, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “Clearly, there are significant elements within the plan to be welcomed – not least the commitment to increasing teacher numbers, the creation of more permanent posts to tackle the scandal of 10% of current teaching posts being temporary, and the reduction in class contact time to 21 hours.

“Overall, however, the plan largely restates existing workstreams and fails to promote a single big initiative such as a reduction in class sizes, which would catalyse an education recovery programme and bring immediate benefits to Scotland’s children and young people.

“Smaller class sizes, even on a limited basis as a starting point, such as P2 and P3 or S1 and S2, would mean more teacher time per pupil and assist with targeted interventions where the pandemic has impacted disproportionately on children’s lives. As a country, we need to be bolder in our ambitions for our youth.”

Responding to the Education Recovery Plan, a spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition commented: “While we welcome the commitment to help Scotland’s education system continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic through this plan, greater action is needed to improve the mental health and wellbeing of our young people.

“Even prior to the pandemic cases of poor mental health were at unprecedented levels and there are a growing number of vulnerable children who cannot access adequate support. At the end June 2021, 1,686 children and young people had been waiting over a year for treatment from specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), double that of the previous year.

“Increased funding to deliver new and enhanced community-based services, including counselling services, as outlined in the plan is welcomed. This however comes on the back of funding restrictions to these services. We must look to greatly increased investment in an expanded range of mental health services as part of a national crusade to address the impacts of the pandemic.

“We have for some time raised concerns over a potential lost generation of vulnerable children and young people, whose mental health is being impacted even further by the COVID-19 pandemic.  It is more important than ever that children can access the support they need, when they need it, irrespective of where they live.

“This is a crisis we can overcome, but it will require a similar energy and commitment to that demonstrated for COVID-19 if we are to achieve this and prevent many young people giving up on their futures.”

Edinburgh charities benefit from Community Connect support

Edinburgh School Uniform Bank has successfully secured £15,000 thanks to Scotmid Co-operative’s Community Connect award scheme.

Edinburgh School Uniform Bank, which distributes school uniform to families in Edinburgh who are facing financial hardship, was awarded the funding after being shortlisted by the convenience retailer as one of three good causes and charities in the East of Scotland to receive financial support from an £25,000 pot.

Other recipients of funding in the East include Canine Concern Scotland Trust, which provides therapy dogs for patients in hospital after a stroke or suffering traumatic brain injuries, and Scottish Huntington’s Association (see below).

Julia Grindley, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Edinburgh School Uniform Bank (above) said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a £15,000 Scotmid Community Connect Award.

“This award will allow us to provide school uniform and warm jackets to over 600 local children. This funding will make a huge difference to their confidence and their sense of belonging, as well as keeping them cosy through the winter.”

Since Scotmid’s Community Connect launched in 2017, more than £460,000 has been awarded to 42 good cause groups, enabling key projects to come to life in local areas.

Shirley MacGillivray, Head of Communities and Membership at Scotmid, said: “Community Connect is one of the main ways we can support those communities that we serve and we are delighted to provide Edinburgh School Uniform Bank with this funding, which will help them to continue providing vital services.

“Times remain challenging for many people; being able to help improve the lives of others across the country is one of the very reasons we exist.”

Scottish Huntington’s Association has successfully secured £5,000 thanks to Scotmid Co-operative’s Community Connect award scheme.

The Association, which provides 1-1 advice, peer group work sessions, youth mental health services for children with a parent living with Huntington’s Disease and have a 50% chance themselves of inheriting the condition, was awarded the funding after being shortlisted by the convenience retailer as one of three causes and charities in the East of Scotland to receive financial support from an £25,000 pot.

Gemma Powell, Senior Fundraiser from Scottish Huntington’s Association said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a £5,000 Scotmid Community Connect Award towards Scottish Huntington’s Association Youth Service.

“This funding will help us bring back our annual youth camp which is attended by young people growing up in families impacted by Huntington’s disease across Scotland.

