‘Poverty is hidden in rural areas’
Commissioner’s concern
Children and Young People’s Commissioner Bruce Adamson has spoken about the challenges brought about by “hidden” rural poverty in the Stirling area.
Mr Adamson last week joined Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on a visit to the Start Up Stirling foodbank in Springkerse.
They chatted to volunteers and staff at the charity and heard about the work they do to support those suffering from poverty, hunger and loneliness.
And the commissioner spoke about the unique challenges facing those living in communities across the Stirling area.
He said: “One thing that’s particularly interesting here is the urban and rural element. I’m particularly concerned about some of the rural poverty which perhaps isn’t being focused on enough. I think there is a lot of hidden poverty in this area. There are additional costs for transport and things, and that’s something which is important.
“But across the country people aren’t getting the support that they need and it’s directly impacting children and their right to social security.”
He added: “If you’re in poverty, and more reliant on public transport, you’ve got to get around and get in for appointments. We’re also seeing transport costs rising across the country.
“The families and children that come here [Start Up Stirling] – we need to put much a much stronger focus on their right to security.”
Mr Adamson is a lawyer with more than 20 years experience in human rights and he has been a member of the Children’s Panel for more than a decade.
He paid tribute to the work of the volunteers and staff at Start Up Stirling, adding: “It’s really impressive what’s happening here, and the volunteers and staff are amazing, but it’s hugely concerning the number of families and children being affected by poverty. Some of the benefit changes are pushing more people into poverty.
“The support they get when they come here [Start Up Stirling] is absolutely amazing because it leads into access to other supports, particularly surrounding health and mental health.
“We’ve just had Christmas, which is a really happy time for most families, but it also puts pressure on families that are struggling.”
In the month of December alone Start Up Stirling had 18kg of food donated, and in 2016/17 they provided food for more than 114,000 meals and supported 734 households.
The First Minister told the Observer during her visit that she feared the Universal Credit welfare policy was failing to protect people from poverty – and even making life more difficult for those struggling to get by.
She said: “In principle a welfare system should be about helping to lift people out of poverty and Universal Credit, and the entire UK welfare system, seems to be doing the opposite of that and pushing people further into poverty and that’s why we do need a fundamental rethink.
“The welfare system as a whole is being run by a government at Westminster that I think wants to dismantle it rather than make it work properly.”
Stirling’s Tory MP Stephen Kerr hit back, saying that he supported his Government in their efforts to create a fair and working welfare system.
He said: “People here know that we need a welfare system that works and delivers real changes in people’s lives through helping them get into work, and that is why I support the Government in their endeavour to create a working welfare system that is fair to all.
“A l l t h e e v i d e n c e points to success with unemployment in Stirling continuing to fall. There are amazing stories of people being helped by people at the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) and charities around Stirling to get a job after years of being left on the scrap heap.
“This is testament to the hard work that volunteers and staff at a variety of third sector and charitable organisations across Stirling do, which the First Minister would do well to remember. People should come before politics.”