Fiona McHardy Research and Information Manager The Poverty Alliance - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Fiona McHardy Research and Information Manager

The Poverty Alliance

• Poverty Alliance is the anti-poverty network in Scotland, set up in 1992,

informally since mid 1980s

• Around 200 members, community & voluntary orgs, trade unions,

individuals (inc. people with experience of poverty)

• Core funded by Scottish Government since 1999.

What we do

• Key current activities include:
• Research on child maintenance with Fife Gingerbread
• Research on a social investment model as part of European wide

project

• A range of activities around the living wage, including coordinating

LW Campaign & Accreditation Initiative

• Research into the impact of welfare reform in Glasgow
• Campaign on negative attitudes towards people in poverty through
• ur Stick Your Labels Campaign , and on welfare reform issues

through SCOWR

Who Are the Poverty Alliance

Four main thematic areas: attitudes, access to services, participation and incomes. Follow us Facebook, Twitter @povertyalliance @fionamchardy

• Key trends in poverty .
• Campaigns : Scottish Living

Wage and Stick Your Labels

• Challenge Poverty Week

2016

• Looking forward : New

Social Security Powers and Brexit

What I will cover today

An overview of poverty in Scotland

• In 2014-2015 , 940’000 people (18%) were living in poverty in Scotland ,

the same as 2013-2014.

• Of the 940’000 , 220’000 were children and 600’000 were adults of

working age and 120’000 were pensioners. (AHC)

• Trends have shown that more people are in employment and in poverty ,

2014 /2015 analysis tells us people tended to be found in part time work.

• 2014/2105 more than half of working age adult in poverty (58%) lived in

families were someone was in work.

• Source : Scottish Government 2016

Poverty Trends ctnd

• Men in Scotland have a lower life

expectancy than men in England at all levels of deprivation, but the difference is greatest between the most deprived areas.

• Over the last ten years, the number of

people in poverty in the social rented sector has come down sharply whereas the number in the private rented sector has risen sharply.

• For example, disabled people are more

likely to be low paid than non-disabled people with the same level of qualifications.

• Low pay: 414,000 paid less than the

living wage, 19% compared to UK average 22%

• Around 64% of low paid workers in

Scotland are women

Poverty Trends ctnd

Key Poverty Issues

• 349,000 homes in Scotland are affected by

dampness or condensation.

• 647,000 households are in fuel poverty in

Scotland.

• 65,000 (3%) of homes are overcrowded in

Scotland

Campaigning to Change Attitudes

• The Stick Your Labels Campaign was

established in 2010

• Aim was to raise awareness regarding the

impact of stigma on people living on low incomes

• Party leaders signed up to a series of ‘stigma

statements’, myth busting materials were produced, and a short film was launched two years ago

• Re-launched in May 2016

Campaigning to Change Attitudes

• Poverty is not inevitable: it is a problem of political choices, it is neither

natural nor acceptable. We all have a role to play in addressing poverty: We will set out our contribution to tackling poverty in Scotland.

• Attitudes matter: How we talk about poverty and how we portray it can

stigmatise and harm people: We will never use language that may stigmatise people experiencing poverty.

• Actions change attitudes: To change beliefs about poverty requires

action across our whole society: We will develop actions that help address negative attitudes towards people experiencing poverty.

Scottish Living Wage

• The Living Wage is currently £8.25 per hour
• Calculated by the Centre for Research & social policy at Loughborough

University

• Looks at what is needed to guarantee a minimum standard of living
• Work done with public focus groups to achieve consensus
• SLWC formed in 2007 out of a coalition of trade unions, faith groups and

third sector organisations

The Living Wage in Scotland today

• Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative formed in 2014
• There are currently over 568 accredited Living Wage Employers in Scotland
• Cross-party support
• Highest proportion of Living Wage earners in the UK
• Some issues with new ‘National Living Wage’ rolled out in April 2016.

• 16th to 22nd of October
• Based around the UN

day for the eradication of poverty- October 2017 What can I do

• Lectures, debates,

workshops and conferences.

• letters to newspapers,

petitions, surveys and publications.

Challenge Poverty Week

• open days, walks, rallies,

sleep outs, film nights and concerts.

• advice and training sessions,

exhibitions and information stalls.

• meal services, fund-raisers

and religious services. competitions, award presentations and school projects

Consultation currently out on devolved powers and the Bill will be introduced next year on this.

Going Forward : Social Security

• Ill Health and Disability Benefits

which means - Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Attendance Allowance (AA), Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA) and Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB)

• Carer’s Allowance
• Sure Start Maternity Grants (which

SG propose should be replaced by the Best Start Grant)

• Funeral Payments
• Cold Weather Payments and Winter

Fuel Payments

• Discretionary Housing Payments
• Some powers in relation to Universal

Credit (i.e.to split payments between household members)

Devolved Benefits

• Employment
• Rights
• Regional Development
• Participation
• Funding
• Migration

Brexit

Contacts

Fiona McHardy, Research and Information Manager , fiona.mchardy@povertyalliance.org www.povertyalliance.org