Stark reminder of work still needed to tackle poverty
Scotland is a place which values compassion and justice, a belief that everyone should have what they need so they can live a healthy and fulfilled life.
Where everyone should have a decent standard of living and the same chances in life, no matter who they are or where they come from.
Yet Scotland is a place where increasing numbers of families and individuals are reliant on foodbanks or struggling to pay bills.
One million Scots live in poverty and the constant pressure of it can dominate their lives.
No one chooses to have their child go to bed hungry or to turn off the heating on a cold night, but for many this is their reality.
We have a shared responsibility to do all we can to protect those in need of our support and to commit to doing something about it.
Challenge Poverty Week took place at the start of this month.
Falling at a time where furlough has come to an end, amid reports of rising energy prices and fuel shortages, and when cuts to vital financial support came into force, it was a stark reminder that we are not doing enough.
The past year-and-a-half has shown how much we rely on others. It has highlighted the importance of those in jobs we may have taken for granted, as shop workers, healthcare staff, cleaners, delivery drivers and others served their communities throughout lockdown and beyond.
Many of these roles are low-paid or insecure and result in those workers facing challenges paying household bills and rental costs or balancing their work hours with caring responsibilities.
The pandemic has also shown us that almost any one of us could be pushed into poverty by unforeseen circumstances.
It would not take too much to change our lives – the loss of wages for even a short time, a hike in rent or an unexpected bill can be all it takes to make it hard to get by without assistance.
Social security benefits can loosen the grip of poverty and the removal of the uplift to Universal Credit has put further pressure on families already struggling to make ends meet.These households need action to boost incomes and reduce the cost of living not a reduction in vital support.
We have an economy which is locking people into poverty instead of helping them get out but this can change if our governments choose to act.
If we are to eradicate poverty in our communities both the UK and Scottish Government need to do more to prevent poverty and to enable those living in poverty to get out.
We need to see action to protect households with low incomes, the maximisation of benefits and a reduction in the cost of living.
If we are to deliver a fair recovery from this pandemic, the eradication of poverty has to be a priority.