Read the latest news on poverty in Scotland.
The Prime Minister has asserted that the days of austerity policies will soon be over and that the UK Government will pursue an agenda of ‘levelling up’ our economy and society. To make this a reality, tomorrow’s Budget must put tackling poverty at its heart. Below are some of the key actions the Chancellor can … Read more
Responding to the UK Government announcement that statutory sick pay will be available to workers self-isolating from the Corona virus from their first day off, Peter Kelly, Director of Poverty Alliance said: “While we welcome the much needed extension of statutory sick pay, this will not be enough to protect workers who may need to … Read more
“More and more people in our communities are being locked into poverty by jobs that are low paid and insecure. When people in work can barely afford to put food on the table and when parents working full-time are struggling to cope, there is clearly something very wrong that we have to put right.” Jackie, … Read more
Campaigners have written to Derek Mackay, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work, urging him to use next week’s Scottish Government budget to increase investment in the Scottish Welfare Fund, after new figures showed that the number of people applying for emergency cash because they can’t afford food is soaring. The letter – sent … Read more
Campaigners have today renewed calls to end the damaging ‘five-week wait’ for first payments of Universal Credit after a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by the Poverty Alliance revealed there is no Government analysis of the impact of the policy on poverty and destitution. The news follows a report last week from the Resolution Foundation … Read more
People living on low incomes in Edinburgh have decried the city’s high living costs and called for increased action to loosen the grip of poverty in their lives, in a new report published today. New research undertaken by the Poverty Alliance on behalf of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission has revealed the range of challenges faced … Read more
Responding to the result of yesterday’s General Election, Director of the Poverty Alliance, Peter Kelly said: “The General Election took place against a background of a rising tide of poverty, with more and more people struggling to keep their heads above water. Predictions prior to the election suggested that the number of children being swept into … Read more
Poverty campaigners have today published their demands for the next UK Government, with calls for a range of policy commitments to help stem the rising tide of poverty. In Righting the wrongs: A manifesto to tackle poverty, the Poverty Alliance urge the next UK Government to put solving poverty at the heart of all that … Read more
+ The Living Wage Foundation announces new real Living Wage of £9.30 per hour, up from £9, an increase of 30p per hour + The rate is independently calculated to reflect the increased cost of living and is £1.09 per hour more than the minimum wage (for over 25s) + Over 6,000 UK businesses currently pay the … Read more
Irene Tortajada, Campaigns Officer at The Poverty Alliance shares her reflections on Ken Loach’s new film. Ken Loach has once again shed light on one of the biggest struggles of modern Britain, the rising tide of in-work poverty and insecure work brought by the massively growing gig economy. His new film Sorry we missed you … Read more
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