“This camp offers young people the chance to make and catch up with friends, share experiences, learn more about Huntington’s disease and, for many, enjoy a break from caring responsibilities. We’re so grateful to Scotmid and their members.”

Mel Hughes, CEO of Canine Concern Scotland Trust said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a £5,000 Scotmid Community Connect Award.

“This award will allow us to develop our Therapet® Visiting Service in the NHS Lothian area, starting with the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.

“This funding will make a huge difference to patients recovering from a stroke or neurological condition, who will benefit from a Therapet® visit which will aid their physical, mental and emotional recovery.”

Since Scotmid’s Community Connect launched in 2017, more than £460,000 has been awarded to 42 good cause groups, enabling key projects to come to life in local areas.

Planning Democracy: Community Guide to Planning Appeals

Planning Democracy’s new Community Guide to Appeals is now available.

If a developer appeals a planning decision what can you do? How do you get the community voice heard at an appeal? What happens when?

All these questions and more can be found in the guide at:

https://www.planningdemocracy.org.uk/get-help/resources/

First Ministers urge PM Boris Johnson: Do the right thing

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has joined with the First Minister of Wales and the First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland to demand Prime Minister Boris Johnson “do the right thing” by reversing the decision to withdraw the £20-a-week uplift to Universal Credit.

In a rare joint intervention, the leaders of the devolved nations have warned in a letter that the UK Government “is withdrawing this lifeline just as the country is facing a significant cost-of-living crisis.”

They have urged the Prime Minister to “consider the moral, social and economic harms” of the of this cut, and “do the right thing” and reverse his government’s decision to withdraw this funding which will harm around 6 million people across the UK.

The First Minister, along with Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford and Northern Ireland First Minister and deputy First Minister Paul Givan and Michelle O’Neill say the move, which comes into effect this Wednesday, 6 October, is short sighted at a time of increases in the cost of food and fuel, rising inflation, the end of the furlough scheme, and imminent rise in National Insurance contributions.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I do not think there has been anything quite so morally indefensible in UK policy in recent times as the proposed cut to Universal Credit.

“At a time when we are facing the impact of the pandemic, Brexit and soaring costs, removing £20 per week from the lowest-income households simply cannot be defended in any way, shape or form.

“The planned cut represents the biggest overnight reduction to the basic rate of social security in more than 70 years and would sever a crucial lifeline for countless households across the UK at a time when budgets are already facing an unprecedented squeeze.

“It is an immoral, ill-thought out and ultimately counterproductive policy which simply must be stopped.  

“Those on low incomes are going to find it difficult to feed their children, heat their homes, and pay their rent if the cut goes ahead. We have therefore united as the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to say to the Prime Minister: ‘Do not do this.’”

The full text of the letter is included below:

Dear Prime Minister

We are writing to call on you, with the utmost urgency, to reverse your Government’s short-sighted decision to withdraw the £20-per-week uplift to Universal Credit.

Your Government is withdrawing this lifeline just as the country is facing a significant cost-of-living crisis. This winter millions of people are facing an untenable combination of increases to the cost of food and energy, rising inflation, the end of the furlough scheme, and an imminent hike to National Insurance contributions.

There is no rationale for cutting such crucial support at a point when people across the UK are facing an unprecedented squeeze on their household budgets.

Within the last month, an overwhelming majority of elected members in Holyrood, the Senedd, Stormont and Westminster have voiced their opposition to this cut to Universal Credit, as have the four social security committees of each parliament. The four Children’s Commissioners of each nation, numerous charities and faith groups have also expressed their grave concerns as have millions of people who face additional and unnecessary hardship because of this cut to Universal Credit against the backdrop of a winter of hardship.

We note your Government’s announcement of a Household Support Fund – an acknowledgment that too many people will be unable to make ends meet this winter. Unfortunately, a £500 million fund handed out on a discretionary basis is wholly inadequate to making up the £6 billion shortfall in social security expenditure that will result from the cut to Universal Credit.

