Includem has today welcomed the publication of The Social Renewal Advisory Board’s Report: If Not Now, When?, which outlines 20 Calls to Action.[1]
The Board was set up by the Scottish Government in June 2020 as ‘a short-term group to come up with transformational ideas on how to deliver real change as Scotland embarks on its journey of renewal after the pandemic.’[2]
On the release of the report, includem Chief Executive Martin Dorchester said:
“includem welcomes the publication of The Social Renewal Advisory Board’s report. The recommendations are bold and ambitious – exactly what is needed as we seek to collectively build a fairer Scotland.
With 42% of the families we support telling us they face increasing challenges with household debt[3], we particularly welcome ‘Call to Action 2’ which recommends that the Scottish Government ‘develop debt write-off schemes to respond to the build-up of unsustainable debt in Scotland both before and over the course of the pandemic […]’[4].
In our response to the Board’s ‘Call for Ideas’ we emphasised the need to tackle household debt, calling for debt-write off to support Scotland’s poorest families. We noted this could include working with local authorities to write-off council tax and social housing rental arrears, engaging with energy providers, and looking at further financial support for private renters in arrears.
We hope to see commitments to act on the important and bold Calls to Action outlined by the Social Renewal Advisory Board, with clear timescales for implementation. Includem stands ready to play its part in building a fairer Scotland.”
[1] https://www.gov.scot/publications/not-now-social-renewal-advisory-board-report-january-2021/
[2] https://www.gov.scot/publications/not-now-social-renewal-advisory-board-report-january-2021/
[3] https://includem.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Poverty-and-the-Impact-of-Coronavirus-on-Young-People-and-Families.pdf
[4] https://www.gov.scot/publications/not-now-social-renewal-advisory-board-report-january-2021/
