Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Bill: children's rights and wellbeing impact assessment

Introduction

As set out in Part 1 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, Scottish Ministers must keep under consideration whether there are any steps which they could take which would or might secure better or further effect in Scotland of the UNCRC requirements, and if they consider it appropriate to do so, take any of the steps identified by that consideration. Undertaking a CRWIA helps Ministers to fulfil this duty.

Background

On 6 September 2022 the Programme for Government (PfG) committed to a suite of emergency measures in response to the cost crisis. This emergency legislation will offer protection to tenants in recognition of the particular issues that will affect people who rent their home. Households in the rented sector, especially those on lower incomes, generally pay more of their income on housing costs than owner occupiers and have less resilience to cope with financial shocks.

Further information about the background, rationale and policy intention behind the Bill is set out in the Policy Memorandum which accompanies the Bill. The Bill, Policy Memorandum and other accompanying documents are available from the Scottish Parliament website.

It is the Scottish Government's view that the following measures will support those most vulnerable to the cost crisis through a temporary restriction on rent increases, temporary moratorium on evictions, increased temporary penalties for unlawful evictions and additional powers to temporarily reform rent adjudication.

Although the Bill aims primarily to support tenants, it is recognised that the impacts of the cost crisis may also be felt by some landlords so appropriate safeguards have been considered as part of the Bill development process and provided for within the Bill.