Government criticised for inaction over UN report

Poverty campaigners have criticised the UK Government for failing to react to a United Nations report on poverty.

They say the response is already three months overdue and question why the UK Government is insisting on going ahead with £1,000-a-year cuts to Universal Credit despite the report which condemned the level of poverty.

Peter Kelly, of the Scottish Poverty Alliance, who predicts child poverty is set to deepen from one in five to almost one in three, said: “The UK Government’s insistence on going ahead with plans to on cut £1,000 a year from Universal Credit will make an already bad situation very much worse.”

Experts say not enough was being done to support lowincome families left struggling even before the pandemic.

With the Trussell Trust reporting an almost 90% increase on food bank use, up to a million Scots face an increasingly uncertain future once furlough and welfare payments are withdrawn.

Even in areas of Scotland with traditionally high-paid jobs, thousands of families who have never needed help before have been forced to contact local authorities for debt and money advice as well as accessing food banks and support services.

Norma Matheson, benefits manager for Moray Council, said: “Traditionally this area is associated with well-paid jobs in the oil sector, but because of the turndown, job furloughing and the lockdown situation, we’ve seen thousands who’ve never had to access the benefits system suddenly needing financial help and support.”