Equality and Fairer Scotland Budget statement: easy read summary

What the Budget Statement tells us

It is complicated to work out how people are affected by the budget decisions.

This is because so many parts of life are connected to others.

The Budget Statement shows that different kinds of inequality and unfairness are being reduced.

They are being helped by projects like Best Start Foods.

Best Start Foods is a project which gives some pregnant women and babies money to buy healthy foods.

The Budget Statement says that people who do not earn much money will be helped by lots of different kinds of support.

For example, when money is given to make sure pay is fair.

The Budget Statement says that people with protected characteristics are supported by the new budget.

Protected characteristics are shared by groups of people.

They include groups like:

• older people
• disabled people
• people who share the same religion
• people who are the same sex

People with protected characteristics are supported by things like:

• cheaper travel costs
• childcare help
• the Independent Living Fund

The Budget Statement says that the budget is stronger this year.

This is because there was a lot of extra thinking about how things can be made fairer.