Jackie Baillie MSP The official website of Scottish Labour Deputy Leader, Jackie Baillie MSP.
Dumbarton Constituency MSP, Jackie Baillie, has called on the SNP Government to take urgent action as a new report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has revealed that 1 million people in Scotland are living in poverty.
The figures include 230,000 children, 140,000 pensioners and 630,000 working age people. And almost half of those who are of working age are living in poverty despite coming from working homes.
Scottish Labour has restated its call to lift the two-child cap and increase Child Benefit by £5 per week and has the opportunity to do so as early as this week as part of the Scottish Government budget.
Jackie said:
“The Joseph Rowntree Foundation report demonstrates the scale of poverty and inequality in Scotland and underlines the need for a Scottish Government budget that takes urgent action to lift people out of poverty.
“Behind the statistics are real people who are struggling to cope with the stress and disruption of living in poverty. Hundreds of thousands of children and pensioners are struggling to keep up with the costs of everyday living. And our economy is clearly not working when more than 300,000 people in working households are in poverty.
“The Scottish Government should use the powers of the parliament to make different choices and help lift people out of poverty.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Scottish Data from the JRF report:
Scotland | |||||
2014/15-2016/17 | 5 Year change | 10 Year change | 20 Year change | ||
91 | People in poverty | 1,000,000 | 90,000 | 40,000 | -180,000 |
91 | Poverty Rate | 19% | 1% | 0% | -5% |
93 | UK poverty rate | 22% | 0% | 0% | -3% |
91 | Children in poverty | 230,000 | 20,000 | -10,000 | -120,000 |
91 | Poverty rate | 24% | 2% | -1% | -8% |
93 | UK poverty rate | 30% | 2% | 0% | -3% |
91 | Working-age people in poverty | 630,000 | 60,000 | 60,000 | 70,000 |
91 | Poverty Rate | 19% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
93 | UK poverty rate | 21% | 0% | 1% | 1% |
91 | Pensioners in poverty | 140,000 | 20,000 | -10,000 | -130,000 |
91 | Poverty rate | 13% | 2% | -2% | -18% |
93 | UK poverty rate | 15% | 1% | -2% | -13% |
52 | Children in single parent families in poverty | 90,000 | 0 | -20,000 | -50,000 |
52 | Poverty rate | 41% | 5% | -3% | -22% |
54 | UK poverty rate | 47% | 4% | -5% | -17% |
39 | Children in couple parent families in poverty | 140,000 | 20,000 | 10,000 | -70,000 |
39 | Poverty rate | 19% | 2% | 1% | -5% |
41 | UK poverty rate | 25% | 1% | 2% | 0% |
13 | Children in workless families in poverty | 80,000 | -30,000 | -50,000 | -120,000 |
13 | Poverty rate | 64% | 0% | -8% | -17% |
15 | UK poverty rate | 70% | 2% | -5% | -12% |
26 | Children in working families in poverty | 150,000 | 40,000 | 30,000 | 0 |
26 | Poverty rate | 18% | 5% | 4% | 0% |
28 | UK poverty rate | 23% | 3% | 4% | 5% |
91 | Working-age parents in poverty | 220,000 | 20,000 | 10,000 | -50,000 |
91 | Poverty rate | 21% | 2% | 0% | -4% |
93 | UK poverty rate | 25% | 1% | 1% | -1% |
91 | Working-age non-parents in poverty | 410,000 | 40,000 | 50,000 | 120,000 |
91 | Poverty rate | 19% | 1% | 1% | 4% |
93 | UK poverty rate | 19% | -1% | 1% | 2% |