‘Many Scots are living in misery’

One in 28 adults in Scotland experiences extreme disadvantage, such as homelessness and substance dependency, each year, according to new research.

The study found that almost 200,000 adults in Scotland experience at least one form of extreme disadvantage annually.

When additional disadvantages such as mental ill-health and domestic violence are considered, the numbers affected more than double to nearly 450,000 people each year.

The Hard Edges Scotland study examines the challenges facing charitable services and the public sector, and highlights the “mismatch” between the multiple disadvantages people face, and the fact that services are often set up to address “single issues”.

It notes that people are often not able to access services until they have reached crisis point.

Researchers found numerous examples of people using the criminal justice service as a “safety net” and committing offences and/or requesting custodial services to gain access to support.

The report was commissioned by Lankelly Chase and The Robertson Trust and authored by Heriot-Watt University.

Lankelly Chase is making £80,000 available to communities and organisations across Scotland to encourage new conversations about severe and multiple disadvantage and is offering grants of up to £3,000 from that fund to facilitate new discussions.

The report found that each year in Scotland 5,700 adults experience three “core” forms of severe and multiple disadvantage (homelessness, offending and substance dependency).

Researchers found that 28,800 people experience two out of these three while 156,700 experience one of the three.

The research was led by Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick at Heriot-Watt University.

She said: “Many of the people directly affected are living miserable and stressful lives, constantly in ‘survival mode’.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We’re taking action to address the underlying causes such as tackling poverty, delivering fair wages, supporting families, and improving the provision of alcohol and drug treatment services.”