A new report published today aims to ensure that the views of those
living with poverty in Scotland are heard ahead of the Scottish
parliamentary elections in May.
The report, ‘Voices of people experiencing poverty in Scotland:
Everyone matters?’, is unveiled by a coalition of 20 Scottish charities
including the Poverty Alliance, the Scottish Churches Parliamentary
Office and Save the Children.
Amongst the key problem areas identified in the research are the
existence of barriers to work, including childcare problems and
transport, low wage jobs and problems accessing services and benefits.
The report found that participants are not always aware of what they
are entitled to, and find dealing with service providers unpleasant and
demeaning.
The research, based on a focus group study across Scotland, also
identifies poor quality housing and environment, bad debt and
aggressive creditors and associated stress and anxiety as key issues
for those experiencing poverty.
Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance said: “Some of the
findings in this report are depressingly familiar - low pay, lack of
childcare, high fuel costs, poor services. There are many problems
highlighted here that our politicians are all too aware of.
“But what this report adds is the real experience of poverty - there
are real struggles behind the statistics. These struggles also
undermine the idea that people on low incomes are somehow passive,
simply waiting around for a government handout. The challenge for all
politicians now is how they will work with people to help overcome
poverty.”
The focus group study was funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation
that covered the experiences of 112 adults and children who live in
poverty. The aim was to hold open discussions that allowed people to
identify problems that affected them and to discuss how their
situations had changed since the Scottish Parliament was established in
1999.
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