- Over 100 organisations and academics sign letter to First Minister
- “Grave concern” regarding impact of crisis on family incomes and children’s wellbeing
UNISON Scotland has joined over 100 children’s charities, faith groups, academics, think tanks, poverty campaigners and trade unions in writing an open letter to the First Minister today calling for a direct financial boost for all families living on low incomes to support them through the coronavirus crisis.
The letter expresses “grave concern” that families across Scotland are struggling to stay afloat through the crisis, and that her government’s progress on tackling child poverty is being put at huge risk.
Signatories include the STUC, Scottish Women’s Aid, Scottish Association for Mental Health, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, IPPR, Barnardo’s, Poverty Alliance, Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland and One Parent Families Scotland. They say that a payment equivalent to at least £10 per week per child is needed to provide families “a lifeline now to help them weather the storm.”
The letter highlights the impact of the coronavirus crisis on low income families, particularly on those already at greater risk of poverty, such as lone parent households. The organisations behind it say the families they work with “are reporting increased financial stress and associated anxiety, loneliness, and more complex mental health problems,” and that the charitable hardship funds many of them operate have come under massively increased pressure. Aberlour’s Urgent Assistance Fund alone has, they say, seen a 1400% increase in demand.
The groups urge the First Minster to use “every tool at your government’s disposal to deliver an emergency package of financial support to all low income families”.
They set out a range of ideas for delivering the payment. Options include new or increased Best Start grants, an increased school clothing grant, additional investment in the Scottish Welfare Fund to provide a ‘coronavirus crisis grant,’ topping up UK children’s benefits and the use of local government powers. They also say additional targeted support could be delivered through increases to discretionary housing payments and Best Start Food payments.
Commenting on the letter John Dickie, Director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland, one of the signatories, said:
“Families are already being pulled under by the financial impact of coronavirus, undermining children’s education, health and life chances, and putting progress on child poverty at real risk. It’s right that government at every level should use every power at its disposal to provide an anchor of financial security through these extraordinary times. Boosting family incomes now is vital to shore up the foundations on which the recovery from coronavirus can be built and future progress on child poverty made.”
SallyAnn Kelly, CEO of Aberlour said:
“We urgently need to get money directly to the thousands of struggling families across Scotland who are being pushed, or falling further, into poverty as a result of coronavirus. Families already at breaking point are struggling to put food on their tables or to meet the basic needs for them and their children, and so we are calling on the Scottish Government to take immediate action and use all the measures available to them to get money to those families most in need.”
Claire Telfer, Head of Scotland at Save the Children said:
“All children should be safe, warm, fed and able to play and learning during this crisis and beyond. But, the financial strain on families risks children’s wellbeing now and in the future. Far too many families are struggling to keep afloat – not knowing how they will pay for their next meal or pay their bills. We are concerned the number of children in poverty could soar as a result of the crisis. Emergency support through the Wellbeing Fund and other support from government has been very welcome. It’s not enough to fully protect families. Families need predictable, consistent and sustainable financial support. That is why we are calling for a cash first response for families with children.”
ENDS
You can read the full letter here
Full list of signatories to the letter:
- SallyAnn Kelly, CEO Aberlour
- Paul Carberry, Director for Scotland, Action for Children
- Martin Crewe, Director, Barnardo’s Scotland
- John Dickie, Director of Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland
- Jackie Brock, Chief Executive, Children in Scotland
- Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive, Children 1st
- Satwat Rehman, Chief Executive, OPFS
- Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland
- Peter Kelly, Director, The Poverty Alliance
- Claire Telfer, Head of Scotland, Save the Children
- Tracey McFall, CEO, Partners in Advocacy
- Dr Neil Henery, Director, Camphill Scotland
- Clare Cable, Chief Executive and Nurse Director, Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland
- Alistair Brown, National Director, Scottish Association of Social Work
- Justina Murray, CEO, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs
- Ewan Aitken, Chief Executive, Cyrenians
