With the eradication of child poverty the key policy objective of the current Scottish Government, sitting at the centre of the 2024/25 Programme for Government, it is without doubt that the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act has put greater strategic focus on child poverty within this Government’s – and the previous two First Minister’s – priorities … Read more
In a nation as wealthy as Scotland, it is not right that 21% of people – and one in four children – live in poverty. Organisations in Scotland’s third sector are often at the frontline of efforts to challenge the injustice of poverty, providing vital support to people who are held back from being able … Read more
It is wrong that disabled people are more at risk of being pushed into poverty in wealthy Scotland. Evidence relating to disabled people’s poverty is stark. Some 41% of children living in poverty come from a household containing a disabled adult or child. This represents almost double the overall figure for child poverty in Scotland (24%).1 It is … Read more
A caring social security system that provides an adequate income is a vital lifeline that should be there for all of us when we need it. In our response to a consultation by the Scottish Parliament Social Justice & Social Security Committee, we say that although the Scottish Child Payment has already had a demonstrably … Read more
We built our social security system so that everyone — especially those who most it — have stability and freedom to prosper and thrive in an uncertain world. For too long, successive governments have weakened our social security system, so that more and more people are being allowed to fall into unjust poverty. There has … Read more
Poverty is gendered with women more likely to experience poverty compared to men at all points in their life. This is our joint response with the Scottish Women’s Budget Group to the Commons Women and Equalities Committee inquiry into how women are being affected by the cost of living crisis. In it, we outline how … Read more
The Commons Work & Pensions Committee is looking into how DWP supports vulnerable benefit claimants and whether its approach to safeguarding needs to change. In our response we call for the increased importance and recognition of ‘Vulnerable Claimants’ engaging with DWP services. We highlight the importance of the conceptualisation and operationalisation of vulnerable claimants, experiences … Read more
Poverty is a breach of our fundamental human rights. The incorporation of international human rights treaties is urgently needed to provide dignity for all, complementing our aims to see Scotland free from the grip of poverty. We therefore strongly welcome the consultation on a Human Rights Bill for Scotland. You can read our consultation response … Read more
Investment in our public services through progressive taxation is fundamental to creating and sustaining a just economy and a compassionate society. In our response to the Scottish Government consultation on Council Tax, we say that – nearly 25 years after the establishment of the Scottish Parliament – now is the time to stop tinkering on … Read more
Our response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the Draft Energy Strategy and Net Zero Plan says that the plans lack detail in too many areas, putting at risk the benefits that could flow to all of us from new energy models – and especially to those on low incomes. Our response demonstrates how solutions … Read more
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