Scottish Budget 2024 to 2025: equality and fairer Scotland statement

Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations, Section 4.3

Attainment Scotland Fund Evaluation: Reporting on National Improvement Framework Attainment and Health and Wellbeing Measures, June 2023

Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2019-22

Best Start - strategic early learning and school age childcare plan 2022 to 2026

School Age Childcare Delivery Framework

Covid recovery strategy - for a fairer future: fairer Scotland duty assessment - summary

The Cost of Living Crisis in Scotland: analytical report

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

Those 16-to-19 year olds who were ‘unemployed seeking’ or ‘unemployed not seeking’ were concentrated in the most deprived areas. Around two fifths of both unemployed seeking (45.4 per cent) and unemployed not seeking (39.8 per cent) lived in areas ranked within the 20 per cent most deprived areas in Scotland.

People from the most deprived communities (SIMD20) are also under-represented at universities. In 2021-22, 16.5 per cent of all Scottish-domiciled entrants to full-time first-degree courses in 2021-22 came from the 20 per cent most deprived areas. Young people from more deprived backgrounds face a range of financial barriers to entry and attainment, and more typically require student support and bursaries. These challenges intersect with protected characteristics and with care experience status.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Scotland’s colleges play a vital role in improving the lives of young people in Scotland and helping them reach their full potential, including a distinct role in educating disadvantaged students. The college resource budget funds a variety of activity, including college teaching and funding college bursaries, and childcare and discretionary (hardship) funds. These funds enable disadvantaged learners to participate in further education and access opportunities to upskill and gain qualifications. In 2021-22, 16 per cent of credits delivered at colleges were from the 10 per cent most deprived areas in Scotland. Almost a quarter of college entrants to higher education courses came from the 20 per cent most deprived areas and 45.6 per cent of the widening access cohort at university articulated from college. The reduction in the college resource budget is likely to impact on the range of course provision available to learners, although these savings repeat those made in-year in financial year 2023/24 and such impacts should now be baselined.

The ongoing Widening Access programme was developed in response to the long-standing under-representation of people from the most deprived communities (SIMD20) at universities. There is a significant risk that the reduction in the HE resource budget will increase competition for remaining university places, which could disadvantage learners from socio-economically disadvantaged areas with lower prior attainment. Continued monitoring of widening access requirements on institutions will aim to mitigate this risk.

Free tuition benefits around 120,000 undergraduates studying in Scotland each year, contributing to the delivery of fair access. The bursary and grants budget helps to support specific groups, including providing a minimum income guarantee to support students from the lowest income households. Additional support is made available for care experienced and disabled students, and childcare support for student parents.

The Higher Education Student Support budget provides bursaries and access to student loans and free tuition for all eligible Scottish undergraduate students studying in Scotland. It supports young people and adult learners who could not otherwise afford to access educational opportunities. It also provides support for entry into future employment.

Our Purpose and Principles for Post-School Education programme identified barriers faced by people on low incomes. This led to creation of a Principle which outlines our commitment to support individuals equitably: Supportive and Equitable: People are supported throughout their learning journey, particularly those who need it most.

The Scottish Government has commissioned a Student Finance and Wellbeing Study to provide up to date evidence on the financial experiences of Higher and Further Education students in Scotland. The study is due to report in late summer 2024. This evidence will inform student support in the future, especially for those most in need and/or at risk of or already facing hardship.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Report on Widening Access 2021-22

Maintaining the Momentum Towards Fair Access: annual report 2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Annual Participation Measure | Skills Development Scotland

Post-school education, research and skills - purpose and principles: draft equality impact assessment

Student Awards Agency Scotland - National Statistics Publications

Early Child Development Statistics 2021/22

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

While the pandemic has adversely affected many people across Scotland, evidence suggests that it has and will continue to have, a particularly significant effect on young people’s outcomes. Developmental concerns for young children reported in Child Health Reviews were steadily reducing before the pandemic. The latest statistics show that this positive trend reversed during the pandemic. Children’s speech, language and communication has been an area that has been particularly affected since the onset of the Covid pandemic, with Public Health

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

This budget continues to support children and young people in the greatest need in our society, who may have been significantly affected by the detrimental impact of COVID-19 on equality. We are working across over 40 areas of policy, towards the priorities identified in The Promise Scotland Plan 2021-24 and Change Programme ONE, and we are in the initial phases of implementing the conclusions of the Independent Care Review in their entirety by 2030. Within ELC this budget continues to support work in relation to children who have speech and language needs, including investing in a programme of early intervention in speech and language.

A significant part of delivering on The Promise is our commitment to transforming family support services across Scotland to ensure children, young people and families get access to the support they need, when they need it and for as long as they need it.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Sector shutdowns during the coronavirus crisis: which workers are most exposed? - Institute for Fiscal Studies

Early child development: 2021 to 2022 Statistics – Public Health Scotland

The Cost of Living Crisis in Scotland: analytical report

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

Scotland data indicating that the proportion of children with a speech, language and communication concern at the 27-30 month review point increased from 9.7 per cent in 2019/20 to 13.0 per cent in 2021/22.

Research highlights that young people who have recently left education and who have recently entered the labour market are more susceptible to long-term unemployment and pay scarring as a result of the pandemic. Scottish Government analysis shows that young people under 25 are over- represented as a share of low-income households.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Through the Whole Family Wellbeing Funding we will enable the building of universal and holistic family support services across communities in Scotland.

Changes in the college and HE resource budgets risk reducing education and skills training opportunities for young people, and for older people seeking to upskill. Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Scottish Funding Council as public bodies will decide how best to allocate savings. The full impact will not be known until it is understood how colleges and universities, as autonomous institutions, decide to manage their final budget allocations.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

The Promise : Plan 2021-24

The Promise : Change Programme ONE

Economic inactivity of young people aged 16-24: Definition, reasons and potential future focus

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

Younger mothers are more likely than older mothers to give up work after having a child and not to have returned by the time their child is aged 5. Compared with mothers who were either in paid work, or not in paid work and not seeking work, mothers who were looking for work tended to be younger. When the child was aged 10 months, 18 per cent of those seeking work were under 20 when the child was born compared with 6 per cent of other mothers. This difference persisted when the child was aged 3 and 5. At each age point, others who were looking for work were notably younger than other mothers.

The Office for National Statistics reports that in 2021, 70.1 per cent of women aged 25-34 with dependent children were in employment, compared with 79.9 per cent of those aged 35-49.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Early learning and childcare will support children’s development and family wellbeing, as well as supporting parents’ and carers’, including young mothers’, ability to train, study and move into sustainable employment and out of poverty.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Growing up in Scotland: Patterns of maternal employment and barriers to paid work

Best Start - strategic early learning and school age childcare plan 2022 to 2026 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

School Age Childcare Delivery Framework

Families and the Labour Market, Scotland - Office for National Statistics

Characteristic

Disability

What is known about existing inequalities?

As of September 2023, around 16,980 children (18 per cent of all funded ELC registrations) required additional support to overcome barriers and benefit from ELC. This compared with the same proportion 18 per cent in 2022, a small increase of around 480 registrations. The ELC Census also showed 1,620 (2 per cent) of children registered were assessed or declared disabled, the same proportion as in 2022 when 1,410 children registered were assessed or declared disabled.

The 2022 Parent Survey found that 85 per cent of parents of children with additional support needs (ASN) were satisfied with how funded ELC meets their child’s ASN, while 9 per cent were dissatisfied (main reasons for dissatisfaction included staff not fully/appropriately trained, not enough support given, and poor communications with provider). However, 31 per cent of parents of children with ASN said they had experienced difficulties accessing suitable provision in 2022. This compared with 48 per cent in 2017.

A recent report by the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments (SCCMI) identified significant inequalities between the experiences of children and parents of children with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) accessing their entitlement to funded ELC when compared to families where the child has no recognised ASN.

Differences in attendance and attainment between disabled pupils and their peers are found for school pupils. In 2020-21 pupils assessed as disabled missed 3.8 per cent of days when schools were open through unauthorised absence, compared to 3.2 per cent among pupils not assessed or declared as having a disability.

In 2023, 71.6 per cent of Higher entries from pupils who were declared or assessed as disabled resulted in an A to C grade, compared to 76 per cent among pupils who were not declared or assessed as disabled.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

To further enhance capacity to respond effectively to the individual needs of children and young people with ASN, including disabled children and young people, this budget continues to provide support to local authorities by investing £15 million this year. This investment will increase the number of pupil support assistants already working in Scotland’s classrooms, contributing to the improvement of outcomes for this group.

Additional student financial support is made available for care- experienced and disabled students, and childcare support for student parents.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had a major impact on children and young people, their families and those who support them. The Additional Support for Learning Review, chaired by Angela Morgan, identified a number of recommendations to improve the educational experiences of children and young people with ASN. As the transition back to face-to-face education began, Scottish Government worked closely with local government partners to implement the review. An updated report, detailing progress made, will be published in Spring 2024.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Schools in Scotland 2022: summary statistics – Early Learning and Childcare

Early learning and childcare - parents’ views and use: survey findings 2022

Disabled parents and schools: Barriers to parental involvement in children’s education.

| JRF Residential schools and disabled children: decision-making and experiences | JRF

Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations, Section 4.4

Review of additional support for learning implementation: report

Additional support for learning action plan: progress report

ELC PLMD Report - The Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments

School attendance and absence statistics

Characteristic

Disability

What is known about existing inequalities?

Young people (16-19) identified as disabled are less likely to be participating in education, employment or training than those not identified as disabled. In 2023, the participation rate amongst 16- to-19 year olds who identified as disabled (89.9 per cent) was lower than for those who did not identify as disabled (94.5 per cent).

College courses taken by disabled students are less likely to be successfully completed than those taken by non-disabled students.

In 2022/23, the achievement rate of disabled Modern Apprenticeships (MA) was 67.0 per cent, compared to an overall achievement rate of 72.7 per cent, and 73.7 per cent for MAs who were not disabled. In 2021 disabled people aged 16-to-24 were 21.2 percentage points less likely to be employed than others of the same age group.

A Scottish Government high level review of the publicly available evidence on economic inactivity found that in 2022, 54.9 per cent of inactive 16-to-24 year olds were disabled. The barriers to economic activity that these young people face included: health-related factors like physical and mental ill health; and disability. Evidence reports the negative impact that disability can have in both searching for and getting work.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Alongside Higher Education Student Support and free tuition support, the bursary and grants budget helps to support specific groups (for example for disabled students through the Disabled Student Allowance, and through bursaries for students with care experience). The Scottish Government provides additional financial support for eligible disabled students to support access to higher education.

Scottish Government recognises that disabled people and those who are care experienced can face additional challenges in their career journeys. To address this, Skills Development Scotland is providing enhanced contribution rates for disabled people up to the age of 29 who are undertaking a MA. This enables training providers to provide enhanced and additional support to help disabled people progress and achieve their MA. Work is ongoing to promote equal access, and although apprenticeship statistics show that there still appear to be barriers, we are committed to identifying, understanding and addressing these. This will require systemic change with a major cultural shift in the career pathways that people choose, as well as the recruitment and employment practices of businesses.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Financial support for students - Universities - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Annual Participation Measure | Skills Development Scotland

Modern Apprenticeship Statistics, up to the end of Q4 2022/23 -Skills Development Scotland

Scotland’s Labour Market: People, Places and Regions – Protected Characteristics. Statistics from the Annual Population Survey 2021

Modern Apprenticeship Programme Specification – Skills Development Scotland – Section 2.9

Economic inactivity of young people aged 16-24: Definition, reasons and potential future focus

Characteristic

Gender Reassignment

What is known about existing inequalities?

Existing research suggests that transphobic bullying remains a problem in schools, although there is a lack of robust evidence in relation to discrimination against trans individuals in education.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Bullying of any kind is unacceptable and must be addressed quickly whenever it arises. Scottish Government have fully funded respectme, Scotland’s anti-bullying service, since its inception. respectme provide support to all adults working with children and young people to give them the practical skills and confidence to deal with all types of bullying behaviour.

We have also published guidance for schools on Supporting Transgender Young People. The guidance aims to support schools to further enhance support for transgender young people to ensure that they fulfil their full potential.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Transgender and non-binary students’ experiences at UK universities: A rapid evidence assessment - Jodie Smith, Sarita Robinson, Roxanne Khan, 2022 (sagepub.com)

Stonewall | School Report 2017

Respect me: Scotland’s Anti-Bullying Service

Supporting transgender young people in schools: guidance for Scottish schools

Characteristic

Pregnancy and Maternity

What is known about existing inequalities?

Women continue to be more likely to be primary carers for children, which can restrict the type of work and working patterns they can take up.

Typically, higher-paid jobs and career progression often come with less flexibility. Evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the unequal responsibility for housework and childcare.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

This budget includes revenue funding for local authorities to deliver the statutory entitlement to funded early learning and childcare, which increased from 600 hours to 1,140 hours in August 2021. This will support children’s development and family wellbeing, as well as supporting parents’ and carers’ ability to train, study and move into sustainable employment and out of poverty. Funded early learning and childcare is available for 2 year olds who have experience of care, live in families in receipt of certain benefits or who live in families receiving Universal Credit or Child Tax Credits with incomes below the income threshold, as well as for 3 and 4 year olds.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Best Start - strategic early learning and school age childcare plan 2022 to 2026 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Out of school care in Scotland - draft framework: consultation - gov.scot

School Age Childcare Delivery Framework

Scottish Study of Early Learning and Childcare: Three-year-olds (Phase 3) Report

Overview of the evaluation strategy - Early learning and childcare expansion programme: evaluationstrategy

Parents’ use and views of ELC in Scotland, 2022

Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare – Reinstatement of 1140 statutory duty - Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment

Funded early learning and childcare

Characteristic

Race

What is known about existing inequalities?

Differences in attainment between different ethnic groups are found for school pupils.

In 2023, at Higher level the proportion of entrants receiving a grade A to C varied by ethnicity:

White – Scottish – 75.5 per cent

White – non-Scottish – 78 per cent

Mixed or multiple ethnic groups – 80.7 per cent

Asian – Indian – 82.5 per cent

Asian – Pakistani – 73.9 per cent

Asian – Chinese – 86.1 per cent

Asian – Other – 78 per cent

African/ Black/ Caribbean – 71.8 per cent

All other categories – 72.9 per cent

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

As above, this budget continues to invest in the Scottish Attainment Challenge, which is intended to be inclusive. Targeting resources, through the Attainment Scotland Fund, to children and young people, is expected to have a positive impact on the lives of children and young people affected by poverty, including those in the equality groups.

The poverty-related attainment gap is exacerbated by intersecting protected characteristics. For example, the COVID-19 Expert Group on Ethnicity recognised that people of minority ethnicities, including children and young people, are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, both in and out of school settings and made a number of recommendations to Scottish Ministers, including on education.

We are working with a wide range of anti-racism organisations to further strengthen resources and approaches to prevent and respond to racist incidents through the Race Equality and Anti- Racism in Education Programme Board.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Promoting and developing race equality and anti-racist education

Minority Ethnic Pupils’ Experiences of School in Scotland, Full Report — University of Edinburgh Research Explorer

In what ways do children and young people in Scotland experience racism? – Promoting Race Equality and Anti-racist Education (glowscotland.org.uk)

Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations, Section 4.4

School attendance and absence statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot), Table 1.11

Scottish Attainment Challenge | Programmes | Learning in Scotland | Education Scotland

Characteristic

Race

What is known about existing inequalities?

The participation rate in education, training, or employment for 16-to-19 year olds in the Mixed or Multiple; Asian; African; Caribbean or Black; and Other ethnic group is 96.8 per cent, which is 2.6 percentage points higher than the rate for those identified as white (94.2 per cent).

However, university graduates from non-White ethnic groups earn less on average than those from White backgrounds five years after qualifying.

In 2022/23, 3.3 per cent of Modern Apprenticeship starts identified as an ethnic minority. Census data from 2011 reported that 4.0 per cent of the Scottish population identified as an ethnic minority.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

For Modern Apprenticeships in Scotland the Equality Action Plan was in place from 2015 until 2021 which aimed to support more people from racialised minority backgrounds into apprenticeships. Although work is underway to promote equal access, apprenticeship statistics show that there still appear to be barriers, and we are committed to identifying, understanding and addressing these. This will require us to effect systemic change with a major cultural shift in the career pathways that people choose, as well as the recruitment and employment practices of businesses.

