New report outlines the scale of Scotland’s inequalities crisis
/This article was featured in the SCDC Weekly - 18th September 2024.
A major new report has outlined the significant inequalities facing Scotland's communities. Published by the newly-formed Scottish Health Equity Research Unit (SHERU), the report has found that outcomes related to inequalities and health are not improving significantly in Scotland, and that some are getting worse.
These outcomes include a stalling in rising life expectancy, almost a quarter of children in Scotland living in poverty, a lack of wage growth compared to pre-2010 levels, increased food insecurity, homelessness and high deprivation-related attainment gaps in schools.
The reports notes that while the pandemic has played a role in this worsening situation, “the roots of this decline stretch back long before this”.
A key issue is how the impact of government policy is measured and evidenced, and that despite "awareness of the issues and its implementation of various strategies, there is limited evidence that these policies have effectively reduced inequalities."
The report cites the Scottish Child Payment, which models suggest should reduce child poverty, but notes how there is "no evidence of this impact reflected in the official data".
Along with these findings, the report includes the voices of those impacted by these inequalities. This human cost of inequality is significant, and underlines the urgency required if we're to see positive change and improved lives.
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