Mistakes Leave Thousands of Scots Worse Off
New research has revealed that those on the lowest incomes would need to double their incomes in order to escape poverty.
A report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that the poverty gap – the amount of money needed to bring the incomes of people in poverty to the poverty line – has nearly doubled since the mid-90s. A couple with two children under-14 in poverty would now need an additional £6,200 per year to reach the poverty line, with families in very deep poverty needing £12,800 to reach it.
The report also highlights Scotland’s “much lower” child poverty rate of 24% – compared to 31% in England and 28% in Wales – attributing this “at least in part” to the Scottish Child Payment, which provides low-income families with £25 a week for each child.
The SNP has slammed Westminster for refusing to follow in the footsteps of the SNP Scottish Government in implementing similar policies UK-wide, and attacked the Tories for driving poverty rates to massive levels through over a decade of austerity regime and Brexit.
Despite lower child poverty in Scotland, the report comes as separate research from the Centre for Cities found that the average person in Scotland has missed out on £23,370 in disposable income based on 1998-2010 predicted trends – £13,170 higher than the UK average. The SNP has said this lays bare the impact of continued Westminster control in Scotland – be it Brexit, austerity or the Truss-Kwarteng mini budget.
Scandalously is now twenty years, and six prime ministers, since the UK saw a sustained fall in poverty – making clear that Westminster just cannot be trusted to take the required steps to tackle this worsening issue.
GRAEME
Fourteen years of Tory austerity, a Tory and Labour-backed Brexit and recent economic vandalism on the part of the UK Government have exacerbated extreme poverty, meaning getting above the poverty line is a distant hope for too many.
With the Tories at Westminster only doubling down on their damaging policies, and Labour renouncing any intention to do things differently, it is clear that Scotland will continue to fight poverty with one tied behind its back without the powers of independence.
It is the SNP putting forward the progressive initiatives required for poverty reduction, and it is the returning of a strong team of SNP MPs to the House of Commons in this year’s General Election that ensure a standing up for Scottish households and their budgets.