Alongside Higher Education Student Support and free tuition support described above, the bursary and grants budget helps to support specific groups.

Our Diversity in the Teaching Profession and Education Workforce programme will advance equality of opportunity through the work it is doing with Glasgow City Council to establish whether the positive action provisions in the Equality Act can be used to ensure that the barriers which impede teachers from racialised minorities from being recruited, retained and promoted are removed.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Annual Participation Measure | Skills Development Scotland

Statistics - Skills Development Scotland

Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) from Universities: 2019/20: Scotland

Apprenticeship Equality Action Plan: final report 2015-2021

Characteristic

Religion or Belief

What is known about existing inequalities?

No differential impacts identified at present.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Scottish Government Equality Outcomes: Religion and Belief Evidence Review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

The Scottish child health programme conducts child health reviews at 13- 15 months, 27-30 months and 4-5 years of age. In 2021/22, at each of the reviews, a higher proportion of boys had a developmental concern recorded than girls. The difference was smallest at the 13-to-15 month review in which 13 per cent boys had at least one concern compared with 10 per cent of girls. At the 27- to-30 month review the difference was more marked, with 23 per cent of boys having a concern recorded compared to 13 per cent of girls. For the 4-5 year review, 19 per cent of boys had a concern recorded compared to 10 per cent of girls.

At high school level, in 2023, 79.5 per cent of female candidates received a grade of A to C at Higher, compared to 74.3 per cent of male candidates, a difference of 5.2 percentage points.

Girls also continue to be more likely to enter positive destinations than boys - 96.3 per cent of female school leavers were in a positive initial destination in 2021/22, compared to 95.2 per cent of male leavers.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The Improving Gender Balance and Equalities Programme and elements of the new Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities professional learning framework aim to support interventions to effect long-term cultural change with a particular focus on challenging gender inequality and addressing the impacts of unconscious bias to encourage greater gender balance across occupations. Officers work with Early Learning and Childcare, Primary, Secondary and Community Learning and Development providers to develop and embed practical ways to address gender bias and tackle inequity in learning.

In addition to continuing our investment in the Scottish Attainment Challenge, this budget includes funding to support us to continue work to build a system of school age childcare and plan our expansion of Early Learning and Childcare for more families with a 2 year old. We are aware of significant gender inequalities which are exacerbated by barriers to childcare. For example, lone parents are far more likely to live in poverty and most lone parents are women. Childcare responsibilities particularly disadvantage women compared to men. Increasing access to affordable childcare is very likely to have a positive effect for women as it is expected to advance opportunities for those who, because of childcare responsibilities, are currently not able to work, or only work a few hours, or are limited in the type of work they can secure. It also opens opportunities to study to improve job prospects. It may also have a positive effect in fostering good relations, as more women are able to enter the workplace and advance their careers and take up roles where they have more influence over workplace policies and culture.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Early Child Development Statistics 2021/22 – Publish Health Scotland

Improving Gender Balance and Equalities – Education Scotland

Improving gender balance and equalities 3-18 – Education Scotland

Improving Gender Balance and Equalities in Community Learning and Development

Economic inactivity of young people aged 16-24: Definition, reasons and potential future focus

Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations, Section 4.4

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

A Scottish Government high level summary of the publicly available evidence on economic inactivity amongst 16-to-24 year olds, found higher inactivity rates in men than women. It also found that the barriers that young people in this cohort faced included:

gender differences: women report high caring responsibilities (of both family and children).
lack of support and financial instability: evidence shows the lack of emotional and financial support, particularly for women with children, to enrol in employment.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Through our investment in paying ELC staff delivering the funded hours in Private, Voluntary and Independent settings £12 per hour we will also be increasing pay by an average of around £2,000 per year for those working full time. This will support greater gender equality in pay as the profession is 96 per cent female.

Reductions in the college and HE resource budgets risk reducing education and skills training opportunities for men and women. Any potential reduction in modern apprenticeships would be particularly difficult for men (where they are over-represented), while any reduction in university places would be difficult for women (where they are over-represented). The full impact will not be known until it is understood how colleges and universities, as autonomous institutions, decide to manage their final budget allocations and which courses they seek to prioritise.

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

Gender differences in subject choice are evident throughout school, in apprenticeships, and in further and higher education. In 2022/23, 38.1 per cent of MA starts were female and 61.9 per cent were male. In the largest occupational grouping, Construction & Related, only 2.5 per cent of starts were female in 2022/23. These are both causes and effects of wider gender stereotypes about the skills and abilities that women and men have and can best contribute to society and the economy. These wider causes and effects contribute to gender segregated qualifications pipelines and labour markets.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

For Modern Apprenticeships in Scotland the Equality Action Plan was in place from 2015 until 2021 which aimed to support more gender-balanced participation in apprenticeships.

To support the cultural shift required the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) created the Gender Commission, who developed recommendations that offer practical solutions to help address the gender imbalance across the apprenticeship family, and to advise the Scottish Government how it can better support all businesses in this area.

We have committed to working in partnership with SDS and SAAB to realise the outcomes of the Gender Commission and will integrate the findings into our reform work to ensure they are embedded in the skills system.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Statistics - Skills Development Scotland

Apprenticeship Equality Action Plan: final report 2015-2021

Gender Commission – Skills Development Scotland

Gender Commission: Report and recommendations – Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board

Characteristic

Sexual Orientation

What is known about existing inequalities?

Evidence suggests that LGBT pupils may be particularly likely to experience bullying at school. A 2022 survey found that 70 per cent of gay/lesbian participants report experiencing bullying due to their sexual orientation at school.

Research also found that 36 per cent of LGBT+ young people experienced online bullying during the pandemic compared with 14 per cent of heterosexual young people.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Bullying of any kind is unacceptable and must be addressed quickly whenever it arises. We have fully funded respectme, Scotland’s anti-bullying service, since its inception. respectme provide support to all adults working with children and young people to give them the practical skills and confidence to deal with all types of bullying behaviour.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

respectme | Scotland’s anti-bullying servicerespectme

Stonewall | School Report 2017

respectme | Scotland’s anti-bullying servicerespectme

Life in Scotland for LGBT Young People 2022

Online in Lockdown – Time for Education

Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

Individuals from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to experience barriers to participation in the labour market such as lower skills or social capital, or less flexible availability due to health or caring responsibilities. This is often exacerbated during times of economic crisis. They may also be disproportionately affected by any loss of low-skilled jobs that are replaced due to technological advancement, with regions with higher unemployment rates and where people have lower skills more vulnerable.

The gap between the number of flexible workers on the highest and lowest salaries has widened since last year, with 80 per cent of people earning more than £50,000 working flexibly, compared with 51 per cent of people earning under £20,000. Women earning under £20,000 are less likely to work flexibly than men earning less than £20,000 (43 per cent compared with 39 per cent). Seven in ten jobs are closed to people who are only able to work if they can find a flexible role. As a result, many people become trapped in low-paid flexible jobs because that is all that is available to them.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The Scottish Government aims to support the delivery of a fairer Scotland through addressing existing social and economic inequalities and preventing those who are most vulnerable from being further disadvantaged by facilitating and funding effective transitions into the labour market. Supporting people into fair, sustainable jobs, and ensuring that work pays for everyone through better wages and fair work, is central to delivering many of our ambitions around inclusive growth, tackling child poverty, and tackling severe and multiple disadvantage.

The ‘Programme for Government’ commits to actions that seek to address labour market participation challenges (starting with a focus on health and the needs of parents, particularly those in the six priority groups), promote flexible working, and boost wages. We will do this by using the leverage of public sector spend to increase the number of employers who pay at least the real Living Wage and who provide an effective voice for workers, and delivering the ‘Fair Work Action Plan’. We will work alongside business, local government and the third sector to deliver person- centred employability support (with a particular focus on parents, helping to meet our child poverty targets). We will also undertake an independent review of how we maximise the potential of employee-owned cooperatives and social enterprises.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www. gov.scot)

Scotland National Strategy for Economic Transformation: evidence paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation: Fairer Scotland Duty summary

Fair Work Action Plan and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy - Equality Impact Assessment

Fair Work Action Plan 2022 and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy 2022: Fairer Scotland duty assessment

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

The relationship between poverty and mental health is well documented. Rates of depression, serious mental illness, and suicide worsen with increased poverty and deprivation. The ‘Scottish Health Survey’ results from 2016 showed that children aged 4–14 in the lowest- income households were four times as likely to have poorer mental wellbeing as those in the highest- income households (13 per cent compared to three per cent). Mental wellbeing in adults (as measured by Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale score) remained relatively stable between 2008-09 and 2019. Overall mental wellbeing then fell significantly in 2021, with both men and women experiencing the lowest levels recorded. An opinion poll commissioned by the Scottish Government and undertaken in June 2023 found that 49 per cent of respondents considered that their mental health had been impacted negatively by the rising cost of living. This impact was more prevalent in the lower socioeconomic groups, those in the 18-54 age group, and women.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The Budget provides £90 million for Employability and Workforce Skills (including ‘Fair Start Scotland’). Through the actions we are taking we will deliver a labour market that is inclusive and offers equality of opportunity for all to access and to progress in work. Delivering person-centred employability support through ‘No One Left Behind’ and ‘Fair Start Scotland’ will prioritise those facing complex barriers to accessing the labour market. This includes enhancing employability services’ support for parents and bringing together a range of services to help priority families increase their income from employment, helping to tackle child poverty. Since April 2020, funding has been made available specifically for parental support, with changes made to eligibility of our services to enable parents in low-income employment to benefit. ‘Local Employability Partnerships’ identify the services that will meet the needs of local people, supporting them to access employment or training, impacting positively on their lives, their family and wider neighbourhood and community. We will continue to work with partners to increase the scale and effectiveness of our support for parents and to better promote and communicate available employability support.

In 2024-25 we are allocating £3.5 million to Fair Work. Through our ‘Fair Work First’ policy we are leveraging employers’ commitment to fair work by applying Fair Work principles to public sector grants, other funding and contracts where it is relevant and proportionate to do so. Employers are being asked to commit to: payment of at least the ‘real Living Wage’; appropriate channels for effective workers’ voice, such as trade union recognition; investment in workforce development; no inappropriate use of zero hours contracts; action to tackle the gender pay gap and create a more diverse and inclusive workplace; offering flexible and family-friendly working to all workers from day one of employment; and oppose the use of fire and rehire practices. ‘Fair Work First’ has been applied to some £4 billion worth of public sector funding since 2019.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Best Start, Bright Futures: tackling child poverty delivery plan 2022 to 2026 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Annual survey of hours and earnings: 2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

No One Left Behind and the Young Person’s Guarantee: implementation evaluation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

FlexForLife Report 2022 | Flexible Working

Scotland-Fair-Flexible-Work-Summary-Report.pdf (timewise.co.uk)

The Timewise Scottish Flexible Jobs Index 2022

If not now, when? - Social Renewal Advisory Board report: January 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Social Enterprise in Scotland Census 2021

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

Unemployment and insecure work have negative effects on mental health and are particularly damaging for men. Negative working environments are also associated with a greater risk of developing depression, anxiety and work-related stress.

Earnings from paid work are the single largest source of income for most households in Scotland and there is a strong relationship between worklessness and poverty. However, employment is not a guaranteed route out of poverty. Higher rates of relative poverty are associated with characteristics such as low hourly pay, part-time work, temporary and insecure employment, with cycling in and out of work also found to have a strong association with relative poverty.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The ‘Fair Work Action Plan 2022 and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy 2022: Fairer Scotland duty assessment’ states that increasing provision of the ‘real Living Wage’ (RLW) and ‘real Living Hours’ commitments will be effective tangible measures that can mitigate the negative impact of socioeconomic disadvantage dimensions such as low income, low wealth and material deprivation; and that strengthening effective voice through appropriate channels can also mitigate socioeconomic disadvantage by means not related to finances. The proportion of people earning at least the RLW continues to increase and is currently 91 per cent of employees aged 18 or over in Scotland. The number of accredited Living Wage employers is up from 14 in 2014 to around 3,400 in 2023, and at least 64,000 workers in Scotland have had a pay rise resulting from accreditation. The application of ‘Fair Work’ conditionality to public sector grants is intended to result in the RLW reaching more people, benefiting socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, particularly those on low incomes or those experiencing material deprivation. This will help continue the increasing number of employers paying the RLW, and therefore the number of opportunities available to people from socioeconomically disadvantaged groups to earn the RLW. The ‘Living Hours Accreditation Scheme’ for Scotland recognises that, in addition to payment of the RLW, the number and frequency of work hours are critical to tackling in-work poverty. There are now over 40 ‘Living Hours-accredited’ employers.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

CentreforMentalHealth_PovertyMH_Briefing.pdf

Scottish Health Survey 2016 - volume 1: main report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scottish Health Survey - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Public attitudes to cost of living and other topics: tracker - data tables - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Social determinants of mental health (WHO and Calouste Gulbenklan Foundation)

Local Wellbeing Economy Monitor

Home – Scottish Hub For Regional Economic Development

Robots ‘to replace up to 20 million factory jobs’ by 2030 - BBC News

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

The employment opportunities available in the local labour market are important, meaning that those who live in deprived neighbourhoods may find it more difficult to find work and therefore have low incomes.

Evidence demonstrates that the supply of employment, the quality of jobs, competition for work, and employment rates vary by region and neighbourhood. There is some evidence that place matters particularly to those who are disadvantaged in the labour market, as they tend to have a more ‘localised’ orientation than the population as a whole. Qualitative research found that young jobseekers living in a deprived neighbourhood isolated from strong labour markets can limit their job search horizons. Lower qualified and unemployed people tend to have least locational flexibility in seeking jobs.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

We are allocating £307.5 million for Scotland’s enterprise agencies, which work to promote equality and a fairer Scotland by expanding opportunities and creating and safeguarding good quality jobs in more disadvantaged areas. They are active in furthering ‘Fair Work’, with recipients of grant funding required to pay the RLW and offer employees an effective voice. Around 900 companies are currently supported by Scottish Enterprise to develop fair and progressive workplace practices. Highlands and Islands Enterprise enables and equips community anchor organisations to develop projects (in areas such as housing, community transport, renewable energy, childcare, social care and tackling food poverty) which aim to tackle social inequality and poverty and increase social inclusion. South of Scotland Enterprise similarly supports communities and social enterprises which have a core mission to address inequality and deliver a fairer Scotland: over 60 per cent of the 56 communities and social enterprises provided with grant support in 2022-23 were actively working to address inequality, with the majority focused on socioeconomic disadvantage, age or disability.

The Budget provides £44.4 million for VisitScotland. Tourism activities provide a range of economic, social and structural benefits that help reduce inequality in Scotland’s labour market and communities. VisitScotland’s activity supports tourism jobs in communities throughout Scotland, helping to prevent depopulation in rural areas by creating employment opportunities and investment, and providing critical mass for community services.

The Scottish National Investment Bank (‘the Bank’) will be funded with £177.1 million through the Budget. The Bank considers the impact and benefits of each of its investments. As at April 2023, 100 per cent of the businesses and projects the Bank has directly invested in have committed to adopting ‘Fair Work’ principles. The Bank will work with businesses to assist them to develop and strengthen their policies in this area to enable it to make a wider impact as a result of investment. There is an expectation that businesses will pay their (permanent) employees at least the RLW and offer flexible working opportunities; and, at April 2022, 100 per cent of the businesses and projects the Bank directly invests in pay at least the RLW to all permanent direct employees and have no inappropriate zero-hour contracts. As a result of the Bank’s investment, Highland Coast Hotels have developed a new Hospitality Foundation Course with the University of Highlands and Islands, and established a Modern Apprenticeship Scheme. This model aims to provide employment opportunities, particularly for young people, one of the biggest challenges for remote and rural areas in Scotland.