- Martin Dorchester, Chief Executive, Includem
- Janis McDonald, Chief Officer, deafscotland
- Professor Ian Welsh OBE, Chief Executive, Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE)
- Prof Morag Treanor, Heriot-Watt University
- Nancy Loucks, CEO, Families Outside
- Matt Forde, National Head of Service, NSPCC Scotland
- Ella Simpson, Chief Executive, EVOC
- Duncan Dunlop, CEO, Who Cares? Scotland
- Jimmy Wilson, CEO, FARE Scotland
- Dr Anne Mullin, Chair, the Deep End Group Scotland
- Craig Samuel, NAWRA representative Scotland
- Jo Derrick, CEO, Staf
- Dr Hayley Bennett, Social Policy Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh
- Prof Adrian Sinfield, University of Edinburgh
- Claire Burns, Director, CELCIS
- David Thomson, Destiny Church
- Dr Hartwig Pautz, Senior Lecturer in Social Sciences at the University of the West of Scotland and co-lead of the UWS-Oxfam Partnership
- Mike J Kirby, Scottish Secretary, UNISON
- Professor Mhairi Mackenzie, Professor of Public Policy, University of Glasgow
- Nick Bailey, Professor of Urban Studies, University of Glasgow
- Graeme McAlister, Chief Executive, Scottish Childminding Association
- Colin Flinn, Chief Executive, Royal Caledonian Education Trust
- Mark O’Donnell, Chief Executive, Royal Blind
- Douglas Guest, Acting Director for Scotland, Home-Start UK Scotland
- Billy Watson, Chief Executive, Scottish Association for Mental Health
- Alan Thornburrow, Director, Business in the Community Scotland
- Juliet Harris, Director, Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights)
- Bernard Harris, Professor of Social Policy, University of Strathclyde
- Janet Haugh, Chief Executive, Ypeople
- Cath Morrison, Chief Executive, The Lilias Graham Trust
- Dr Mhairi Crawford, Chief Executive, LGBT Youth Scotland
- Pat Rafferty, Scottish Secretary, Unite the Union
- Professor Stephen Sinclair, Co-Director, Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit, Glasgow Caledonian University
- Professor John McKendrick, Co-Director, Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit, Glasgow Caledonian University
- Professor Sharon Wright, Professor of Social Policy, University of Glasgow
- Hugh Foy, Director of Programmes and Partnerships, UK Region Xaverian Missionaries
- Professor Chik Collins, Rector (Vice Chancellor) of the University of the Faroe Islands
- Shaben Begum, Director, Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance
- Dr David Walsh, Public Health Programme Manager, Glasgow Centre for Population Health
- Emma Revie, Chief Executive, The Trussell Trust
- Professor Steve Turner, Scottish Officer, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
- Kate Wimpress, Chair, SURF – Scotland’s Regeneration Forum
- Angela Moohan, Chief Executive Officer, The Larder West Lothian
- Nathan Sparling, Chief Executive, HIV Scotland
- Neil Mathers, Chief Executive, Children’s University Scotland
- Steven McCluskey, Chairperson, Bikes for Refugees
- Margo Uprichard, CEO, The Louise Project
- Clare Simpson, Manager, Parenting across Scotland
- Ron Culley, Chief Executive, Quarriers
- Jane Brumpton, Chief Executive, Early Years Scotland.
- Hazel Brown, Chief Executive Officer, Cornerstone
- Anne F.Meikle, Convenor, Scottish Women’s Budget Group
- Larry Flanagan, General Secretary, EIS
- Douglas Hamilton, former Chair of the Poverty and Inequality Commission
- Emily Beardsmore, CEO, Light Up Learning
- Virginia Radcliffe, CEO, Licketyspit
- Roz Foyer, General Secretary Designate, STUC
- Marie Ward, Chief Executive Officer, Cranhill Development Trust
- Ian Bruce, Chief Executive, Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector (GCVS)
- Jacqui Hardie, Executive Strategic Manager, Fife Gingerbread
- Professor Mike Danson, Chair, CBINS (Citizen’s Basic Income Network Scotland)
- Shona Blakeley, Executive Director, Women’s Fund for Scotland
- Emma Jackson, National Director Scotland, Christians Against Poverty
- Sharon Colvin, CEO, 3D Drumchapel
- Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary, NASUWT
- Maragret Nakityo, Secretary, Afreshe
- Traci Kirkland, Head of Charity, Govan Community Project
- Rachel Sutherland, Bureau Manager, East & Central Sutherland Citizens Advice Bureau
- Bishop Nolan, President, Justice and Peace Scotland
- Jim McCormick, Associate Director for Scotland, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- Russell Gunson, Director, IPPR Scotland
- Frazer Scott, CEO, Energy Action Scotland
- Anna Ritchie Allan, Executive Director, Close the Gap
- Tim Frew, Chief Executive, YouthLink Scotland
- Shruti Jain, Chair, Saheliya
- Marguerite Hunter Blair, Chief Executive, Play Scotland
- Linda Tuthill, CEO, The Action Group
- Rami Okasha, Chief Executive, CHAS
- Irene Audain MBE, Chief Executive, Scottish Out of School Care Network
- Rachel Adamson, Co-Director, Zero Tolerance
- Dr Marsha Scott, Chief Executive Officer, Scottish Women’s Aid
- Dave Liddell, Chief Executive Officer, Scottish Drugs Forum
- Sharon McAulay, Project Manager, STAR Project
- Danny Collins, National President, Society of St Vincent de Paul (Scotland)
- Emma Ritch, Executive Director, Engender