A report said that, despite some important progress, certain inequalities in Scotland – especially in income and health – were persisting and deepening.
Source: The Position of Scotland's Equality Groups: Revisiting resilience in 2011, Scottish Government
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Nov
A report said that people in Scotland who were struggling with debt were having their situation made worse by 'rogue' debt management companies who exploited their difficulties with high fees, poor advice, and dishonest information.
Source: Keith Dryburgh, Debt (Mis)management: Evidence on debt management companies from Scottish Citizens Advice Bureaux, Citizens Advice Scotland
Links: Report | CAS press release | ABCUL press release
Date: 2011-Sep
A literature review examined the impact of poverty on children and women (with a focus on Scotland). It considered emerging evidence on the potential benefits of income maximization and welfare benefits advice services that were delivered in a healthcare or partnership setting.
Source: Richard Withington, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Financial Inclusion Evaluation Project: Literature Review, Healthier, Wealthier Children Project
Links: Literature review
Date: 2011-Sep
A report reviewed the literature on the Social Fund. It examined what the Fund consisted of, how it operated, and who benefited from it. It also proposed three alternative models of how the Fund could be administered if it were to be devolved (as planned) to Scotland.
Source: Aimee Grant, The Social Fund: A Review of Selected Literature, Scottish Government
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Aug
A report examined differing trends in child poverty between 1998-99 and 2008-09, focusing on the difference between Scotland and England. United Kingdom government policy was likely to have contributed to reducing child poverty. The UK and Scottish government strategies to increase access to education were likely to have contributed to the reduction in child poverty before housing costs. The factors that were likely to have had the biggest impact in the faster reduction of relative child poverty in Scotland were the faster fall in unemployment, increased access to income from self-employment, and the slower rate of increase in the proportion of families from minority-ethnic backgrounds.
Source: Eleanor Barham, Differences in Decline: Relative child poverty in Scotland and England 1998-99 to 2008-09, Scottish Government
Date: 2011-Jul
A report said that up to 1 in 5 social housing tenants in Scotland would see their incomes fall due to the coalition government's proposals for housing benefit cuts. It identified a range of ways in which the most severe impacts could be mitigated.
Source: Mandy Littlewood, The Impact of Proposed Welfare Reform on HA/Co-op Tenants, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations
Links: Report | SFHA press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2011-Jun
A study reviewed literature and datasets to establish the main patterns, themes, and issues from research on ethnicity and poverty in Scotland.
Source: Gina Netto, Filip Sosenko, and Glen Bramley, Poverty and Ethnicity in Scotland: Review of the literature and datasets, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Date: 2011-Apr
A study examined differences in the experiences of low income and poverty among people from minority-ethnic backgrounds in two different regions of Scotland. All participants associated poverty with limited choice and opportunities in accessing food, warmth, and accommodation.
Source: Philomena de Lima, Rowena Arshad, Alan Bell, and Tim Braunholtz-Speight, Community Consultation on Poverty and Ethnicity in Scotland, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Date: 2011-Apr
A report by an independent commission (which brought together civic leaders in Scotland with people living in poverty) said that people living in poverty needed to be involved in shaping and delivering anti-poverty policy.
Source: Nothing About Us Without Us Is For Us, Poverty Truth Commission
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Apr
The Scottish Government published its response to the 'Europe 2020' strategy for economic growth and social cohesion. It set out how the policies of the Scottish Government contributed to European economic recovery.
Source: Europe 2020: Scottish National Reform Programme 2011, Scottish Government
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Mar
A report examined the state of poverty in Scotland, highlighting the main trends and the impact that poverty had on people and places. It considered how successful the combined efforts of the United Kingdom and Scottish governments had been in tackling poverty in Scotland.
Source: John McKendrick, Gerry Mooney, John Dickie, and Peter Kelly (eds.), Poverty in Scotland 2011: Towards a more equal Scotland, Child Poverty Action Group
Links: Summary
Date: 2011-Mar
The Scottish Government published a national strategy to tackle child poverty. A range of cross-government pledges included:
• Increasing the number of parents in employment.
• Supporting family incomes – through school clothing grants, freezing council tax, scrapping prescription charges, and providing free heating help.
• Encouraging positive parenting skills.
• Better housing and communities – building new affordable housing in mixed-income communities.
• Giving all children more chances to learn – financial support for young people to remain in education through retaining the educational maintenance allowance.
Source: Child Poverty Strategy for Scotland, Scottish Government
Links: Strategy | Scottish Government press release
Date: 2011-Mar
A report examined how families in Scotland living in severe poverty engaged with initiatives and services intended to support them.
Source: Danny Phillips, Claire Telfer, and Gill Scott, with William Reid and Kiel Stewart, Hopes and Expectations: How families living in severe poverty engage with anti-poverty services, Save the Children
Date: 2011-Feb
A study reviewed literature and datasets to establish the main patterns, themes, and issues from research on ethnicity and poverty in Scotland. All minority-ethnic groups in Scotland appeared disadvantaged on one or more poverty indicators.
Source: Gina Netto, Filip Sosenko, and Glen Bramley, A Review of Poverty and Ethnicity in Scotland, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Links: Findings
Date: 2011-Feb
A study examined experiences of poverty among people from ethnic backgrounds in Scotland. All participants associated poverty with limited choice and opportunities in accessing food, warmth, and accommodation. They also emphasized economic factors such as poor access to well-paid, secure employment.
Source: Philomena de Lima, Rowena Arshad, Alan Bell, and Tim Braunholtz-Speight, Community Consultation on Poverty and Ethnicity in Scotland, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Links: Findings
Date: 2011-Feb