The Budget allocates £202.7 million to ‘City Investment and Strategy’. By embedding inclusive growth in the ‘City Region Growth Deals’ we aim to ensure that the employment and regeneration benefits presented by the £5 billion programme (Scottish Government component: £1.9 billion) are shared widely amongst Scotland’s people, and that those furthest from work are able to benefit from the employment, training and other opportunities the investments bring. Each project within ‘Growth Deals’ is required to undertake an equality impact assessment. The Scottish Government offers overarching guidance and support, and works with regional partners to identify and address the needs of each region because they are best placed to understand the specific challenges their regions face and the most effective approach to tackling them. In addition, partners have access to the local level data of the ‘Wellbeing Economy Monitor’ and the resources available on the ‘Scottish Hub For Regional Economic Development’, including case studies.

One of the main objectives of the ‘Green Freeports’ programme is to promote regeneration and high-quality job creation. Scotland’s two ‘Green Freeports’ aim to drive investment in underdeveloped land (including in areas of deprivation) and support businesses to deliver substantial numbers of high-quality, well-paid jobs.

According to the Social Enterprise in ‘Scotland Census 2021’, 85 per cent of social enterprises pay at least the RLW to all employees. Through the ‘Social Entrepreneurs Fund’, Firstport will provide support to new and emerging social entrepreneurs to set up and run a business with a social or environmental purpose. It aims to reach more people from diverse backgrounds and communities, with particular focus on the protected characteristics of sex, race, age, disability and sexual orientation, and to continue to increase the number of social enterprises across Scotland.

The Budget allocates £6.8 million to support International Trade and Investment. As part of the delivery of the ‘Inward Investment Plan’, we will promote inward investment to support development in the parts of Scotland where quality jobs and investment are most needed. We aim to maximise the indirect or ‘spillover’ benefits inward investment brings. This includes the additional jobs and economic prosperity created in the supply chain, knowledge and/or expertise transfer activities between inward investors and Scottish suppliers, business customers and Scottish universities and colleges. These spillovers will benefit wider Scottish society, including those facing socioeconomic disadvantage, with the impacts realised across all regions of Scotland.

The ‘Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan’ (ESJTP) consultation includes consideration of how we can ensure that the actions taken through the plan tackle both poverty and socioeconomic disadvantage. Independent analysis of the consultation responses will help inform our approach to the final ESJTP and further consideration of the ‘Fairer Scotland Duty’.

The Budget provides £7.3 million for the ‘Community and Renewable Energy Scheme’ (CARES), made up of £2.3 million resource and £5 million capital. The scheme, which is administered by Local Energy Scotland, supports communities across Scotland seeking to develop local community energy projects. To date, CARES has advised over 1,000 organisations, offered funding of over £61 million to more than 800 projects throughout Scotland, and helped support the direct installation of 58.6 MW of renewable energy. We are ensuring that this support is accessible to everyone, with a particular focus on including those from under-represented and/or marginalised groups. The ‘CARES Equality Charter’ reflects this commitment and provides a framework for addressing inequalities. CARES also has a number of ‘Just Transition’ KPIs, which focus on engaging and assisting disadvantaged and ethnic minority groups.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Scottish National Investment Bank: Fair Work direction - letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Interim Equalities Report | Scottish National Investment Bank (thebank.scot)

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

Social capital is inherently intangible but several metrics show it can be an important contributor to success. Evidence from the British Business Bank indicates worse business outcomes for entrepreneurs from poorer backgrounds, regardless of ethnicity, gender, or place: 87 per cent of entrepreneurs with household income of £75,000 or more reported making a profit last year, compared to 76 per cent of those with income below £20,000. Poorer entrepreneurs are less able to invest in their ideas, have fewer resources to develop their business prior to launch, and struggle to access the finance they need, typically even when controlling for other explanatory factors. Access to finance appears to be a major barrier for Black and Asian and Other Ethnic Minority entrepreneurs and the reason why 39 per cent and 49 per cent, respectively, stop working on their business idea. This is also the case for poorer entrepreneurs. By contrast, wealthier entrepreneurs are far less likely to face funding constraints and far more likely to be able to invest personal funds.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The ‘National Strategy for Economic Transformation’ (NSET) is intended to help build a society where everyone can participate and where economic success is shared by everyone, in every community and region. A ‘Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment’ summary published on 1 March 2022 identified entrepreneurs or potential entrepreneurs from disadvantaged and/or low wealth backgrounds as one of the main groups for consideration in terms of the strategy’s implications. NSET’s ‘Entrepreneurial People and Culture Programme’ seeks to broaden routes to starting a business, and ensure entrepreneurship is an accessible and viable option regardless of background and that it presents a pathway to social mobility and economic fairness.

The ‘Programme for Government’ commits to: make it easier for everyone to start and scale a business in Scotland by delivering the vision of the ‘Pathways Report’ by Ana Stewart and Mark Logan; increase our backing for the development of Scotland’s universities as entrepreneurial campuses and ensure that the new ‘Techscaler network’ offers high-quality education programmes to entrepreneurs; and to continue to invest over £600 million in the broadband networks of the future, through the ‘Reaching 100%’(R100) broadband programme, and support the Scotland 5G Centre to launch the seventh ‘5G Innovation Hub’.

The Budget provides £9.4 million of funding for the ‘Techscaler network’, which provides high-quality entrepreneurial education programmes and operates across Scotland, with six physical centres (including areas characterised by high levels of deprivation such as Stirling, Glasgow and Dundee) and a network of distributed hubs in the South of Scotland to facilitate access. It addresses barriers to access and opportunity experienced by under-represented groups such as those on low incomes and those without qualifications at further or higher education, including the six priority groups at greatest risk of child poverty. ‘Techscaler’ continues to look for ways to ensure the offer is inclusive and accessible to people from under-represented groups.

By working with colleges to deliver the principles of the ‘entrepreneurial campus blueprint’, we aim to increase the capability of students and staff to start a business with a direct impact on the community and options for social mobility. The community engagement aspect of colleges and their larger distribution across the country means that they are more likely to impact areas of socioeconomic deprivation, and the entrepreneurial education programmes we currently fund include projects in schools and colleges in socioeconomically deprived areas.

For both the ‘Pathways Pre-Start Fund’ and the widening participation theme of the ‘Ecosystem Fund’ in 2023-24 we invited applications that addressed the under-representation within entrepreneurship of people from some groups and that included those from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.

The Budget provides £183.9 million of funding for ‘Digital Strategy and Digital Connectivity’. Our interventions to improve Scotland’s broadband networks benefit communities, businesses and visitors across the country, particularly in more rural parts of Scotland, where approximately one in six people live – around 70 per cent of the premises to be connected through the R100 contracts are in rural Scotland. The programme covers a wide range of locations and includes a significant number of premises in the 20 per cent most deprived areas in Scotland.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www. gov.scot)

Scotland National Strategy for Economic Transformation: evidence paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation: Fairer Scotland Duty summary

Global Entrepreneurship Monitor: Scotland Report 2021/2022 (strath.ac.uk)

Alone together: Entrepreneurship and diversity in the UK - British Business Bank (british-business-bank.co.uk)

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

The employment rate varies by age. The estimated employment rate for 50-to-64 year olds had fallen following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic but had increased to 69.7 per cent in Jul 2022-Jun 2023. This was lower than the estimated employment rate for 25-to-34 and 35-to-49 year olds (84.3 per cent and 84.0 per cent, respectively).

The proportion of unemployed people who are long-term unemployed increases with age. In 2021, there were 16,300 unemployed people aged 50 and over who were unemployed for 12 months or more (50.9 per cent of all unemployed people aged 50 and over).

Older people are more likely to develop long-term health conditions or disabilities, which could make it difficult for older workers who have to work longer to continue in existing roles – particularly in ‘heavier’ industry jobs.

Young people (aged 16-24) are more likely to be unemployed than older age groups and are vulnerable to long-term employment ‘scarring’. In Jul 2022-Jun 2023, the estimated employment rate for 16-to-24 year olds was 55.8 per cent. Young people (18-24) are more likely to earn less than the ‘real Living Wage’ and are more likely to be financially vulnerable and in unmanageable debt.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

We aim to remove barriers to sustainable employment for young people and older workers (50+), who make up a larger share of long-term unemployment.

Our commitments are expected to positively affect people in different age groups by effectively targeting employment support, which will be designed and delivered to better meet the needs of unemployed people. We have implemented ‘No One Left Behind’, moving towards an employability system that is flexible, joined up and responsive. ‘No One Left Behind’ does not discriminate based on age and will support people of all ages into work, education and training. In recent years, there has been a focus on working with delivery partners to increase the representation of people aged 25+, with a more equal weighting seen in statistics in recent quarters.

We will also publish a labour market participation plan, with action to improve the wider support system for people looking to enter the labour market and stem the flow of individuals leaving work prematurely.

The Scottish Government continues to support workplace equality and promote flexible working. Through ‘Fair Work First’, we are improving conditions for all workers by extending the criteria to grants, other funding, and public contracts, where relevant and proportionate to do so. This includes asking employers to commit to criteria such as appropriate channels for effective voice, as well as action to create more diverse and inclusive workplaces, and offer flexible working. While there is no significant funding attached to ‘Fair Work First’ as a discrete intervention, it has been applied to over £4 billion of public spend since 2019 across all Scottish Government portfolios.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www. gov.scot)

Scotland National Strategy for Economic Transformation: evidence paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Economic labour market status of individuals aged 50 andover - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Scotland’s Labour Market: People, Places and Regions – ProtectedCharacteristics.

Statistics from the Annual Population Survey 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

The unemployment rate for those aged 16-to-24 has been consistently higher than the unemployment rate for any other age group. Since 2019 (pre-pandemic), the unemployment rate for those aged 16-to-24 and 50 and over had increased by 1.9 percentage points (pp) and 1.4 pp, respectively. In contrast, the unemployment rates for those aged 25-to-34 and 35-to-49 had decreased by 0.8 pp and 0.1 pp, respectively.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The equality impact assessment (EQIA) for the ‘Fair Work Action Plan’ (FWAP) and ‘Anti-Racist Employment Strategy’ (ARES) shows that uplifting workers to the RLW and having a consistent income could bring particular benefit to those over-represented in zero- hour contracts and low-paid insecure work. It also underlines that providing channels for effective voice facilitates open communication with workers to share their lived experiences, advocate for equal rights and ultimately improve workplace culture. It enables workers to feel more trusted and valued in the workplace and recognise that their voice matters, which could particularly benefit those at high risk of discrimination in the workplace.

In order to promote enterprise opportunities, a redesigned online platform and resource pack has been launched, with ‘starting your own business’ now positioned in the ‘Young Persons Guarantee’ as a positive destination for 16-to-24 year olds across Scotland. We will adapt and review Scotland’s apprenticeship system to ensure availability for start-ups and early scale-ups to use. As we move forward with the implementation of the blueprint for entrepreneurial campuses, we will work with stakeholders to look at ways to promote diversity and inclusion in entrepreneurship within higher education.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Number and proportionof employee jobs with hourly pay below the living wage - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

Fair Work Action Plan and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy - Equality Impact Assessment

A Fairer Scotland for Older People: A Framework for Action (www.gov.scot)

Statistics - Work-relatedfatal injuries in Great Britain (hse.gov.uk)

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

There is the potential for digital exclusion for older people and people who live in rural and island areas, where there is a greater proportion of older people.

Despite the general increase in internet access at home (42 per cent in 2003; 93 per cent in 2020), digital participation is generally lower among the older population and average internet use decreases with age.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The ‘Programme for Government’ commits to continue to invest over £600 million in the broadband networks of the future; and also to support regional empowerment and growth. Improvements to Scotland’s infrastructure and accessibility to digital connectivity will reduce barriers to wider participation, in particular for older people.

Our interventions to improve Scotland’s broadband and mobile networks benefit communities, businesses and visitors across the country, particularly in more rural parts of Scotland, where the average age is typically higher when compared with urban areas. Around 70 per cent of the premises to be connected through the R100 contracts are in rural Scotland. We will continue to deliver the ‘S4GI Programme’ to ensure all 55 masts are built and energised, followed by a formal evaluation on the realisation of all benefits delivered for the investment. All of the 55 sites to be delivered through S4GI are located on islands or in rural Scotland.

Recognising the risk that digital systems may not be as accessible to all, in particular to older people, and steps should be taken to ensure that digital and IT investments leave no one behind, we are building on the ‘Connecting Scotland programme’, which resumed delivery in August 2023, with two new projects. The projects focus on delivering kit and connectivity to device library and social housing organisations via grant award.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www. gov.scot)

Scotland National Strategy for Economic Transformation: evidence paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation: Fairer Scotland Duty summary

Connecting Scotland programme: full business case - gov.scot(www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Disability

What is known about existing inequalities?

Disabled people are less likely to be in employment than non- disabled people; less likely to be in contractually secure work; earn less on average; are less likely to have access to fair work; and are more likely to be under-employed, work part-time and work in lower paid occupations.

Employment barriers for disabled people include health needs, caring responsibilities, unaffordable childcare, inaccessible transport, attitudinal (e.g. misconceptions about what disabled people are ‘capable of’), inaccessible job adverts and application processes, workplace discrimination, lack of flexible working and adequate support (including failure by employers to provide reasonable adjustments), and effects on benefits.

Available data indicate that, compared to non-disabled people, disabled people had: a significantly lower employment rate; a significantly higher inactivity rate; and a higher unemployment rate.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

We aim to support disabled people into work; halve the disability employment gap to no more than 18.7 percentage points by 2038 (from 2016 baseline); decrease the disability pay gap; and support more disabled people to sustain and progress in work.

Our employability commitments are expected to positively affect disabled people by working with delivery partners to better promote and communicate available employability support through their activity, targeting those with protected characteristics, including disabled people. Partners are required to report quarterly, with participant characteristic data aligned to census. Through the further development of ‘No One Left Behind’, we will explore options for more intensive support for disabled people, in line with commitments made in the FWAP.

The Scottish Government continues to support workplace equality and promote flexible working, and the FWAP takes an intersectional approach, focusing on structural barriers and issues for equality groups in the labour market. Actions in the FWAP include updating the ‘Fair Work First’ criteria to better reflect priority action required to address labour market inequalities faced by, among other groups, disabled people; and continuing to support and promote flexible working from day one of employment, which is an important means to help disabled people – particularly those with fluctuating conditions – to manage their impairment whilst carrying out their roles in the most productive way. It can also assist disabled women, who often have to balance work and manage commitments such as caring responsibilities.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www. gov.scot)

Scotland National Strategy for Economic Transformation: evidence paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: employment action plan

No One Left Behind: equality impact assessment - update summary

Fairer Scotland for disabled people - employment action plan: progress report - year 2 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Disability

What is known about existing inequalities?

In 2019, the disability pay gap was 16.2 per cent, and in the period January to December 2022, the disability employment gap was 31.9 percentage points (pp), due to the non-disabled employment rate (82.5 per cent) being significantly higher than the disabled employment rate (50.7 per cent). The employment gap was wider for men compared to women (35.9 pp and 28.2 pp respectively), and was wider for white groups compared to racialised minority groups (32.8 pp and 22.9 pp respectively).

The proportion of disabled sole traders is relatively low in Scotland. In 2014, only nine per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (between 1 and 249 employees) in Scotland had an owner with a long- standing illness or who was disabled, representing a decrease of two per cent since 2012.

Disabled people generally experience significantly lower education levels, with disabled women often at a greater disadvantage than male counterparts. Having a degree boosts the employment rate of disabled people by 28.3 per cent compared with 7.6 per cent for non-disabled people. However, the employment rate for non-disabled people without a degree (77.6 per cent) was still higher than the employment rate for disabled people with a degree (75.6 per cent).

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The ‘Fair Work Action Plan 2022 and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy 2022: equality impact assessment’ shows that payment of at least the RLW help could to: relieve the disproportionate financial pressures experienced by, among other groups, households with a disabled member; benefit those over- represented in zero-hour contracts and low-paid insecure work; and contribute to meeting the additional living costs faced by disabled people and alleviate in-work poverty for households with disabled members. In addition, providing channels for effective voice facilitates open communication and can improve workplace culture, which could particularly benefit those at risk of discrimination.

