5 May 2025

“For the sake of the Scottish people, and our economy, announce a programme for social care” 

Tomorrow the First Minster has an opportunity to do what’s both brave and economically wise, writes Rachel Cackett

Tomorrow – as a late surprise – John Swinney will deliver his last Programme for Government of this parliament. Given none of us was prepared for the sudden appearance of this (and equally none of us is quite clear what has happened to the full scope of the one-year programme announced just last September…), perhaps, in keeping with the surprises, we can hope that some rabbits might get pulled out the hat.

Social care certainly needs one.

The FM has said that “delivery and hope” and “a very radical programme” will be at the heart of his agenda. Well, we could do with some of those too.  

But in the press trailing of the announcement, I’ve not seen social care mentioned once.  Perhaps this is because we really are going to be the grand end-of-speech unveiling.  I hope so, because we have been absolutely clear with the Scottish Government about the state our sector is in, and the consequent risks facing people who are in receipt of support, those who care for them and the wider paid workforce in the sector.   

The human and economic costs of getting things wrong in social care over the next 12 months will be profoundly negative.  There is only one reasonable option here – invest.  Why?  

Because you cannot have a vibrant, equitable economy – and end child poverty too – if: 

  • The NHS, justice and education departments have to step in to waste many millions of taxpayers’ money on wholly avoidable crisis interventions  
  • People cannot be supported to enter or remain in the job market or stay engaged in education or training 
  • Family members cannot continue in work because they are the only option to provide essential support 
  • A major skilled Scottish workforce, made up of over 80% women, are paid too little by government setting baseline wage rates too low 
  • These same skilled staff lose their jobs because services close, and 
  • The loss of services and organisations in our sector has a direct knock-on impact on Scottish suppliers – many of them local businesses. 

We don’t talk enough about the underpinning of our economy, and aspirations, around the eradication of poverty and inequality by social care and support. But tomorrow we need John Swinney to recognise this direct link. There is real urgency here.   

The charities and not-for-profits in CCPS membership, who deliver much of Scotland’s social care, have faced years of underinvestment, rising costs and now huge increases in employer national insurance. Together these are resulting in a systemic destabilisation of the market. In February, we surveyed our members and found that in this financial year: 

  • 57% are seriously considering handing contracts back to commissioners.  
  • 55% are seriously considering reducing the amount of support available. 
  • 92% say lack of eNICs reimbursement will negatively impact their pay award. 
  • 67% are budgeting on the basis of reaching financial balance through reserves and, of these, 91% will no longer be a going concern within 4 years if they continue to reach financial balance in this way.  

(Our survey covered 50 major not-for-profit providers in membership, with £850m income, 28,000 staff and supporting 230,000 people in total).

We now need the Scottish Government to come up with a radical plan of investment to avert a truly terrible position for everyone in Scotland who needs, and delivers, social care and support.  

I know that choosing to allocate investment here may leave some risk elsewhere in the overall Scottish budget; but I am also clear that failing to invest here leaves utterly unacceptable levels of risks in the hands of supported people, their loved ones and staff on the frontline.  Inaction is a political choice. 

So, First Minster, do the brave and economically wise thing:  protect some of our poorest and most vulnerable citizens and pull this rabbit out of the hat in tomorrow’s speech. 

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1 September 2023

4 Steps Guest Blog: “In a just Scotland, everyone must have sufficient income to live a dignified, healthy and financially secure life”

Lack of fair work and low income can lead to problem debt, including for staff in social care. As part of our 4 Steps campaign series focusing on Faith Leaders, Christians Against Poverty’s Emma Jackson explains the scale of the problem – and how to fight back

I don’t know if you have ever had to carry a secret, something you felt too ashamed to tell anyone. If you’ve ever experienced the overwhelming fear and dread it forces you to carry and how it consumes every aspect of your life. Holding you hostage and whispering the lie ‘there’s no way out’. This is exactly what problem debt feels like for tens of thousands of people all across Scotland.

Problem debt is deeply isolating, dominated by fear and pressure and a unique stigma that forces people to hide their financial difficulties. At Christians Against Poverty (CAP) our Taking on UK Poverty report revealed that one in two of our clients wait for at least a year, almost a quarter (23%) waiting more than three years, before seeking help. People like Alan*. Too ashamed to reveal the depth of their financial struggles.

The reality is, debt is overwhelming due to circumstances beyond an individual’s control. A change in circumstances, something unexpected or outwith your control. Our most recent client survey revealed that the three most common reasons people had ended up in unmanageable debt were mental ill-health, relationship breakdown and low income.

Insufficient income is a growing issue that is significantly affecting not just the people accessing our services at CAP, but hundreds of thousands of households right across Scotland. This includes households in receipt of social security and households where there is paid employment.

For an increasing number of people, they do not have enough money to pay for the everyday essentials that we all need; food, fuel, housing. Forcing people down one of two impossible paths – destitution and going without or deepening debt. People like Ron, who has gone without heating on a regular basis for over four years. Or Laura who walked hours to find yellow sticker food items as a means to survive.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) reported in its most recent Financial Lives Survey that 1.1 million people in Scotland (24%) are heavily burdened by domestic bills or credit commitments. This is 3% higher than the UK average. When people have no financial safety net small, unexpected expenses can prove disastrous and your budget is on a knife edge daily. For Helen*, who works as a care assistant, it was moving house and the need to buy furniture, a bed, that triggered problem debt for her: for the second time. Quickly her physical and mental health deteriorated as her budget just wouldn’t balance.

At CAP, approximately 50% of the households we are working with have an unsustainable budget. This means that after working through a debt solution, there is not enough income, either via paid work or social security, to cover basic essentials. Households are being pushed to either go without or begin to accrue debts again. A totally unwinnable game. Hopeless is the word used far too often by people in these circumstances.

The insidious nature of debt means that it permeates every aspect of someone’s life and pushes many to very dark places. It is devastating for us to report that 50% of our clients have seriously considered or attempted suicide because of problem debt. That’s one in two people believing suicide to be their only option when they first contact us. This is utterly heartbreaking and completely unacceptable.

We have the opportunity to change this, to prevent tens of thousands of people from being pushed into debt and poverty and being battered by the pain and trauma that it forces people to endure by providing liveable incomes. We need bold, targeted and urgent action from Government at all levels to deliver on the policy proposals already laid out to make this happen.

In a just and compassionate Scotland, everyone must have sufficient income to live a decent, dignified, healthy and financially secure life. Our collective aspiration must be for all of us to have the opportunity to flourish. Where we recognise and value the contributions that we all have to make to civic society and everyone can have the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

(If you or someone you know is experiencing problem debt free, professional debt help is available from Christians Against Poverty today. You can also find out more information on money advice from the Scottish Government).

*names changed to protect anonymity.

Emma Jackson is National Director Scotland, Christians Against Poverty

 

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