Class, Poverty & Social Deprivation

Background / Overview – Scotland

Background / Overview – UK

Strategy Policy, Legislation

Listed Authorities

Race Equality Framework (REF)

Link	Description
REF 21a: Approach to Social Justice Considers Measures to Tackle Poverty Across all Ethnicities	Ensure that our response and approach to Social Justice considers measures to tackle poverty across all ethnicities reflecting the public input into our National Conversation on ‘A Fairer Scotland’ and building on the First Minister’s Poverty Adviser’s report ‘Shifting the Curve’
REF 21b: Fill Gaps in Knowledge and Develop Policies	Work to fill the gaps in current knowledge on how and to what extent minority ethnic people are accessing the benefits they are entitled to and work to ensure that relevant policies developed to address benefits take up and provide access to advice services (including financial advice) are equality impact assessed, with a programme of activity developed to address the results
REF 21c: Use the Devloved Powers of the Scotland Bill	Implement the powers being devolved as a result of the Scotland Bill 2015-16 in a way that makes full use of those powers to tackle poverty across all ethnicities
REF 21d: Understand and Mitigate impact of UK Policies	Make all possible efforts to assess, understand and where we can, mitigate the impact of any UK policies outwith our control which have a financial impact on minority ethnic people with low incomes as part of ongoing work around improvements to the Equality Budget Statement and Spending review processes
REF 21e: Funding and Procurement Process Require Recipients Collect Data	Stipulate in future funding and procurement arrangements for money advice services that grant recipients collect data and monitor how far their services meet the needs of people across all ethnicities; we will use this information to feed into future policy development
REF 21f: Work with Credit Unions	Work with the Credit Union Working Group to take forward its recommendations, ensuring that this work takes account of needs across all ethnicities

Immediate Priorities Plan (IPP)

Link	Description
IPP – SIR 01: COVID-19 Immediate Action – Emergency Substenance Fund Payment	The Scottish Government should deliver an emergency sustenance fund using the existing infrastructure of state support for people and families across Scotland. This may involve using the Scottish benefits system creatively. The Scottish Government should ensure that any future COVID-19 response includes the learning and needs identified through the current programme.
IPP – SIR 02: COVID-19 Immediate Action – No Recourse to Public Funds	The Scottish Government should review the nature of the No Recourse to Public Fund restrictions and determine a localised strategy within those restrictions which can navigate how they can be overcome. Currently, the gaps in statutory service provision are patched up by the voluntary sector and volunteers. This cannot continue given the consequences of COVID-19, destitution and poor health.
IPP – SIR 14: Short-Term Actions – Recovery and Remobilisation Plans, Investment Fund and Reporting:	(a) The Scottish Government should take action to ensure that COVID does not exacerbate existing racialised socio-economic inequalities, including measures to ensure that recovery and remobilisation plans do not discriminate against people from ethnic minorities. (b) The Scottish Government’s response to the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery recognised the necessity of embedding an Equalities and Human Rights approach across our policy thinking and development for economic recovery and renewal. The response recognised in the need for action in areas such as employment, skills and training, job support for young people and support for those seeking work or at risk of long-term unemployment. Opportunities for minority ethnic youth must be targeted and progressed as part of contractual agreements where public bodies are spending on significant capital infrastructure projects or modern apprenticeship programmes. ( c )The Scottish Government should take action to set up a Race Equality Transformational Investment Scheme. This fund should focus on the systemic change issues highlighted in this paper and use a participatory and empowerment model where ethnic minority communities are able to direct funding to areas of public service that need to change during the upcoming recovery and remobilisation phases.

Other Accountability Mechanisms

Equity Reports

Mainstreaming Report

Periodic Report Recommendations

Link	Description
Periodic Review Recommendation 16: Poverty, Employment and Social Security	Poverty, Employment and Social Security: The Committee recommends that the State party, including the devolved governments of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, adopt the measures necessary to combat persistent poverty, which disproportionately affects ethnic minorities, in particular children, including by adopting a cross-governmental strategy against poverty and by effectively addressing unemployment, occupational segregation and discriminatory practices with regard to recruitment, salaries, promotions and other conditions of employment. It also recommends that the State party abolish policies that adversely impact ethnic minority households, such as the two-child limit and benefit cap

Link

Description

Periodic Review Recommendation 16: Poverty, Employment and Social Security

Poverty, Employment and Social Security: The Committee recommends that the State party, including the devolved governments of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, adopt the measures necessary to combat persistent poverty, which disproportionately affects ethnic minorities, in particular children, including by adopting a cross-governmental strategy against poverty and by effectively addressing unemployment, occupational segregation and discriminatory practices with regard to recruitment, salaries, promotions and other conditions of employment. It also recommends that the State party abolish policies that adversely impact ethnic minority households, such as the two-child limit and benefit cap

Dr Addy's – Scottish Anti-Racism Resource Library (ARRL)