VisitScotland invests in and supports tourism-related infrastructure and events which make a positive contribution to social, health and wellbeing outcomes. It provides advice and information for industry and consumers on accessible tourism, addressing the specific concerns of disabled individuals, senior travellers and families with young children. For example, it is supporting a pilot project to highlight accessible venues in four regions of Scotland by creating a series of itineraries and linking to detailed accessibility information in the form of individual venue access guides. The project seeks to inspire and assist disabled customers to plan an overnight visit or day trip and connect with accessible venues in these regions.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Work and Wellbeing Discussion Paper (Carnegie UK)

Coronavirus (COVID-19): impact on equality (research) - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Small Business Survey reports - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

How flexible hiring could improve business performance and living standards | JRF

If not now, when? - Social Renewal Advisory Board report: January 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Labour market statistics for Scotland by disability (2023)

Fair Work action plan: becoming a leading Fair Work nation by 2025

Fair Work Action Plan 2022 and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy 2022: equality impact assessment

Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www. gov.scot)

Characteristic

Gender Reassignment

What is known about existing inequalities?

Many trans people face discrimination, bullying and harassment at every stage of employment, including during recruitment processes.

Barriers and challenges to the inclusion of trans and intersex employees include lack of knowledge by employers and fellow employees, insufficient line manager confidence, stigma, practical considerations (e.g. toilet facilities, uniforms), lack of support and flexible policies.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The sections above on age and disability contain information in relation to ‘Fair Work First’ and Scottish Government support for workplace equality and promotion of flexible working.

In relation to entrepreneurial activity, Techscaler regional hubs provide access to in-person support, with facilities continuously evolving to offer inclusive services that lower barriers to entry for under-represented groups. Examples of this include an LGBTQ+ community peer network and specific women and non-binary workshops.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Scotland National Strategy for Economic Transformation: evidence paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Inclusion at Work: perspectives on LGBT+ working lives (CIPD)

Supporting Trans Employees in the Workplace (ACA)

Fair Work action plan: becoming a leading Fair Work nation by 2025

Fair Work Action Plan 2022 and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy 2022: equality impact assessment

Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www. gov.scot)

Characteristic

Pregnancy and Maternity

What is known about existing inequalities?

Motherhood has a significant impact on the number of hours that some mothers can work, which affects their pay and income relative to non- mothers and men.

Mothers can suffer a substantial long-term pay penalty from part- time working, on average earning about 30 per cent less per hour than similarly educated fathers. Some of this wage gap can be attributed to mothers being more likely to work part-time or taking time out of the labour market altogether.

In-depth analysis of ‘Growing Up in Scotland’ data showed that the likelihood of employment when a child was still under one increased with the mother’s age. When their child was ten months, 21 per cent of mothers under 20 were employed (either full-time or part-time) compared with 55 per cent of those in their early twenties and 83 per cent of those aged 25 or older. As the child ages, mothers aged 25 or older remained most likely to be in employment and mothers aged under 20 remained least likely. However, employment levels among mothers aged under 20 do increase over time, while for other groups they remain similar. By age six the gap is narrower than at age two.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The Scottish Government aims to deliver a labour market that is inclusive and offers equality of opportunity for all to access and to progress in work. In addition to the commitments identified above, the ‘Programme for Government’ commits to work across the public sector to ensure people who experience miscarriage or stillbirth receive three days of paid leave.

Our employability and Fair Work commitments recognise that women are more likely to take on caring responsibilities of children and other family members. The measures may help advance equality of opportunity by supporting both men and women into employment, and could help contribute to the narrowing of the gender employment gap. Increasing the number of parents (especially mothers) in the workforce could promote better relations within the work environment and further advance equality of opportunity.

It is anticipated that our employability services will have a positive impact on pregnancy and maternity by ensuring services are tailored to the needs of mothers and parents, and flexible enough to respond to their circumstances. ‘Best Start, Bright Futures’ re-affirms our position that employability services have an important role to play in supporting women, with specific funding made available to deliver employability support tailored to parents and their needs. Seventy four per cent of parents supported have been women and we will continue to work with partners to increase the scale and effectiveness of our support for parents. Service delivery partners are expected to apply their equality policies to eliminate any discrimination users may encounter in accessing support and services, and delivery partners will also be encouraged to undertake their own EQIAs to identify gaps and opportunities to further advance equality across the employability landscape.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Scotland National Strategy for Economic Transformation: evidence paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Motherhood Pay Penalty (TUC, IPPR)

Mothers suffer big long-term pay penalty from part-time working - Institute For Fiscal Studies - IFS

‘The Motherhood Pay Gap: A review of the issues, theory and international evidence’ – accessible at: wcms_371804.pdf (europa.eu)

Wage progression and the gender wage gap: the causal impact of hours of work (IFS)

Characteristic

Pregnancy and Maternity

What is known about existing inequalities?

A report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2018 showed that around one-in-nine mothers (11 per cent) reported that they were either dismissed; made compulsorily redundant where others were not; or treated so poorly they felt they had to leave their job.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The sections above on age and disability contain information in relation to ‘Fair Work First’ and Scottish Government support for workplace equality and promotion of flexible working. Evidence shows that improving access to flexible working is an important means to help people, often women, balance work and manage commitments such as caring responsibilities or health conditions without dropping out of the workplace. Through the creation of good-quality, well-paid flexible jobs, we intend to support women and others, including low-income workers, to raise their income levels and progress in the workplace, which helps reduce the gender pay gap.

Among other findings that are stated in sections above, the ‘Fair Work Action Plan 2022 and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy 2022: equality impact assessment’ shows that women and mothers could receive an increase in maternity pay for those whose income increases with the RLW; and payment of at least the RLW could relieve the disproportionate financial pressures experienced by single-parent households and households with a baby. There are also expected to be positive impacts of the RLW on women in rural Scotland, particularly pregnant women, and mothers.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

The Experiences of Mothers Aged Under 20: Analysis of Data From the Growing up in Scotland Study - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Tackling child poverty delivery plan: fourth year progress report 2021 to 2022 - gov.scot(www.gov.scot)

Best Start, Bright Futures: tackling child poverty delivery plan 2022 to 2026 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Fair Work action plan: becoming a leading Fair Work nation by 2025

Fair Work Action Plan 2022 and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy 2022: equality impact assessment

Pathways: A new approach for women in entrepreneurship

Pregnancy and maternity discrimination research findings | Equality and Human Rights Commission (equalityhumanrights.com)

Anti-Racist Employment Strategy – Analysis of Labour Market Outcomes of Scotland’s Minority Ethnic Population

Characteristic

Race

What is known about existing inequalities?

In 2021, the Scottish employment rate for the minority ethnic group aged 16-to-64 was estimated at 62.1 per cent, compared to 73.9 per cent for the White group. The ethnicity employment rate gap was estimated at 11.7 percentage points (pp). Seventy four per cent more job applications needed to be sent from racialised minority applicants in order to generate the same success rate as applicants with a White- sounding name.

The minority ethnic employment gap is larger for women, and 2019 data show that a non-disabled white person is more than twice as likely to be in employment than a disabled person from a minority ethnic group.

ONS estimates show that Scotland’s ethnicity pay gap was 10.2 per cent in 2018 and 10.3 per cent in 2019. The Parker Review report in 2020 showed that 37 per cent of FTSE 100 companies surveyed (31 out of 83 companies) do not have any ethnic minority representation on their boards.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Our employability and ‘Fair Work’ commitments are expected to positively affect racialised minorities by supporting employers and employability service providers to address racial inequality and build anti-racism cultures. The measures may help advance equality of opportunity by working with service delivery partners to promote ‘Fair Work First’, reducing the disparity in outcomes in terms of unemployment and long-term unemployment, and may also have a positive impact on fostering good race relations between people, supporting those from racialised minority groups into places of work and helping to promote diverse workforces. Furthermore, realising Scotland’s regional and community assets is expected to improve equality, including for people with protected characteristics disadvantaged by location, such as racialised minority households that are more likely to live in the most deprived areas of Scotland.

The FWAP and ARES set out the actions the Scottish Government will take and how we will work with employers to improve employment outcomes for racialised minorities. The sections above on age and disability contain further information in relation to ‘Fair Work First’ and Scottish Government support for workplace equality and promotion of flexible working.

Among other findings that are stated in sections above, the ‘Fair Work Action Plan 2022 and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy 2022: equality impact assessment’ shows that uplifting workers to the RLW could: contribute to narrowing pay gaps in the labour market; bring particular benefit to those over-represented in zero- hour contracts and low-paid insecure work, including racialised minority women; and reduce the levels of in-work poverty disproportionately experienced by racialised minority households. In addition, providing channels for effective voice facilitates open communication and can improve workplace culture, which could particularly benefit those at risk of discrimination.

In addition to information provided above in relation to the Scottish National Investment Bank, the Bank has partnered with Black Professionals Scotland, participating in learning and networking events and hosting internships to young people from Scotland’s Black ethnic minority community.

NSET’s ‘New Market Opportunities Programme’ provides opportunities to build world-leading industries, and for new, good, green and high-value jobs and careers in emerging industries. This will help advance equality by providing the opportunity for people to learn new skills, upskill and reskill, which is expected to help close ethnicity pay gaps and create more inclusive and diverse workplaces through the introduction/adoption of automation and flexible work processes.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www. gov.scot)

Scotland National Strategy for Economic Transformation: evidence paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) – Programme 2: New Market Opportunities Equality Impact Assessment (Record and Results) - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation – Programme 3: Productive Businesses and Regions Equality Impact Assessment (Record and Results) - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scotland’s Labour Market: People, Places and Regions – ProtectedCharacteristics. Statistics from the Annual Population Survey 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Anti-racist employment strategy - A Fairer Scotland for All

Anti-Racist EmploymentStrategy – Analysis

of Labour Market Outcomes of Scotland’s Minority Ethnic Population

Fair Work action plan: becoming a leading Fair Work nation by 2025

Fair Work Action Plan 2022 and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy 2022: equality impact assessment

Race in the workplace: The McGregor-Smith review (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Ethnic diversity of UK boards: the Parker Review - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Characteristic

Religion or Belief

What is known about existing inequalities?

There is variation in employment rates by religion. Since 2004, the employment rate of Muslims in Scotland has been consistently lower than the employment rate for the population at large (46.5 per cent versus 73.2 per cent in 2021).

While estimates are less precise for other religions due to small sample sizes, the data do suggest that the employment outcomes for those who are Jewish, Sikh or Buddhist in Scotland lag behind the overall population.

There is limited information on the barriers faced by those who follow a religion or belief in the workplace. However, a range of material indicates issues linked to religious attire, time off for religious holidays, religious observance, and praying at work.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

As stated above in the section on race, our employability and ‘Fair Work’ commitments are expected to positively affect racialised minorities, noting the overlap with religious groups. The ARES reflects the lived experience of racialised minorities where this intersects with religion or belief, and supports and encourages employers to:

remove barriers and take an intersectional approach in their recruitment, retention and progression practices to improve representation of people from racialised minorities and those with other protected characteristics, including religion; and
drive cultural and attitudinal change through building an understanding of the impact of institutional racism and discrimination, and changing organisational processes and practices to address this. This includes action to recognise and address Islamophobia.

The sections above on age and disability contain information in relation to ‘Fair Work First’ and Scottish Government support for workplace equality and promotion of flexible working.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www. gov.scot)

Scotland National Strategy for Economic Transformation: evidence paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scotland’s Labour Market: People, Places and Regions – ProtectedCharacteristics. Statistics from the Annual Population Survey 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Fair Work action plan: becoming a leading Fair Work nation by 2025

Anti-racist employment strategy - A Fairer Scotland for All

Fair Work Action Plan 2022 and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy 2022: equality impact assessment

Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www. gov.scot)

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

Women experience a range of barriers in the labour market that lead them to be paid less on average than men. This drives the gender pay gap and contributes to the existence of poverty. These barriers relate to the type of jobs women are more likely to do (job selection), how much these jobs pay (job valuation) and whether they can move into higher-paid jobs (job progression). Intersectional barriers further hamper women’s opportunities in the labour market.

Scotland’s median gender pay gap in 2023 for full-time employees is 1.7 per cent. It has decreased from 3.0 per cent in 2022 and continues the longer-term downward trend. The equivalent UK gap is 7.7 per cent.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Our commitments aim to support both men and women into employment and contribute to the narrowing of the gender pay gap and the employment gap. Through the creation of good- quality, well-paid, flexible jobs, we intend to support women to raise their income levels and progress in the workplace, which helps reduce the gender pay gap.

Our aim is to offer an all-age, flexible, joined-up and user-centred model to deliver employability support across Scotland that is straightforward to navigate and is integrated and aligned with other services, particularly health, justice and housing provision. Our employability and ‘Fair Work’ commitments are expected to positively affect women by recognising that women are more likely to take on caring responsibilities of children and other family members.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Scotland National Strategy for Economic Transformation: evidence paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2023

Annual survey of hours and earnings: 2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

The median gender pay gap for all employees (full-time and part-time) in Scotland has decreased from 11.8 per cent in 2022 to 8.7 per cent in 2023. This is below the gap of 14.4 per cent in 2019 (pre-pandemic) and continues the longer-term downward trend. The equivalent UK gap in 2023 is 14.3 per cent.

The proportion of women (employees aged 18+) earning the RLW or more increased from 83.9 per cent in 2021 to 89.7 per cent in 2022, continuing the upward trend seen since 2018. However, the proportion of women (employees aged 18+) earning less than the RLW in Scotland in 2022 was still relatively high at 10.3 per cent (UK: 14.6 per cent).

Women (and particularly racially minoritised women) are more likely to be in insecure work and are over- represented in sectors referred to as the 5 Cs of cashiering (retail), care, catering, cleaning and clerical. These sectors have historically low pay, low progression and low status but can provide more flexibility to allow women to undertake caring responsibilities.

Women tend to be less likely than men to reach senior positions due to factors such as childcare responsibilities and division of resources and work at home.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The FWAP takes an intersectional approach, focusing on structural barriers and issues for equality groups in the labour market, including women. Several of the commitments in the FWAP are intended to directly impact on women and girls, while also focusing on addressing intersectional inequalities. Actions include: updating the ‘Fair Work First’ criteria to better reflect priority action required to address labour market inequalities faced by women, among other groups; and continuing to support and promote flexible working from day one of employment. Our ‘Fair Work First’ guidance will have a positive impact on women, including through committing employers in the engineering, manufacturing and offshore energy sectors who are seeking Scottish Government funding through green funding initiatives to reduce gender pay gaps and increase flexible working practices. The sections above on age and disability contain additional information in relation to ‘Fair Work First’, as well as Scottish Government support for workplace equality and promotion of flexible working.

We have committed to working with employers and trade unions in sectors where low pay and precarious work can be most prevalent (including leisure and hospitality, and early learning and childcare) to promote sectoral fair work agreements and collective bargaining to achieve higher standards of pay, better security of work and greater union representation. This is expected to benefit women in particular, given their over-representation in sectors with historically low pay and work insecurity.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Scotland’s Labour Market: People, Places and Regions – ProtectedCharacteristics. Statistics from the Annual Population Survey 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Gender Pay Gap Action Plan: Analytical Annex (www.gov.scot)

Fair Work Action Plan and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy - Equality Impact Assessment

Fair Work action plan: becoming a leading Fair Work nation by 2025

If not now, when? Social Renewal Advisory Board report: January 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2018-2022, Equality Impact Assessment

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

In 2022, inactivity rates were higher for women aged 16-to-64 (at 25.1 per cent, compared with 20.7 per cent for men). Overall, women accounted for around three-in-five (55.9 per cent) economically inactive people. Reasons for inactivity differ by sex. Looking after family and/or home accounted for 25 per cent of ‘inactive’ women in 2022.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Among other findings that are stated in sections above, the ‘Fair Work Action Plan 2022 and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy 2022: equality impact assessment’ shows that uplifting workers to the RLW could: contribute to narrowing pay gaps in the labour market, including gender pay gaps; bring disproportionate benefits for women, who are over-represented in low pay sectors; positively impact women in rural Scotland; and particularly benefit those over-represented in zero-hour contracts and low-paid insecure work, including women and racialised minority women. In addition, providing channels for effective voice facilitates open communication and can improve workplace culture, which could particularly benefit those at risk of discrimination.

