Commission urges focus in Scottish Budget to tackle impact of cost of living crisis on human rights
The Commission examines the impact of the cost of living crisis on the human rights of people in Scotland, in a new report to the Council of Europe.
The report highlights how budget shortfalls and inconsistencies mean Scotland is failing to meet some of its international commitments on economic, social and cultural rights.
The Commission calls for a human rights based approach to budgeting to support the fair, effective and efficient generation and use of resources. In this way, governments and responsible public bodies can far more effectively tackle issues such as poverty, poor housing and social care.
Our report has been submitted to the European Committee of Social Rights, as it carries out a region-wide study looking at how the cost of living crisis has affected human rights protected in the European Social Charter.
Adequate standard of living
In its evidence, the Commission identifies that Scotland is at increased risk of breaching its international obligations to protect an adequate standard of living as a result of the impact of the crisis:
- Fuel poverty has put many households into more debt or forced people to make difficult decisions about when to use energy.
- Food insecurity and food bank use has increased.
- There is a shortage of housing that meets people’s needs and that is affordable across all of Scotland.
- Childcare is hugely expensive, even with an increase in government funded hours.
- Child poverty rates are persistent, and do not seem to be falling significantly.
- Local services are struggling as local government funding is not adequate to meet needs of communities.
The report also includes recommendations for the Scottish Government. The Commission has identified the impact of poverty on human rights in Scotland as a key priority area in its 2024-28 Strategic Plan.
Read the full report and executive summary by clicking this link or on the publications page of our website at www.scottishhumanrights.com.
Professor Angela O’Hagan is Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission. She said:
“Our new report warns the Council of Europe that the Scottish and UK Governments are at risk of breaching their international human rights obligations as a result of the impacts of the cost of living crisis.
“The European Social Charter protects the rights to live without poverty and social exclusion, and the right to housing, amongst other rights. The data available suggests that the Scottish Government and other public bodies are not doing enough to protect the rights in the European Social Charter throughout the cost of living crisis.
“The Scottish Government needs to increase support for children and families in Scotland to mitigate this and ensure that we do not see progress continue to go backwards on human rights.
“This is particularly important as the 2025-26 budget is being prepared in a challenging public sector funding context. Human Rights Budgeting could give a framework to help the Scottish Government and local authorities to build the budget in line with human rights obligations and help restore rights to an adequate standard of living.”
Notes to editors:
- Find out more about the European Committee of Social Rights on the Council of Europe website: European Committee of Social Rights - Social Rights (coe.int)
- Read more about The European Social Charter: The European Social Charter - Social Rights (coe.int)
- Read more about human rights budgeting on our website at www.scottishhumanrights.com.
- The Commission is Scotland’s National Human Rights Institution. We are set up in law to protect people’s rights and to hold government and public bodies to account.
- The Commission is accountable to the people of Scotland through the Scottish Parliament. We also report directly to the United Nations on human rights issues in Scotland.
- You can read our Strategic Plan 2024-28 by clicking this link or it is available on the publications page of our website at www.scottishhumanrights.com