Briefing – Challenge Poverty Week 2024 Members’ Debate

This year, our policy asks for Challenge Poverty Week were the basis of our asks for the Programme for Government, and will remain our focus for the Scottish Budget. These policies were formed in collaboration with a short-life working group with representation from public bodies, the private sector, and a variety of third sector organisations … Read more

A stock image of a bus

Briefing – Scottish Parliament Debate on Free Bus Travel for Asylum Seekers

People seeking asylum are among the most vulnerable groups in Scotland. They are prevented from working, housed in hotels or private rental accommodation – often in isolated areas – and given less than £50 per week to survive. Yet, they are too often barred from using the public transport they need to access mandatory appointments, … Read more

Briefings – Policy Asks for Challenge Poverty Week 2024

Every year during Challenge Poverty Week, we highlight policies that can give people the security and freedom they need to build a life beyond poverty. You can read an overview of our 2024 policy asks in the window below, or download them it from here.

Children in silhouette

Briefing – Programme for Govt debate on eradicating child poverty

With the eradication of child poverty the single most important policy objective of the current Scottish Government, its feature as the central ambition of the 2024/25 Programme for Government is to be welcomed. Stretching poverty targets require bold action, and the time for action is now. The Government’s ambitious commitment must be matched with a … Read more

A stock image showing building blocks spelling out the phrase Human Rights

Briefing: What next for human rights in Scotland?

At Poverty Alliance, we understand that poverty is a human rights issue. The Scottish Government’s commitment to introducing a Human Rights Bill for Scotland has been welcomed by our membership. We believe it is essential that the Scottish Government take forward these high-profile commitments to ensure that duty bearers work proactively to realise all of … Read more

Research: Taking Action on Rural Poverty Aberdeenshire – Initial Scoping Work

The Poverty Alliance has embarked on a new project Taking Action on Rural Poverty, that will develop new ways of tackling the rural poverty premium, with a focus on Aberdeenshire and Argyll and Bute. This briefing was undertaken as initial scoping work to help us better understand the Aberdeenshire local authority area. You can read … Read more

End Poverty Edinburgh Members at their Conference in October 2023

Research: End Poverty Edinburgh Evaluation

2023-24 has been a busy year for End Poverty Edinburgh; an anti-poverty citizen group whose members all have lived experience of poverty. From meeting with councilors to put forward our views, sharing the reality of poverty by speaking at partner’s events and meetings, and holding our first conference as part of Challenge Poverty Week in … Read more

A Scottish town.

Briefing: Scottish Government Debate on Investing in Public Services

In our wealthy nation, it is unjust that so many people do not have adequate incomes for a dignified life, with 21% of people in Scotland living in poverty. Poverty causes severe harm to people’s daily lives, damaging their health and employment prospects, risking financial and personal wellbeing, and infringing basic rights to things like … Read more

Children in silhouette

Briefing: Child poverty debate in the Scottish Parliament – 10 June 2024

One in four children in Scotland live in poverty. In a country as wealthy as Scotland, this is simply not acceptable. The Poverty and Inequality Commission’s latest scrutiny report on progress of the Child Poverty Delivery Plan makes clear that child poverty levels have stayed broadly the same as they were five years previously, when … Read more

Stay in the loop