The Scottish National Investment Bank published its first ‘Equality Strategy’ in 2022 and an ‘Interim Equalities Report’ in 2023. The ‘Equality Strategy’ combines the requirement to publish a set of equality outcomes and a gender equality strategy. The Bank continues to work closely with partner organisations to develop and enhance its own practices. It has partnered with Diversity Scotland, Black Professionals Scotland, Women in Banking and Finance, and has become a ‘Disability Confident Employer’. In addition, the Bank is working towards becoming a signatory of the HM Treasury ‘Women in Finance Charter’. The Bank expects all businesses it invests in to have an Equality and Diversity policy and is committed to working with those businesses to help them develop these further. One hundred per cent of the businesses and projects the Bank has directly invested in have committed to undertaking an annual gender pay gap report analysis.

As noted above in the section on race, NSET’s ‘New Market Opportunities Programme’ aims to help advance equality by providing the opportunity for people to learn new skills, upskill and reskill, which is expected to help close the gender pay gap and create more inclusive and diverse workplaces through the introduction/adoption of automation and flexible work processes. Some examples of positive impacts that might occur as a result of industrial transformation include: the removal of traditional physical barriers to work, in particular for women and disabled people; that employers will attract and recruit a diverse and talented workforce of people from all areas of Scotland and with intersectional protected characteristics; and the introduction of more flexible working practices in sectors where flexible working may have in the past proven impractical. Through the ‘Making Scotland’s Future’ programme, three video case studies of flexible working practices in the Scottish manufacturing sector have been developed as a best practice resource for the sector, where over 91 per cent of all jobs are currently full-time and women make up only 23 per cent of the workforce. These case studies demonstrate how flexible working practices can provide a better work/life balance for employees and efficiencies for employers. Increased flexible working will maximise opportunities for women to take up, and remain in, careers in the manufacturing sector whilst balancing caring responsibilities.

In relation to trade, ‘Scotland’s Vision for Trade’ is delivering work to better understand and address any differential impacts of trade, identifying practical actions the Scottish Government could take to increase the benefits of trade for women. Progress is set out in the second Annual Report, published in June 2023.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Trade: our vision - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scotland’s Vision for Trade: annual report - June 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scottish National Investment Bank, Equality Strategy

Interim Equalities Report on how we’re integrating Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion into our day-to-day activity | Scottish National Investment Bank (thebank.scot)

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

Women are less likely to be self-employed than men. Despite growth in the number of new female-led companies year on year, there remains a gap between male and female-led companies (male-led: 62 per cent; female-led: 19 per cent; gender-even: 14 per cent; unknown: 5 per cent). This also applies to ethnic minority company incorporations.

In 2022, Scotland reported a difference in TEA rates by gender, with males at 10.5 per cent compared to a female TEA rate of 7.2 per cent (a female to male ratio of 68 per cent). Whilst female TEA rates in the rest of the UK are improving, Scotland remains at a standstill. An additional 60,000 women are estimated to be required to engage in early-stage enterprise in Scotland to match the male TEA rate.

Female-led companies generate a lower turnover at all stages up to 10 years, indicating a slower rate of growth in female-led companies.

Female-led companies are less likely to receive investment than male- led businesses (a gender gap of 61 per cent), and on average receive comparatively lower quantum compared to male-led companies.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Implementation of key recommendations of the Pathways report is intended to address structural and entrenched inequalities in relation to gender participation in entrepreneurship in Scotland, and will support greater economic opportunities for women. Central to Pathways is a new type of business support, Pre- start, which will deliver services, support, mentoring and advice to people in ways that are flexible and accessible, in terms of location, timing and content. Funding will be available to projects that offer pre-start support and advice to individuals or groups, with emphasis on widening access to primary carers and under- represented groups.

Techscaler works in partnership with organisations that support those who face greater systemic barriers to start-up participation. For example, to support women Techscaler has established a partnership with AccelerateHER, which focuses on supporting women founders. Through this collaboration, they have developed and implemented tailored support initiatives for women in tech entrepreneurship, such as Tech Clinics, Hackathon events, dedicated online community spaces, and meetups. The partnership has also resulted in an increase in referrals for women founders to participate in Techscaler’s education programmes. Techscaler also continues to utilise hybrid delivery methods for specific workshops targeting women and has provided baby-room facilities to support primary caregivers in balancing their professional and parenting responsibilities. Techscaler aims to continue supporting women in tech entrepreneurship through events, education and community resources. It has launched a new AccelerateHER + Techscaler Meetup series, with meetups taking place across the country on an ongoing basis. The meetups will be starting in city hubs, but partnerships are being formed with venues in rural, highland, and island locations - providing travel subsidies to mitigate costs for under-represented groups, including women, so they can find an empowering peer-support group, no matter where in the country they are based, and/or are starting their start-ups.

The Scottish National Investment Bank has worked in collaboration with Investment Women Angels (IWA) to develop its ‘AccelerateHER Fund’, which provides financial support to Scottish female-founded businesses to help growth through connecting them with business angels, assisting their development. This year the Bank, with ‘AccelerateHER’, held a roundtable event with women-led scaling businesses.

Scotland’s enterprise agencies also address underparticipation and gender imbalance by supporting youth and female entrepreneurship, with support for women-led businesses having a direct impact on child poverty.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www. gov.scot)

Scotland National Strategy for Economic Transformation: evidence paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Pathways: A new approach for women in entrepreneurship

Global Entrepreneurship Monitor: Scotland Report 2022/23

Characteristic

Sexual Orientation

What is known about existing inequalities?

Despite studies showing equal or better pay for LGB people, they continue to experience discrimination, harassment and abuse in work and education.

LGB+ employees are more than twice as likely to experience bullying at work than heterosexual employees, but many do not report this.

Four in ten LGB+ employees have experienced a form of workplace conflict in the past year, a rate significantly higher than for heterosexual workers. When conflicts, such as undermining, humiliation, shouting or verbal abuse occurred, the issue had only been partially resolved or not resolved at all.

Relatively limited evidence is available for this group.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The sections above on age, disability and sex contain information in relation to Fair Work First, as well as Scottish Government support for workplace equality and promotion of flexible working.

As noted above, findings from the ‘Fair Work Action Plan 2022 and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy 2022: equality impact assessment’ show that providing channels for effective voice facilitates open communication with workers to share their lived experiences, advocate for equal rights and ultimately improve workplace culture. Through giving workers a voice, they could feel more trusted and valued in the workplace and recognise that their voice matters. These channels could particularly benefit those at high risk of discrimination in the workplace

In relation to entrepreneurial activity, Techscaler regional hubs provide access to in-person support, with facilities continuously evolving to offer tenants inclusive services that lower barriers to entry for under-represented groups in entrepreneurship. Examples of this include an LGBTQ+ community peer network.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www. gov.scot)

Scotland National Strategy for Economic Transformation: evidence paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Sexual orientation in Scotland 2017: summary of evidence base - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual employees’ experience of discrimination, bullying and harassment at work - ReShare (ukdataservice.ac.uk)

Inclusion at work: Perspectives on LGBT+ working lives (cipd. co.uk)

Fair Work action plan: becoming a leading Fair Work nation by 2025

Anti-racist employment strategy - A Fairer Scotland for All

Fair Work Action Plan 2022 and Anti-Racist Employment Strategy 2022: equality impact assessment - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

Life expectancy, morbidity and mortality

There is a large gap of roughly 24 years in healthy life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas in Scotland.

Mortality rates are about twice as high in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived areas. But for some specific causes of death, we see much larger inequalities.

People living in the poorest two-fifths of households are almost eight times as likely to report poor health as the richest fifth. The association between income and health has potentially grown stronger in Scotland over the past decade.

In Scotland, use of some preventative services (services that aim to avoid the development of illnesses and ill health) has been declining, with larger decreases among people living in the most deprived areas.

Even where health-related behaviours are distributed more evenly between people living in areas with different levels of deprivation, related health outcomes are worse in more deprived areas, suggesting that other exposures leave people in those areas less protected from worse health outcomes. This is the case for example when comparing alcohol consumption to the pattern of alcohol-related deaths.

Problem drug use and drug deaths are more common in the most deprived communities. In 2021, people in the most deprived areas were 15.3 times as likely to have a drug-related death as those in the least deprived areas. That ratio has increased since the early 2000s.

There are 4.3 times as many deaths from alcohol-specific causes in the most deprived communities as in the least deprived communities, but this equality gap has been narrowing. This compares to a ratio of 1.8 times for all causes of death.

As in previous years, adults living in the most deprived areas in 2021 were much more likely to be current cigarette smokers.

In 2020-21 children living in the most deprived areas were twice as likely to be at risk of obesity. Research has suggested that an estimated 10 per cent (males) and 14 per cent (females) of the difference between observed and predicted mortality rates in 2017– 2019 may be attributable to previous changes in Body Mass Index (BMI).

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Deprived practices project

The new ‘Inclusion Health Action in General Practice’ project provides the 80 most deprived practices in Greater Glasgow and Clyde with funding for actions to tackle health inequalities and inequity of access. We targeted the project at deep and blanket poverty, associated with premature mortality, high levels of co- morbidity, and unequal service access/use. The project aims are to enable practices to undertake targeted preventative outreach and longer consultations with high-risk patients and to help practices address real or perceived barriers to using services. The focus is on socioeconomic inequality rather than protected characteristics.

Primary care multi-disciplinary teams

Since 2018, we have significantly expanded the range of clinical and non-clinical professionals supporting GP practices, ensuring more people get the right care in the right place at the right time.

However, we know that there has been variation in the implementation of these new teams and that gaps remain. To address this, we are introducing an additional ‘phased investment programme’ working with a small number of Health Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships, to demonstrate what a model of full implementation can look like in practice, over an initial 18-month period, and using an improvement science approach.

Demonstrator sites will be selected to test ability to deliver full implementation in diverse range of settings, including in areas of deprivation. This work will then build evidence to understand the national context for full implementation and long-term Scottish Government investment.

Alcohol

We want to reduce the harm that is caused by alcohol, particularly to people in lower socioeconomic circumstances. The evaluation of the initial five years of the Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) policy by Public Health Scotland showed that MUP has reduced deaths directly caused by alcohol consumption by an estimated 13.4 per cent and hospital admissions by 4.1 per cent, with the largest reductions seen in men and those living in the 40 per cent most deprived areas. A proposal to continue MUP and increase the price per unit to 65 pence is currently under consideration.

Drug use

The Scottish Government announced the National Mission on Drugs in 2021. This was supported by an additional investment of £250 million over the parliamentary term. The intention of the mission if to focus attentions and galvanise national action to reduce drug related deaths and improve lives. The funding available in 2023-24 totals £161.6 million. The majority of this funding goes to alcohol and drug partnerships for local delivery,

we also directly support third sector and grass roots organisations and have a £65 million, five-year commitment with the Corra Foundation to administer funds to grassroots and community- based projects supporting people affected by problem substance use. We will continue to support proposals to establish a Safer Drug Consumption Facility and continue to advocate for evidence- based drug law reform to enhance our efforts to reduce deaths and improve lives.

Tobacco and Vaping

Our new 2023 Tobacco and Vaping Framework sets a road map to the 2034 target. Central to this is reducing the inequalities seen in smoking rates across Scotland.

Food and diet

We are committed to legislating to restrict the promotion of less healthy food and drink where they are sold to the public. Addressing obesity is a public health priority, to ensure Scotland is a place where we eat well, have a healthy weight and are physically active.

Physical Activity

Our aim is that Scotland meets the World Health Organisation (WHO) global target set in 2018 of a 15 per cent relative reduction in physical inactivity amongst adults by 2030. A refreshed Active Scotland Delivery Plan will be published in early 2024.

Racialised health inequalities in health and care

We are implementing the recommendations from the Expert Reference Group on COVID-19 and ethnicity taking an anti-racism approach.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Overarching evidence

Health Inequalities Scotland report and appendices.pdf

Leave no one behind (health.org.uk)

Fraser-Allander- Institute-Final-report- socioeconomic- determinants-health- scotland.pdf

Changing_mortality_rates_in_Scotland_and_the_UK_-_an_updated_summary.pdf (gcph.co.uk)

Tobacco and vaping framework: roadmap to 2034

Alcohol

NRS Alcohol-specific deaths: Alcohol-specific deaths | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk) – this shows that the inequality gap is reducing.

Minimum unit pricing reduces alcohol-related harm to health - News - Public Health Scotland

Drugs

Drug-related Deaths in Scotland in 2022 | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk) illustrates variation in drug deaths by area.

Food, diet

Body Mass Index of Primary 1 children in Scotland (publichealthscotland.scot) Diet and healthy weight: monitoring report 2022 update - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

How much of the stalled mortality trends in Scotland and England can be attributed to obesity? |BMJ Open

Physical Activity

Scottish Household Survey 2021 - telephone survey: key findings - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scottish Health Survey 2022 Main Report Volume 1 (www.gov.scot)

Multidisciplinary team working

An evidence review on multidisciplinary team support in primary care (shtg.scot)

Primary Care Improvement Plans: Summary of Implementation Progress at March 2023

University of Edinburgh research on primary care transformation in Scotland, July

Primary care transformation in Scotland: qualitative evaluation of the viewsof general practitionersand multidisciplinary team staff members

BMC Medicine | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)

GP feedback survey report - Primary care reforms - General practice - Primary care - Our areas of work - Public Health Scotland

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

Mental Health

Adults living in the most deprived areas of Scotland are approximately twice as likely to have a possible psychiatric disorder as those in the least deprived areas (37 per cent versus 18.6 per cent).

Levels of wellbeing are lower in more deprived areas, and depression, anxiety, and the proportion of people having ever attempted to suicide, or the proportion having ever self- harmed, are higher.

Scottish Suicide Information Database (ScotSID) data over the period from 2011 to 2019 indicates that suicide deaths are approximately three times more likely among those living in the most deprived areas compared to those living in the least deprived areas.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Mental Health

We take a whole system and population health response to the issues affecting the mental health and wellbeing of people. This is outlined in our new Mental Health Strategy published jointly with COSLA in June and Delivery Plan and Workforce Action Plan, published in November 2023.

As part of our engagement work on the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Delivery Plan we engaged with a range of marginalised and protected characteristic groups, including the Mental Health Equality and Human Rights Forum, to gather evidence on the effects of poverty and socioeconomic disadvantage on mental health.

Evidence from people with lived and professional experience alongside that from published international research evidence has been summarised in the Mental Health Equality Evidence Report accompanying the Delivery Plan.

The Report highlights the causes of mental health inequalities as well as contributions to positive mental health outcomes, for different groups. This includes evidence on social determinants (such as poverty and deprivation) for the range of protected characteristics. The chapter on poverty and low income highlights that poverty is one of the key drivers of poor mental health and that those already struggling with poor mental health and money worries are likely to be amongst the hardest hit.

This has informed our strategic decisions to date, including identifying and highlighting ‘poverty and deprivation’ as a key cause of mental health inequality that is being tackled through actions in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan.

We are well on track to achieve our commitment to double the annual suicide prevention budget to £2.8 million by 2026. This is supporting our new highly ambitious suicide prevention strategy, with COSLA – Creating Hope Together.

We have just published a dedicated Self-Harm Strategy and Action Plan in partnership with COSLA. This is a world first, as it exclusively focused on self-harm. If we only focus on self- harm through the lens of suicide prevention, we risk losing the opportunity to support people who are in distress and struggling to cope but are not suicidal.

We have already committed £1.5 million for the development of new bespoke self-harm support services.

We are in the third year of our Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults which provides direct support to local communities to prevent social isolation, loneliness and address mental health inequalities. Since 2021, we have invested £36 million in communities across Scotland, with a further £15 million committed in 2023-24.

Those facing socioeconomic disadvantage are a key at-risk priority group for the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults. They are also one of the key beneficiaries, with around half of projects in Year 2 supporting this group.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Mental Health

Scottish Health Survey(shinyapps.io)

Scottish Health Survey 2022 Main Report Volume 1 (www.gov.scot)

Scottish suicide information database - A profile of deaths by suicide in Scotland from 2011 to 2019 - Scottish suicide information database - Publications - Public Health Scotland - Publications - Public Health Scotland

Mental Health Equality Evidence Report 2023

Scotland’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Equality Impact Assessment

Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Action Plan Equality Impact Assessment Record

Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults:

An independent evaluation of Year 1 of the Fund was published on 19 July 2023.

The Monitoring and Reporting Summary for Year 2 published on 19 July 2023.

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

Mental Health and wellbeing

Younger adults (aged 16-24) often have the highest levels of mental ill health and lowest mental wellbeing.

