Scottish Government urged to commit to work toward a Minimum Income Guarantee for all

Covid-19 has brutally exposed the inequalities that still blight the lives of too many, says Social Renewal Advisory Board

The Scottish Government should commit to work towards a Minimum Income Guarantee for all, the Social Renewal Advisory Board has said.

Established by Scottish Ministers in June 2020, the Advisory Board is a short-term group tasked with delivering a clearly set out policy platform for a more equal, prosperous and socially-just Scotland for the post-Covid period, with a particular focus on equality, social justice and human rights.

In a new report, If not now, when?, the Advisory Board says that Covid-19 has brutally exposed the inequalities that still blight the lives of too many, and that its report -

'... is therefore a call to action. A call to not hold back the social action which made the difference to so many lives but instead to unleash it so it can grow. A call to turn the tide on poor outcomes created – often unwittingly – by barriers in the systems that shape how our society works. A call to realise in full the change we now know is possible.'

While its report spans a range of themes - including people rights and advancing equality; and communities and collective endeavour - in relation to money and work, the Advisory Board highlights the deep damage that living on a low income can do, with death rates having been twice as high for people living in the 20 per cent most deprived areas compared to the 20 per cent least deprived areas. The pandemic has sharpened society's focus on the importance of a decent and secure income for a healthy and happy life, the Advisory Board says, and decent incomes for all will be vitally important as we look to emerge from the pandemic.

As a result, the Advisory Board's first call to action is for the Scottish Government to commit to a Minimum Income Guarantee as a long-term aim -

'Building on the Citizens Basic Income pilot research work done by four councils, research should look at how such a guarantee could be delivered over the longer-term – a floor below which no one can fall. This would explore what levels of income are needed for a decent life (a Minimum Income Standard). It would provide different income levels depending on individual and household characteristics, including factoring in the extra costs of living with disability, ensuring women's independent incomes, and accounting for multi-generational/extended households. As an immediate step, there should be a review of how income and services can be offered to people who have 'No Recourse to Public Funds' – those facing temporary immigration restrictions, who are most likely to be living in real hardship. We know that delivering a Minimum Income Guarantee cannot be done overnight so government will need to take a step-by-step approach to make meaningful progress.'

NB - the report says that a Minimum Income Guarantee differs from a Citizens Basic Income in that it would offer a universal guarantee but not a universal payment, and would provide a payment based on individual circumstances instead of giving everyone the same payment regardless of their needs. As a result of being a guarantee, the costs would also be significantly lower than implementing a universal payment, the Advisory Board says.

Welcoming the publication of the report - that also includes recommendations in relation to approaches to personal debt designed around the needs of the individual, the development of a new social contract on Fair Work, and the incorporation of the right to an adequate home into Scots Law - Scottish Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said today -

'Everyone has felt the impacts of the virus, but those who were already facing disadvantage have faced even greater challenges. We are committed to ensuring our renewal, alongside our response, ensures a Fairer Scotland for everyone no matter their circumstances.'

For more information, see A fairer recovery from the pandemic from gov.scot