Poverty levels in Scotland have been in a state of flux for many years. From the late 1990s to the mid 2000s child poverty levels were stable until around 2013 when stability gave way to an increased number of people affected. There are more than 1 million people currently living in poverty in Scotland.

In 2017, the Scottish parliament unanimously voted for the Child Poverty Act hoping to set a goal of reducing relative child poverty in Scotland to no more than 10% and reducing absolute child poverty to no more than 5%. Now in 2023, the fight against poverty continues in Scotland, where several charities and independent organizations have taken to the frontlines to stand in defense of their disadvantaged countrymen. Here are 5 charities operating in Scotland.

Charities at Work in Scotland

1. Smart Works – Established in 2013, Smart Works is a charity that supplies out-of-work women in Scotland with the means to re-enter the workforce and start on the road to an improved life. Smart Works not only supplies out-of-work women with the apparel they need to help secure employment, but they also offer career coaching for women struggling to land a job interview. According to Greater Govanhill, 71% of clients can find a job within a month of completing the program. Smart Works has helped more than 30,000 women across 11 centers throughout the U.K.
2. Homeless Project Scotland – Colin McInnes and Fraser Riddell founded Homeless Project Scotland in 2019 and have provided more than 130,000 meals to the disadvantaged people of Scotland. The charity runs a soup kitchen as well as other services, including the deployment of street cycle teams who deliver food, water, clothing and other essentials to those in need.
3. The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) Scotland – Founded in 1965, the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) is a voice supporting children suffering from the ravages of poverty. Since its foundation, CPAG has worked to secure futures for children and families in Scotland and the U.K. at large through lobbying and ensuring those who qualify for aid receive it without delay.
4. The Robertson Trust – Elspeth, Agnes and Ethel Robertson founded the Robertson Trust in 1961, which has been contributing to and funding charities operating in Scotland for more than 60 years. The Robertson Trust identifies the two largest issues in Scotland to be poverty and trauma, the trust aims to tackle these issues by working directly with organizations receiving their support on the ground level. Since 1961, the Robertson Trust awarded more than £300 million to organizations across Scotland.
5.  Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) – Joseph Rowntree started the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) more than a century ago in 1904 to provide quality-of-life improvements for the community around him. Currently, JRF makes donations to organizations battling poverty, researches solutions to poverty and lobbies for government reform on policies dealing with the alleviation of poverty for those affected by it in any capacity. JRF is assisting in taking action against poverty by funding organizations it believes to be making a difference, referring to these groups and businesses as “pathfinders.”

Wrap Up

With more than a million people still living in poverty in Scotland as of 2023, the Scottish government’s goal of seeing poverty levels reduced to or below 10% is a mounting challenge. However, the charities operating in Scotland and many more like them continue to wage a war on poverty. With the continued work and support from these organizations and the communities around them, there is growing hope for progress.

– Beau Sansom
Photo: Flickr