Prevalence of two or more symptoms of anxiety is highest among those aged 16-34 (around 25 per cent) and lowest among those aged 65-74 (7 per cent).

People between 16 and 24 are seen to be particularly vulnerable to mental health concerns, with 75 per cent of mental health conditions being established by the age of 25, highlighting the need for interventions on prevention and early treatment focused on young people.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Mental Health and Wellbeing

We continue to fund See Me, Scotland’s campaign to end stigma and discrimination and prioritise people at greatest risk of experiencing mental health stigma and discrimination including young people aged 16-24, vulnerable adults and people who experience severe mental illness.

Over 300 community-based supports and services are now in place across the country focused on prevention and early intervention and offer an alternative to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services where appropriate by providing support for emotional distress delivered in a community setting. We provided local authorities with an additional £30 million over the course of the last two years to fund the continuation of these services; with a further £15 million committed in 2023-24.

We have ensured access to counselling services in all secondary schools in Scotland and continue to support local authorities with £16 million a year. Over 13,000 young people accessed school counselling services between July and December 2022.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Mental Health

Scottish Health Survey 2022 Main Report Volume 1 (www.gov.scot)

About See Me (seemescotland.org)

Scottish suicide information database dashboard - Scottish suicide information database - A profile of deaths by suicide in Scotland from 2011 to 2019 - Scottish suicide information database - Publications - Public Health Scotland

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

The highest rates of deaths from probable suicide are in the 35-44 age group.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Our world-leading distress brief intervention (DBI) programme is now available nationally and has supported around 50,000 people. We are on track to meet our commitment to have this embedded in all health board local areas by March 2024. The age at which people can be referred to core DBI has been lowered to 16 as standard. An evaluation of the use of the intervention in the 14-18 age group, which will inform its wider roll-out, is commencing in December 2023.

The policy to meet the CAMHS waiting times standard and clear backlogs aims to ensure that 90 per cent of children and young people who are eligible for treatment in CAMHS are seen within 18 weeks. This will ensure timely access to services, eliminating discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity.

National Care Service (NCS)

Due to Scotland’s ageing population demand for, and use of, health and social care services are projected to increase.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering the National Care Service (subject to the agreement of Parliament) for the delivery of consistent and high standards in health and social care services. Key elements of the NCS are being developed in partnership with people with lived and living experience of accessing and providing social care.

Over 2022-23, we provided £5,000 grant funding to Alzheimer Scotland to support the participation of people living with dementia and their carers in the co-design process.

We established a National Lived Experience Panel to inform our new Dementia Strategy, Everyone’s Story published in May 2023. We continued to work with the Lived Experience Panel in developing an accompanying delivery plan which has directly increased participation of people with lived experience in policy development and delivery.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Audit Scotland. Children and young people’s mental health. 2018: https://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/publications/children-and-young-peoples-mental-health

05 September 2023 CAMHS | Turas Data Intelligence (nhs.scot)

Taking a youth-led approach to evaluatingcommunity based mental health services - Scottish Youth Parliament (syp.org.uk)

Scotland’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan - Equality Impact Assessment (www.gov.scot)

Mental Health Equality Evidence Report 2023 (www.gov.scot)

dementia-scotland- everyones-story. pdf (www.gov.scot) Dementia Strategy

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

Substance use

The large majority of drug deaths occur in men and people in their forties are at highest risk. The age profile of drug misuse deaths has become older over time.

Smoking remains a leading cause of preventable disease and premature death in Scotland with an estimated 8,260 deaths of Scottish residents aged 35 and over in 2021.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Substance use

We have committed an additional £250 million over the course of the parliamentary term to support the National Mission on Drugs. This Mission seeks to reduce drug-related deaths and improve lives. Going forward, we will:

continue to embed Medication-Assisted Treatment standards, increase access to residential rehabilitation, develop a protocol for co-occurring mental health conditions and substance use, and co-produce alcohol and drug service standards for young people.
support proposals to establish a Safer Drug Consumption Facility and continue to advocate for evidence-based drug law reform to enhance our efforts to reduce deaths and improve lives.
support the development of a Charter of Rights for people who use drugs, to increase accountability, monitoring and challenge in the context of the forthcoming Human Rights Bill.

Quit Your Way Scotland is an advice and support service for anyone trying to stop smoking in Scotland. Individuals can contact Quit Your Way Scotland for free by phoning a Quit Your Way Scotland advisor on 0800 84 84 84.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Substance use

health-inequalities- scotland-report andappendices.pdf

Smoking attributable deaths - ScotPHO

Characteristic

Disability

What is known about existing inequalities?

Increased needs for healthcare

Many long-term disabled people have higher than average needs for health and social care services.

They may have multiple physical and mental health conditions, adding to the complexity of understanding their needs almost half of all adults (47 per cent) reported living with a long-term condition. A third (34 per cent) of all adults said they had a long-term condition which limited their day-to- day activities.

People with learning disabilities have some of the poorest health of any group in Scotland and die on average twenty years earlier than the rest of the population. People with learning disabilities also have a higher likelihood of experiencing poor mental health.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Increased needs for healthcare

The Programme for Government commits to reopen the Independent Living Fund in 2024-25 to enable up to 1,000 additional disabled people with the most complex needs to access the support they need and deserve to live independent lives.

By the end of 2023 we will develop and deliver a consultation on a Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence Bill, with the voices of neurodiverse people and people with learning disabilities at the centre.

The provisions of the Bill will directly address inequalities for all neurodivergent people. We will also be consulting on how to introduce greater accountability to public bodies to protect the rights of neurodivergent people. Following consultation, any resultant Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Bill will require a full Equality impact assessment.

People with a long-term health condition or disability are a key at-risk priority group for the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults. The Fund helps grassroots community groups to tackle the impact of social isolation, loneliness and mental health inequalities.

National Care Service (NCS)

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering the National Care Service (subject to the agreement of parliament) for the delivery of consistent and high standards in health and social care services. Key elements of the NCS are being developed in partnership with people with lived and living experience of accessing and providing social care.

Over 2023-24, we provided £159,274 grant funding to the Glasgow Disability Alliance to support the participation of disabled people in the co-design process.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Increased needs for healthcare

Glasgow Disability Alliance. Supercharged: a human catastrophe. 2020; Available from: https://gda.scot/ resources/supercharged-a- human-catastrophe/.

RuralMentalHealth SurveyReportScotland_ April2017_RPC.pdf (changemh.org)

Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults:

Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults: evaluation - gov.scot(www.gov.scot) An independent evaluation of Year 1 of the Fund was published on 19 July 2023.

Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults: year 2 - monitoring and reporting summary - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) The Monitoring and Reporting Summary for Year 2 published on 19 July 2023.

Scotland’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan - Equality Impact Assessment (www.gov.scot)

Mental Health Equality Evidence Report 2023 (www.gov.scot)

Scottish Health Survey 2022 Main Report Volume 1 (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Disability

What is known about existing inequalities?

Access to services

Disabled people may face barriers in accessing services particularly in rural areas and through digital exclusion.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Access to services – digital services

We have a long-standing commitment to enabling availability and access for those who wish to use digital options in health and social care but who may face barriers in doing so.

In July 2023 we announced the first phase of a new £2 million Digital Inclusion Programme to support access to online services, initially in mental health and housing. Delivered in partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, the £600,000 ‘Digital Pioneers’ initiative supports 13 projects across Scotland to develop, test, and implement support models improve access to services for health and wellbeing, benefitting more than 1,500 people.

Since its inception in 2021, the £3.1 million Digital Lifelines Programme has supported over 1,500 people in gaining access to devices, skills and connectivity. The Programme is an important component of the national mission on drugs, with digital connections and innovation supporting access to, and development of, lifeline services. The Programme has recently been extended for a further two years to 2025.

The Near Me online service provides additional flexibility and reduces the need for travel where people may find it inconvenient or an expense. A total of 440,000 Near Me online consultations were held in the last year across over 2,200 clinics. Near Me is now being piloted in community spaces, such as libraries, to provide local access for people who may not have access to technology.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Digital health and Care Strategy: Digital health and care strategy - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Supporting documents - Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Near Me video consulting service: evaluation 2020 - summary report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Learning Disabilities (Scotland) Directions 2022.pdf

Scotland’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan - Equality Impact Assessment (www.gov.scot)

Mental Health Equality Evidence Report 2023 (www.gov.scot)

RuralMentalHealth SurveyReportScotland_April2017_RPC.pdf (changemh.org)

Characteristic

Gender Reassignment

What is known about existing inequalities?

Mental Health & Gender

Results from a survey conducted with 402 LGBT young people aged 11-19 in 2016-17 (Stonewall Scotland, 2017) found that 96 per cent of transgender young people had deliberately harmed themselves at some point, and 43 per cent had at some point attempted to take their own life.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Mental Health & Gender

A number of supports are available for LGBT young people through our funding for children and young people’s community mental health and wellbeing supports and services.

We are currently developing a Self-harm Strategy and Action Plan, involving stakeholders and people with lived experience from different groups. We will work to ensure all equality groups, including transgender people, are considered as part of this work.

The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults has a particular focus on supporting a range of at risk groups including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) communities. Evidence and feedback illustrates a need for suitable equality and diversity training and cultural awareness training.

We recently published quality standards for mental health services. These standards aim to improve the quality and safety of mental health services and the delivery of psychological therapies and interventions for all groups, including transgender people. The standards have an equality, human rights and person- centred approach. We expect them, alongside strengthened local accountability, to support how health inequalities are addressed at a local level and effect change to mental health service delivery.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

School Report Scotland - proof 4.cdr (stonewallscotland.org.uk)

Mental Health Equality Evidence Report 2023 (www.gov.scot)

Scotland’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan Equality Impact Assessment

Core mental health standards - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Gender Reassignment

What is known about existing inequalities?

Gender identity

Waiting times to access gender identity healthcare are long. They vary across the country but can be over four years from referral to first appointment.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Gender identity

We will continue work to improve gender identity healthcare, to tackle waiting times and adopt a human rights-based, person- centred, and multidisciplinary approach to improving this healthcare provision.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

NHS Scotland Health needs assessment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and non-binary people May 2022

Characteristic

Gender Reassignment

What is known about existing inequalities?

Public Health Scotland, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian published a national LGBT+ Health Needs Assessment in May 2022. This included a supplementary report of Trans and Non-Binary people’s health experiences. Assessment showed high level of dissatisfaction with current offering to access gender identity clinics in NHS Scotland, including long waiting times.

LGBT Youth Scotland – Life in Scotland Health Report 2023 highlighted the physical and mental health impact of long waiting times to access gender identity clinics.

A 2018 Stonewall Scotland survey of 1,261 trans and non-binary people found that 59 per cent felt healthcare staff lacked understanding of trans health needs when accessing general health services, and almost as many as two trans people in five (37 per cent) have avoided healthcare treatment for fear of discrimination.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

In December 2021 Scottish Government published a framework for NHS gender identity service improvement. Following publication of this framework, we have:

established a National Gender Identity Healthcare Reference Group;
commissioned Public Health Scotland who are now working to establish robust waiting times collation and reporting for these clinical services;
commissioned Healthcare Improvement Scotland who are now working to produce national standards for accessing and delivery of gender identity healthcare;
commissioned NHS National Education for Scotland who are now working to develop a trans healthcare knowledge and skills framework for all NHS Scotland staff;
commissioned a trans healthcare specific report as part of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lothian and Public Health Scotland National LGBT Health Needs Assessment; and
provided direct funding to NHS Health Boards with a gender identity clinic to support work to improve access to and delivery of services.

National Care Service (NCS)

Over 2022-23, we provided £5,000 grant funding to the LGBT Health and Wellbeing to support the participation of people who identify as LGBT in the co-design process.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Scottish Government NHS gender identity services: strategic action framework 2022-2024

LGBT Youth Scotland Life in Scotland: Health Report 2023

Characteristic

Pregnancy and Maternity

What is known about existing inequalities?

Maternal health

11.8 per cent of pregnant women reported that they were current smokers at their first antenatal booking appointment in 2021-22.

In the UK, women from Asian, Black, or mixed race backgrounds have an elevated risk of maternal death compared to women from White backgrounds. For Black women, the risk of maternal death is more than four times as high than for White women.

Up to 50 per cent of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes develop type 2 diabetes within five years of their baby being born.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Maternal health and food and diet

We are working with NHS Boards to deliver effective, evidence- based options for those ‘at risk’ or those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes through implementing our Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Framework. This programme of work includes a gestational diabetes pathway to intervene early during pregnancy with specialist dietary and lifestyle advice, which is important to reduce future risk of type 2 diabetes.

Maternal health and smoking

Our 2023 Tobacco and Vaping Framework sets out how we can further improve our cessation services to ensure we meet the needs of everyone requiring support or at increased risk.

Racialised Inequalities in Maternity Care

The most recent Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK) confidential enquiry reports, published in September and October 2023, tell us that racialised health inequalities continue to have an impact on outcomes for pregnant women and their babies. Working with clinical and midwifery leads, professional bodies and third sector organisations, we have established a short-life working group. This group is tasked with synthesising the learning from the various confidential enquiries, audits and other reports, to develop a programme of improvement activity for Scotland. We are now in the process of developing an action plan. We continue to engage closely with our colleagues in the Health Equity team, along with others across Scottish Government and NHS Boards, as well as third sector organisations, with a view to maximising our impact in this space in the most efficient way possible.

Implementation of ‘The Best Start’

As part of ongoing implementation of The Best Start, all NHS Boards are expected to roll out continuity of carer for all women, and Boards have been asked to prioritise roll-out for women from minority ethnic communities, as well as those women who experience multiple social complexity. We are working with Public Health Scotland (PHS) to formulate a measure of continuity of carer for women with social complexity using existing data points. We are committed to working with PHS to roll out a toolkit to assess complex social needs and to support NHS Boards to define, plan and roll out a local model of continuity of carer consistent with the pattern of need of the women within their area.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

A Healthier Future – Framework for the Prevention, Early Detection and Early Intervention of type 2 diabetes (www.gov.scot)

Standards for the delivery of tier 2 and tier 3 weight management services in Scotland - Publications - Public Health Scotland

The impact of maternal diabetes on the future health and neurodevelopment of the offspring: a review of the evidence - PMC (nih.gov) Maternal health)

Maternal health and smoking

Maternal smoking - ScotPHO provides data

Pregnancy outcomes (2): live births and infant and maternal deaths - ScotPHO

Low Birthweight - Long-term monitoring of health inequalities: March 2022 report - gov.scot (www. gov.scot) illustrates differences in low birthweights across areas.

Racialised Inequalities in Maternity Care

Exploring ethnic minority women’s experiences of maternity care during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a qualitative study | BMJ Open

MBRRACE-UK reports cover various statistics including stillbirth and neonatal death, deprivation, method of delivery rates etc: Reports | MBRRACE-UK | NPEU Report_2020.pdf

Anti-racism in Scotland: progress review 2023 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot))

Implementation of The Best Start

The best start: five-year plan for maternityand neonatal care – gov.scot (www.gov.scot))

Continuity of carer and local delivery of care: implementation framework – gov.scot (www.gov.scot))

Antenatal booking in Scotland – Calendar year ending 31 December 2022 – Antenatal booking in Scotland – Publications– Public Health Scotland

Births in Scotland – Year ending 31 March 2023 – Births in Scotland – Publications – Public Health Scotland

Perinatal Mortality Surveillance | MBRRACE-UK | NPEU (ox.ac.uk)

Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths | MBRRACE-UK | NPEU (ox.ac.uk)

Characteristic

Pregnancy and Maternity

What is known about existing inequalities?

Mental health

Mental health issues affect 10-20 per cent of women during pregnancy and the first year after having a baby.

The Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audit and Confidential Enquiries - UK collaboration for Maternal Deaths and Morbidity published the latest UK Confidential Enquiry which examines deaths within the perinatal period across UK and Ireland. Suicide and psychiatric disorders is one of the leading causes of death for women during the perinatal period (28 completed suicides recorded in 2020 across the UK and Ireland).

