Our vision is to build a fairer Scotland where everyone feels valued and we properly support our most vulnerable people.
Yet the lowest income households in Scotland are being hit the hardest by Westminster public spending cuts driven by the Tory austerity agenda.
This has to change. The barriers to opportunity standing in the way of people – whether as a result of background, age, income, geography, gender, sexuality or disability – have to be broken down. By promoting fairness as a way to reduce inequality, we can also allow Scotland to become more prosperous and fiscally sustainable.
The SNP in government is using all the powers at its disposal to mitigate Tory welfare cuts handed to Scotland by the UK government, to tackle the scourge of in-work poverty and to give children the best start in life.
With new powers over some aspects of social security, we are building a Scottish social security system with dignity and respect at its heart. We are increasing support for carers and families with young children, as well as putting in place a fairer system of disability assessments.
We are determined to eradicate child poverty. To do so we have passed a new Child Poverty Act, published a new action plan and introduced a £50 million fund to step up our efforts to end child poverty.
We are committed to delivering homes for all. We’re on track to deliver 50,000 affordable homes over this Parliamentary term, including 30,000 council or housing association homes. We have set a new national goal to end rough sleeping and are implementing all of the recommendations of an expert working group on homelessness, backed up with a new £50 million fund.
By promoting the real Living Wage and the principles of fair work, we can ensure that work pays and individuals are valued. And we’re supporting people who deliver vital public services by lifting the public sector pay cap.
There is more we can and want to do to make genuine and long lasting changes to the challenges that have continued to blight Scotland. That’s why we will continue to work for the Scottish Parliament to have the full powers we require to build a fairer, more inclusive Scotland.