Your Government has repeatedly refused to conduct any impact analysis on the biggest overnight reduction to the basic rate of social security for more than 70 years.

As such, it is important that we draw your attention to the growing body of evidence and analysis about the harm this cut will inflict. Research by the Resolution Foundation and the Trussell Trust has highlighted the significant and devastating impact the cliff-edge withdrawal of the £20-a-week uplift to Universal Credit will have on family incomes, with an associated rise in food insecurity.

The Legatum Institute has produced sobering analysis highlighting that the £20-per-week uplift has kept 840,000 people, including 290,000 children, out of poverty in Q2 of 2021. It makes no sense at all to knowingly pursue a policy that will result in this immense and needless rise in child poverty and we ask you to consider the lasting harm and costs of this cut accordingly.

It is important to note that this will increase poverty and hardship without delivering any tangible social or economic benefits. The UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights said – when calling upon you to reverse this cut – that for a healthy and well-qualified workforce to emerge, your Government must provide adequate levels of social protection. Years of a freeze on benefits means Universal Credit has not kept pace with rising living costs. Further to this, rising inflation means that a basic rate of Universal Credit after this cut will hold less purchasing power than it did in March 2020.

To support a meaningful recovery from this pandemic we must first ensure the needs of our most vulnerable are met. This cut threatens to undermine the recovery by diminishing the capacity of six million people to make ends meet.

It is not too late for you to reverse the decision to take money out of the pockets of the poorest in society at a time when they are facing a serious cost of living crisis.

We, with the full support of the Northern Ireland Executive and the Scottish and Welsh Governments, urge you to consider the moral, social and economic harms of this cut, and do the right thing and reverse your decision to withdraw this lifeline.

A copy of this letter is being sent to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and relevant Secretary of States for the devolved nations.

Yours sincerely

Nicola Sturgeon First Minister of Scotland

Mark Drakeford First Minister of Wales

Paul Givan First Minister of Northern Ireland

Michelle O’Neill Deputy First Minister

Independent advocacy support service for disabled people

New service will launch in the New Year

Disabled people are to benefit from a ground-breaking new advocacy service which will support access to Scotland’s social security services.

The Scottish Government has committed £20.4 million over the next four years to the provision of the new and free programme, unique in the UK.

It will offer advocacy support to disabled people looking to access Scottish social security benefits.

These include current and future disability benefits such as Child Disability Payment, Adult Disability Payment and Pension Age Disability Payment.

The service will be operational in the new year and is entirely independent of the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland. It will be available in each NHS board area and will create up to 100 new jobs across the country.

Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson said: “The service will provide advocacy to anyone who is disabled and requires support to communicate their needs when accessing Scotland’s social security services.

“This assistance will be person-centred and advocates will provide the most appropriate form of support to each individual based on their circumstances.

“This is a new and independent free service, with no equivalent provided by DWP.

“It builds on our human rights-based approach and makes social security more accessible to disabled people in Scotland, ensuring their voices are heard.”

VoiceAbility, a charity with 40 years’ experience delivering advocacy services, has been awarded the contract to provide the service.

They will establish a new base and training centre in Glasgow and create up to 100 jobs over the four years. There will be at least one advocate in each NHS area at launch, with more jobs to be created as disability benefits are introduced.

VoiceAbility CEO Jonathan Senker said: “We are proud to launch this new independent advocacy service and we look forward to establishing a base in Scotland and taking on the staff to deliver it.

“The advocacy we provide will support disabled people to make sure their voices are heard when it matters most and that more people will get the support they’re entitled to.”

Brian Scott of the Glasgow Disability Alliance added: “Our members have highlighted the barriers that many disabled people face in accessing support to find out about the social security benefits they are entitled to – and to apply for them. 

“We welcome this free advocacy service as it will ensure disabled people are more involved in the processes and decisions which affect them. 

“In making social security more accessible to disabled people, it shows real evidence of a rights-based approach to providing services.”