Women from socioeconomically deprived backgrounds, and immigrant, asylum seeking and refugee women are at risk of perinatal mental ill health.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Mental health

We have invested £26 million in perinatal and infant mental health programmes from 2019 to 2023. This investment has allowed us to support Health Boards in developing high quality statutory services and increase third sector provision across Scotland including 11 new and three expanded community perinatal mental health teams.

It also includes up to £1 million per year for the third sector, who have provided peer support, counselling and befriending to over 7,000 parents, expectant parents and infants.

We are ensuring the new suicide prevention strategy Creating Hope Together takes a targeted approach for higher risk groups, including for people during the perinatal period.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Perinatal mental health: a review of progress and challenges (nih.gov)

Screening – Perinatal and infant mental health: equalities impact assessment – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Race

What is known about existing inequalities?

Epidemiology

Most ethnic minority groups are disproportionately affected by socioeconomic deprivation, a key determinant of health inequalities. Structural racism and discrimination can reinforce inequalities e.g. in housing, employment which in turn can have a negative impact on health. Racism and discrimination can also affect the mental and physical health of people from ethnic minority groups.

Ethnic minority groups in general have similar or lower mortality than the general population, but may have specific health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes among those of South Asian descent. For example, type 2 diabetes is six times more likely in people of South Asian descent and three times more likely in African and Afro-Caribbean people.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Racialised health inequalities in health and social care

We are implementing the recommendations from the Expert Reference Group on COVID-19 and Ethnicity.

We have progressed health related actions from the 2019-23 Scottish Government/COSLA Gypsy/Traveller Action Plan, with a key focus on improving health outcomes for the community by removing barriers and improving awareness of their right to access health services.

Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER)

The Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights has been commissioned by Scottish Government to design and develop a suite of anti-racism capacity building resources for the health and social care sector in Scotland. The resources will focus on building the practical understanding needed to improve approaches to race equality and anti-racism, exploring structural racism, racialised health inequalities, intersectional issues and the impacts on mental and physical health for people who experience racism.

Key issues already identified by Scottish Government for inclusion include the intersections of racism and sexism faced by Black and minority ethnic women, the relationship between racism and Islamophobia and how racism impacts refugees and asylum seekers.

Type 2 diabetes prevention

We want to ensure that South Asian and other minority ethnic groups have equitable access to high quality, culturally sensitive type 2 diabetes prevention services.

Reducing health inequalities is a strategic priority for the 2018 Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Framework. In delivering the Framework, NHS boards are expected to work with local delivery partners, people with lived experience, families and communities to ensure weight management services are designed with people at the centre.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Epidemiology

Race equality framework for Scotland2016 to 2030 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) Systemic Issues and Risk: Initial Advice and Recommendations from the Expert Reference Group on COVID-19 and Ethnicity

Type 2 Diabetes and Ethnicity - Minority ethnic groups - understanding diet, weight and type 2 diabetes: scoping review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Improving access for Gypsy/Travellers to the NHS and health and social care in Scotland - Improving access for Gypsy/Travellers to the NHS and health and social care in Scotland - Publications - Public Health Scotland

The findings of the Expert Reference Group on COVID-19 and Ethnicity.

A Healthier Future – Framework for the Prevention, Early Detection and Early Intervention of type 2 diabetes (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Race

What is known about existing inequalities?

Vaccines

Overall, the White ethnicity group has proportionately higher uptake than minority ethnic groups for all COVID-19 vaccine doses and for the majority of age groups.

Uptake is lowest for ‘African’ groups, the ‘Caribbean or Black’ group or ‘Mixed/Multiple’ ethnic group, the Polish community and Gypsy/Traveller communities, depending on the ages involved.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Vaccines

Impacts on health inequalities will continue to be a clear focus of our vaccination programme. The Vaccine Inclusive Steering Group brings together Health Boards, third sector and community and faith groups. It provides feedback, challenge, ideas and advice on planning, communications and delivery of our programmes. Its earlier focus on flu and COVID-19 has been widened to include all vaccination programmes and it acts to address barriers to vaccination whether they are as a result of race, deprivation, disability or other characteristic.

Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland (PHS) monitor and challenge inequalities in uptake in regular COVID-19 and flu discussions with Health Boards, and use data on uptake by ethnicity and deprivation and monitoring of racialised health inequalities to support these discussions.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Monitoring racialised health inequalities in Scotland

Supporting documents - Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine barriers and incentivesto uptake: literature review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Religion or Belief

What is known about existing inequalities?

Barriers to accessing healthcare

Some attitudes and practices among religious groups may result in unequal access to healthcare. This requires service providers to adapt their procedures and address staff attitudes and knowledge Scottish Public Health Observatory (ScotPHO).

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The Mental Health Equality Evidence Report highlights stigma and lack of trust in services are barriers to accessing mental health services for people from some faith and belief groups.

In 2022, we launched Mind to Mind, Scotland’s mental wellbeing site, on NHS inform, which we are continuing to develop and promote. The site showcases advice from people with lived experience of mental health and wellbeing challenges as well as related professionals. Several participants on the site have spoken of how their faith comforts them and helps with their mental health and wellbeing. This representation should have a positive impact on reducing any stigma experienced by these groups.

The core mental health standards developed will help in addressing this. They outline the need to provide information on other sources of support, on accessibility of information and the need to receive care based on social and cultural needs.

Evidence and feedback illustrate a need for suitable / refreshed equality and diversity training / cultural awareness training and a need for recruitment and retention to ensure the NHS workforce are representative of the populations they serve (Mental Health Law Review and Non-Binary actions).

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Key points - ScotPHO

National Workforce Strategy for Health andSocial Care in Scotland (www.gov.scot)

Mind to Mind mental wellbeing website on NHS inform

Mental Health Equality Evidence Report 2023 (www.gov.scot)

Core mental health standards - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Religion or Belief

What is known about existing inequalities?

Impact on outcomes

People experiencing stigma as a result of religious belief or practice may experience worse health outcomes.

Religious driven behaviour and practices can be associated with positive and negative effects on health such as lower anxiety, guidance against excess consumption on the one hand but added stress if religious views are at odds with wider societal views on the other.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Impact on outcomes & health workforce

Evidence and feedback illustrates a need for suitable / refreshed equality and diversity training / cultural awareness training and a need for recruitment and retention to ensure the NHS workforce are representative of the populations they serve (Mental Health Law Review and Non-Binary actions).

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Religion as a social force in health: complexities and contradictions | The BMJ

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

Worse outcomes for men, particularly young men

Young and middle-aged men in Scotland are at particular risk of poorer health. There has been declining engagement with health services among this group, who are also the most likely not to attend hospital appointments. In every year since 1985, 70 per cent of all people dying from suicide have been male. Younger men are particularly affected.

The social gradient in life expectancy and avoidable mortality (according to area-level deprivation) was greater for men than women.

Smoking remains a leading cause of preventable disease and premature death. In 2021 the rate for males (332 deaths per 100,000 population) was 1.75 times higher than the rate for females (189 deaths per 100,000 population), with an estimated 23 per cent (4,789) of all deaths among men aged 35 and over being attributable to smoking in 2021.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Mental health in men

Our new suicide prevention strategy with COSLA, ‘Creating Hope Together’ takes a targeted approach to reaching and supporting groups at higher risk of suicide, based on our growing evidence base on help-seeking, and learning from our existing work, such as using the medium of sport to reach men.

Our self-harm strategy also focuses on groups with higher risk, including how we use different approaches to reach men and women.

In 2022, we launched Mind to Mind, Scotland’s mental wellbeing site, on NHS inform, which we are continuing to develop and promote this year. The site showcases advice from people with lived experience of mental health and wellbeing challenges as well as related professionals. Our work this year to raise public awareness and engage with partners to promote the need to look after our mental wellbeing and the resources on the site will also target men, who our evaluation has shown are less likely to take action compared to women.

A number of the grassroots projects benefiting from the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund are targeted at suicide prevention.

Since 2021 we have also provided funding for the Changing Room: Extra Time, delivered by SAMH in conjunction with the Scottish Professional Football League. Both the Changing Room and Extra Time aim to bring men together through the power of football and provide a safe space for them to speak about their mental wellbeing and explore areas which are giving them particular challenges or concerns. This helps to reduce and remove stigma and gives men the skills they need to understand and process their emotions safely without fear of being judged.

Smoking and men

Our 2023 Tobacco and Vaping Framework sets out how we can further improve our cessation services to ensure we meet the needs of everyone requiring support or at increased risk.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Mental health

Mind to Mind mental wellbeing website on NHS inform

SAMH Changing Rooms Extra Time programme

Smoking

Smoking attributable deaths - ScotPHO

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

Issues for women

Approximately 77 per cent of the health and social care workforce is female, with significant segregation by gender. The percentage of women ranges from 45 per cent in Ambulance Services to 89 per cent in Nursing and Midwifery (NHS Education for Scotland, June 2023).

The gender pay gap between men and women is 18 per cent among NHS staff

Many women report a negative impact of menopause on their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Research funded by the British Heart Foundation and others has uncovered that at every stage – diagnosis, treatment and aftercare – women who have heart attacks receive poorer care than men.

Women are more likely to experience mental health concerns than men. Women are at higher risk of eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to men, with an estimated lifetime prevalence rate of 10-12 per cent for women and 5-6 per cent for men.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Menopause and Menstrual Health (MMH) Workplace Policy

Within the Women’s Health Plan we committed to developing a MMH policy, as an example of best practice and to promote equivalent efforts across the public, private and third sector.

The NHS Scotland MMH policy launched on 31 October 2023. The aim of the policy is to:

support employees in their experience of MMH in the workplace and help them to minimise the impact it can have.
create an environment where employees feel confident in raising issues about their MMH symptoms and ask for support, solutions and any adjustments which can be put in place.
foster a culture of good menstrual health and positive menopause awareness, underpinned by education, inclusive discussions, and compassionate management.

To inform the policy the Scottish Government worked in partnership with the University of Glasgow on ground-breaking research to establish a new evidence base on women’s experience of working in NHS Scotland in relation to menstrual health and menopause.

The research was based on a NHS Scotland staff survey that focused on the experiences of menopause and menstrual health at work. Over 6,000 staff responded to the survey.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Gender pay gap

NHS Scotland pay gap statistics: FOI release - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

NHSScotland Menopause and Menstrual Health (MMH) Workplace Policy:

Additional resources have been created, including line managers and workplace adjustment guides, to support employers to develop their own menopause and menstrual health policies and resources. They are intended to be used by a wide variety of employment sectors, not just NHS Scotland. They can be accessed here: https:// wellbeinghub.scot/resource/mmhp/.

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

While women are more likely to have ever attempted suicide than men, men are at much higher risk of dying by suicide.

Unpaid carers are predominantly female (around 60 per cent overall and 69 per cent of Carer’s Allowance recipients in more intensive caring roles) and disproportionately from socioeconomically deprived areas.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Women’s Health plan

Our Women’s Health Plan sets out action, including the appointment of our first Women’s Health Champion, to address health inequalities and improve health outcomes for women.

Mental Health

Women, particularly women who have experienced gender based violence, are a key at-risk priority group for the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults.

Whilst limited, evidence currently tells us that more women than men use self-harm.

Our recently published Self-Harm Strategy and Action Plan recognises prevalence amongst some marginalised groups, including women, and our action plan specifically prioritises support for these communities. We also have a specific action around improving and sharing data and evidence, which we hope will support with reaching groups at a higher risk of self-harm.

We will consult on and publish a National Specification for Eating Disorder Care and Treatment in Scotland by early 2024.

Unpaid Carers

We will continue to fund the voluntary sector Short Breaks Fund ahead of including a right to short breaks for carers in the National Care Service Bill. Ensuring sufficient breaks from caring not only supports the carer’s health and wellbeing but improve the outcomes for the person for whom they’re caring.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

University of Glasgow published its research into MMH in the Workplace on 31 October 2023. It can be accessed here: University of Glasgow Schools - Adam Smith Business School - Research - Research clusters - Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour - Impact and engagement - Advancing Menopause and Menstrual Health in Organisations (AMMInO) - Research - Research clusters - Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour - Impact and engagement - Advancing Menopause and Menstrual Health in Organisations (AMMInO) SAMH_Moving- through-Menopause.pdf

Women’s health plan

EQIA

Mental Health

Mental Health Equality Evidence Report 2023

Scotland’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan Equality Impact Assessment

Scottish Health Survey 2022 Main Report Volume 1 (www.gov.scot)

Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults:

An independent evaluation of Year 1 of the Fund was published on 19 July 2023.

The Monitoring and Reporting Summary for Year 2 published on 19 July 2023.

Characteristic

Sexual Orientation

What is known about existing inequalities?

Mental health

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and people of other sexual orientations are more likely to report poor mental health and 31 per cent have thought about taking their life in the previous year.

A survey by LGBT Youth Scotland found that 84 per cent of all LGBT young people surveyed had experienced a mental health problem.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Mental Health

Tackling the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness is a key priority for the Scottish Government. In 2021, Scottish Government announced See Me, Scotland’s campaign to end stigma and discrimination. See Me work to prioritise people at greatest risk of experiencing mental health stigma and discrimination. This includes work with lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

Lesbian, gay and bisexual people are a key at-risk priority group for the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults.

Our Suicide Prevention Strategy aims to reduce the number of suicide deaths in Scotland whilst tackling the inequalities that contribute to suicide. It aims to build equality of response and access to support, across equality groups who may be affected by suicide, and actively focuses on higher-risk groups including lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

About See Me (seemescotland.org)

See Me Strategy (seemescotland.org)

Joint/National Health Needs Assessment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Non- binary (LGBT+) people in Scotland (scotphn. net)

LGBT in Britain - Health(2018) (stonewall.org.uk)

https://www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/media/1354/life-in-scotland-for-lgbt-young-people.pdf

Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults: year 2 – monitoring and reporting summary

Characteristic

Sexual Orientation

What is known about existing inequalities?

Discrimination within healthcare

Lesbian, gay and bisexual people experience discrimination in their access and interactions with health care services as a result of prevalence of heteronormative attitudes

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Discrimination and health workforce

We are committed to improving workforce planning, practice and culture with a focus on collaborative, compassionate leadership, wellbeing and equality to deliver a more sustainable and skilled workforce, supported by the commencement of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019.

National Care Service

Over 2022-23, we provided £5,000 grant funding to the LGBT Health and Wellbeing to support the participation of people who identify as LGB in the co-design process.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

National Workforce Strategy for Health andSocial Care in Scotland (www.gov.scot)

Equality, diversity and human rights: NHSScotland PIN policy - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The NHSScotland ‘Once for Scotland’ Workforce Policies Programme is currently refreshing the Embracing equality diversity human rights in NHSScotland PIN Policy that sets the standard for Boards. The updated policy is expected to be published in 2024.

Justice and Home Affairs

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

People with less socioeconomic advantage are disproportionately affected by crime and the justice system. For example, individuals from the 10 per cent most deprived areas are over-represented in prison arrivals by a factor of three,¹ and those living in the 15 per cent most deprived areas are more likely than the rest of Scotland to experience crime (13.7 per cent compared 9.4 per cent), with fewer resources to cover the cost.²

People living in the most deprived areas are more likely to perceive problems such as vandalism, nuisance animals and rowdy behaviours as common in their neighbourhoods, and less likely to rate their neighbourhood as a very good place to live.³

Adverse Childhood Experiences, which are more prevalent in the most deprived areas, have been linked to many ‘criminogenic’ risks (factors that increase risk of offending) including substance and alcohol abuse, deprivation, poor educational attainment, and mental health problems.⁴

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The portfolio invests in a range of measures to prevent crime, offending and re-offending, which can be the direct result of inequality and risk factors, including deprivation, adverse childhood experiences, and health problems.

Short periods of imprisonment are less effective at addressing the underlying causes of offending (including those linked to inequality, deprivation and social exclusion), implementation of the Community Justice strategy delivery plan will support the aim to encourage wider use of community rather than custodial interventions where appropriate working closely with those who have offended (who are often young males from lower socioeconomic backgrounds) to foster good relationships and advance equality of opportunity through successful re-integration into communities.

The CashBack for Communities programme takes funds recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act and invests them in the most deprived areas of Scotland to support young people and communities most affected by antisocial behaviour and crime. The fund supports initiatives that work closely with at risk young people (and those who have already been involved in the criminal justice system) on issues such as employability and thus helps foster relationships and advance equality of opportunities.

The newly published Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland, supported by an evidence supplement, sets out our priorities for tackling various forms of violence and includes priority actions to take forward in collaboration with violence reduction partner organisations, including the work of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, Medics Against Violence and YouthLink Scotland (No Knives Better Lives) to deliver intervention support, based on evidence, towards those most likely to be affected; individuals, families and communities experiencing social disadvantage.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Scottish Prison Population Statistics 2022-23 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2021/22: Main Findings – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Civil justice statistics in Scotland 2021-22 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Non-sexual violence in Scotland: report – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland: Evidence Supplement

Cashback for Communities Programme: EQIA – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Justice Social Work statistics: 2021-22

Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill – 2022 Fairer Scotland Duty Summary (www. gov.scot)

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

The rate of dwelling fires and fire related casualties are strongly associated with deprivation.

Domestic fires are 4.2 times higher, and fire related casualty rates are 4.9 times higher in the 20 per cent most deprived areas compared to the 20 per cent least deprived.⁵

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

A priority for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is preventing fires and reducing their human, social and economic impact. Fire safety and prevention activities, including Home Fire Safety Visits, prioritise individuals and communities in deprived areas. SFRS will continue to target its resource and activities to support the most vulnerable. SFRS incident statistics show that dwelling fires have been consistently reducing over the last ten years, with a 26.1 per cent reduction overall since 2012-13 and a 27.6 per cent reduction in the 20 per cent most deprived areas.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Fire and rescue framework: equality impact assessment – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Fire safety regime for existing high rise domestic buildings – review: Fairer Scotland Duty summary – gov.scot(www.gov.scot)

Statistics | Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (firescotland.gov.uk)

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

At least 37 per cent of the 14,602 sexual crimes recorded in 2022-23 by the police related to a victim under the age of 18, with an estimated one-in-seven sexual crimes being cyber-crimes with a victim under the age of 18.⁶

The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey showed that worry about experiencing sexual assault was highest amongst 16-to-24-year-olds.⁷

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Launching our Bairn’s Hoose pilot will ensure that eligible child victims and witnesses of abuse and violence are better able to access appropriate support and services. Bairns’ Hoose provides Scotland with an opportunity to provide a genuinely child- centred approach to delivering justice, care and recovery for children who have experienced trauma, including, but not only, child sexual abuse.

New criminal laws focused on dealing with misogynistic abuse experienced by women and girls will be progressed through new legislation.

We will publish a Hate Crime Strategy Delivery Plan, setting out our immediate and longer-term activity in support of the new hate crime strategy. The strategy sets out our priorities for tackling prejudice and hate crime in Scotland and supports implementation of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 which will, for the first time, add the characteristic of age to the hate crime legislative framework.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2022-23 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2021/22: Main Findings – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Bairns’ Hoose – Scottish Barnahus: vision, values and approach – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Bairns’ Hoose standards (healthcareimprovementscotland.org)

Bairns’ Hoose – Progress Report and Pathfinder Delivery Plan 2023-25 (www.gov.scot)

Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)

Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill – Equality Impact Assessment – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Disability

What is known about existing inequalities?

Disabled people have a higher incidence of civil legal problems (36 per cent, compared to 26 per cent in the general population.⁸

Disabled people are disproportionately likely to be victims of crime and to experience discrimination and harassment. The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey estimates that 12.9 per cent of disabled people were victims of at least one crime in 2021-22, compared to 9.1 per cent of non- disabled people.⁹

In 2020-21, disabled adults were more likely to have experienced discrimination (11 per cent) and harassment (7 per cent) in the previous 12 months than non-disabled adults (5 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively).¹⁰ In 2022-23, disability related hate crime (722 charges) increased by 3 per cent.¹¹

The most recent detailed analysis of hate crimes draws on data from 2020-21, and shows that almost three quarters of disability aggravated hate crimes included a prejudice to those with a learning disability (73 per cent). This equates to around 210 crimes recorded by the police in 2020-21. A further 15 per cent showed a prejudice to those with a physical disability. This equates to around 40 crimes recorded by the police in 2020-21.¹²

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Our funding for justice partners has an important role in protecting vulnerable people, addressing discrimination and hate crime and bringing those responsible for it to justice.

Through our funding of SCTS and other justice partners, courts and tribunals will continue to have an important role in protecting vulnerable people and addressing discrimination and hate crime.

The portfolio’s budget will allow Police Scotland and other justice partners to continue their work to support the most vulnerable, tackle hate crime and bring those responsible for it to justice.

The CashBack for Communities programme provides funding for the National Autistic Society to work with young people affected by antisocial behaviour and crime. Young people who identified as having one or more disability also participate in CashBack projects that do not have a specific disability focus.

We will continue to support the BSL Justice Advisory Group in taking forward the actions set out in the BSL Action plan.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Civil justice statistics in Scotland 2021-22 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2021/22: Main Findings – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Hate Crime in Scotland 2022-23 | COPFS

Characteristics of police recorded hate crime in Scotland: study – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Police recorded hate crime – characteristics: updated study – gov.scot(www.gov.scot)

Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)

Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill – Equality Impact Assessment – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Cashback for Communities Programme: EQIA – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Gender Reassignment

What is known about existing inequalities?

In 2022-23, 55 charges were reported with an aggravation of prejudice relating to transgender identity, 36 per cent fewer than the 86 charges reported in 2021-22. This is the second highest annual number of charges recorded since this legislation came into force. Between 2016-17 and 2020-21, the annual number of charges fluctuated between 40 and 52.¹³

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Our funding for justice partners has an important role in protecting vulnerable people, addressing discrimination and hate crime and bringing those responsible for it to justice.

Through our funding of SCTS and other justice partners, courts and tribunals will continue to have an important role in protecting vulnerable people and addressing discrimination and hate crime.

The portfolio’s budget will allow Police Scotland and other justice partners to continue their work to support the most vulnerable, tackle hate crime and bring those responsible for it to justice.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)

Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill – Equality Impact Assessment – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristics of police recorded hate crime in Scotland: study – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Police recorded hate crime – characteristics: updated study – gov.scot(www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Pregnancy and Maternity

What is known about existing inequalities?

In 2018, seven women gave birth whilst serving their custodial sentence.¹⁴ In the period from 2013- 2017 there were 104 pregnant women held in prison in Scotland and 31 babies born.¹⁵

Every aspect of a child’s life is disrupted when a mother goes to prison. Precise figures on the number of mothers with dependant children who go to prison and children whose mothers are sent to prison each year are not known. It has been estimated that over half of women in prison in the UK have children under the age of 18 and only 5 per cent of children remain in the family home when their mother is sent to prison.¹⁶

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

We will continue to provide trauma-informed care and management to women in custody, including though the new national facility HMP and YOI Stirling which opened earlier this year and includes a Mother and Baby Unit and two Community Custody Units in Dundee and Glasgow which opened in 2022. We will continue to invest in the prison estate to ensure modern facilities that promote rehabilitation and better serve the needs and advance equality of our diverse prison population, this includes specific facilities to accommodate the needs of women and their children.

The Scottish Prison Service published an updated Strategy for Women in Custody in 2022 which includes the following quality indicator: ‘The wellbeing of children who are with their mothers in custody is paramount. Children experience a homely setting and have access to the positive interactions, experiences, and support that they would have in the community. Children’s rights are upheld. They are protected from discrimination and harm.’

Implementation of the Community Justice strategy delivery plan will support the aim to encourage wider use of community rather than custodial interventions where appropriate, including for women.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Strategy For The Management Of Women Offenders In Custody

The right to family life: children whose mothers are in prison – Report Summary – Joint Committee on Human Rights (parliament.uk)

Importance of strengthening female offenders’ family and other relationships to prevent reoffending and reduce intergenerational crime – GOV.UK (www. gov.uk)

The Rose Project: Best for Babies

Characteristic

Race

What is known about existing inequalities?

In 2022, minority ethnic adults were more likely to have experienced discrimination in the previous 12 months (22 per cent) compared to the general population (8 per cent). Minority ethnic adults were also more likely to have experienced harassment (15 per cent) than the general population (5 per cent).¹⁷

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Our funding for justice partners has an important role in protecting vulnerable people, addressing discrimination and hate crime and bringing those responsible for it to justice.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Scottish Household Survey

Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)

Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill – Equality Impact Assessment – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Race

What is known about existing inequalities?

People who identify as African, Caribbean or Black have a higher rate of victimisation (22 per cent) than the national average (17 per cent). People who identify as Asian are less likely to say that they feel safe walking alone in their local area after dark or alone at home at night. People who identify as Asian, and those who identify as African, Caribbean or Black are consistently found to have higher than the national average level of fear for both property crimes and violent crimes.¹⁸

In total 3,145 charges relating to race crime were reported in 2022-23, a decrease of 2 per cent compared to 2021-22. The numbers of charges have fluctuated in recent years but have remained lower than the annual numbers of charges reported between 2003-04 and 2016-17. The 2022-23 total is 31 per cent lower than the peak in such charges in 2011-12, when 4,547 charges were reported.¹⁹ In addition, where information was available on the ethnicity of victims, almost two- thirds (or 64 per cent) of race aggravated hate crimes in 2020-21 had a victim from a visible minority ethnic group. This compares to 4 per cent of Scotland’s population at the time of the last census in 2011.²⁰

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Through our funding of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) and other justice partners, courts and tribunals will continue to have an important role in protecting vulnerable people and addressing discrimination and hate crime.

The portfolio’s budget will allow Police Scotland and other justice partners to continue their work to support the most vulnerable, tackle hate crime and bring those responsible for it to justice.

The CashBack for Communities programme takes funds recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act and invests them in projects to divert young people away from antisocial behaviour and crime. During 2022-23, CashBack participants across the portfolio of 24 projects identified themselves across 19 specific ethnic groups. For Phase 6 (2023-26) CashBack will provide funding for the SCORE Scotland (Strengthening Communities for Race Equality Scotland). The project has a specific focus on supporting Black and Minority Ethnic Young People.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Police recorded hate crime – characteristics: updated study – gov.scot(www.gov.scot)

Hate crime strategy – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Cross Justice Working Group on Race Data and Evidence – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Ethnicity in the justice system: evidence review – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

One Community Scotland | Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (svru.co.uk)

Cashback for Communities Programme: EQIA – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Race

What is known about existing inequalities?

The imprisonment rate of individuals who identify as African, Caribbean or Black, or from ‘Mixed or Multiple’ or ‘Other’ ethnic groups, is significantly higher than for individuals who identify as White.²¹

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Implementation of the Bail and Release Bill (Scotland) Act 2023 ensures that people (including those over-represented in the cohort such as those from minority ethnic groups) experience less of the damaging impacts of short-term imprisonment.

Implementation of the Community Justice Strategy delivery plan will support the aim to encourage wider use of community rather than custodial interventions where appropriate working closely with those who have offended to foster good relationships and advance equality of opportunity through successful re-integration into communities.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Scottish Prison Population Statistics 2022-23 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill: equality impact assessment – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Religion or Belief

What is known about existing inequalities?

There were 576 religiously aggravated charges reported in 2022- 23, 8 per cent more than in 2021-22. Over the last five years, the number of religious charges reported has fluctuated between around 530 and 670 per year.²²

In addition, just under half (47 per cent) of religion aggravated hate crimes in 2020-21, the perpetrator showed prejudice towards the Catholic community, which equates to an estimated 150 crimes. A similar proportion of crimes showed prejudice towards the Muslim community and the Protestant community, equating to 16 per cent (or 50 crimes) each.²³

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Our funding for justice partners has an important role in protecting vulnerable people, addressing discrimination and hate crime and bringing those responsible for it to justice.

Through our funding of SCTS and other justice partners, courts and tribunals will continue to have an important role in protecting vulnerable people and addressing discrimination and hate crime.

The portfolio’s budget will allow Police Scotland and other justice partners to continue their work to support the most vulnerable, tackle hate crime and bring those responsible for it to justice.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)

Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill – Equality Impact Assessment – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Hate crime strategy – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristics of police recorded hate crime in Scotland: study – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Police recorded hate crime – characteristics: updated study – gov.scot(www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

Sexual crimes and domestic abuse both affect women disproportionately and there was an increase in reports to police during the pandemic.²⁴

Where the victim’s gender was known, the clear majority (83 per cent) of victims of domestic abuse incidents recorded by the police were female in 2021-22. Four-in-five incidents (81 per cent) had a female victim and a male accused.²⁵ Information published by COPFS²⁶ in September 2023 found that in 86 per cent of charges reported to them by Police Scotland in 2022/23 for offences of ‘abuse of a partner or ex-partner’ under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, the alleged perpetrator was male.

In 2018-20, the SCJS found that a greater proportion of women than men have experienced serious sexual assault, both since the age of 16 (6.1 per cent compared with 0.8 per cent) and in the 12 months prior to interview (0.4 per cent compared with 0.1 per cent).²⁷

Women were more likely than men to have experienced less serious sexual assault since the age of 16 (16.2 per cent compared with 3.6 per cent) and in the 12 months prior to interview (2.5 per cent compared with 0.8 per cent). The finding that women are more likely to experience less serious sexual assault than men is in line with earlier years (from 2008-09 and 2016-18).

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

We will refresh the Equally Safe strategy including considering the impact of our legislative approach to tackling domestic abuse and work to develop Scotland’s first national multi-agency Domestic Homicide Review model.

The publication of the Report from the Women’s Justice Leadership Panel – The Case for Gendered and Intersectional Approaches to Justice – affords an opportunity to provide policy-makers and agencies with a clearer understanding of how women’s experiences of justice differs from men and what can be done to improve those experiences.

We will progress with the commitment to develop a Framework to challenge men’s demand for prostitution and to provide a pathway of support for those with experience of it to enable them to sustainably exit.

New criminal laws focused on dealing with misogynistic abuse experienced by women and girls will be progressed through new legislation.

Taking forward the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform bill offers the opportunity to advance equality as several provisions relate to sexual offences, of which women and girls are more likely to be victims and men are more likely to be accused.

We will support justice agencies to reduce court backlogs and reduce waiting times for justice. Improvements in the speed at which domestic abuse and sexual violence cases are brought will have positive impacts for women.

The portfolio’s budget will allow Police Scotland and other justice partners to continue their work to tackle gender based violence and bring those responsible for it to justice.

The CashBack for Communities programme takes funds recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act and invests them in projects to divert young people away from antisocial behaviour and crime.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Justice Analytical Services data report - March 2022 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Evidence on impact of COVID-19 on domestic abuse and VAWG

Domestic abuse incidents recorded by the police inScotland

Domestic abuse and stalking charges in Scotland | COPFS

Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2019/20: main findings – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Domestic Homicide Review Taskforce – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Women in the justice system: evidence review

Women’s Justice Leadership Panel – The Case for Gendered and Intersectional Approaches to Justice (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

In 2022-23, 2,236 of the rapes and attempted rapes were committed after the introduction of the Sexual Offences Scotland Act 2009 on 1 December 2010. Of these, 94 per cent (2,103) had female victims. Similarly, of the 4,281 sexual assaults committed after the introduction of the Sexual Offences Scotland Act 2009 on 1 December 2010, 86 per cent (3,702) had female victims.

In 2022-23, the median time from offence to verdict for sexual crime in the High Court was 1,557 days or around 4 years, 3 months. The victims of sexual crime are predominantly women.

Males are more likely to be the victim of serious non-sexual violence; an estimated four in five victims of serious assault and attempted murder recorded by the police were male (80 per cent in 2017-18)²⁸ and 70 per cent of victims of homicide were male in 2021-22.²⁹

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Some project strands focus on developing positive interactions between the sexes, for example to reduce violence against women and develop positive relationships. Some justice related project strands will relate more to young men as the group most at risk of being involved in antisocial behaviour and crime.

The portfolio’s budget will allow Police Scotland and other justice partners to continue their work to tackle all forms of violent behaviour and bring those responsible for it to justice.

The newly published Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland supported by an evidence supplement, sets out our priorities for tackling various forms of violence and includes priority actions to take forward in collaboration with violence reduction partner organisations including the work of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, Medics Against Violence and YouthLink Scotland (No Knives Better Lives) to deliver intervention support, based on evidence, towards those most likely to be affected; individuals, families and communities experiencing violence.

Short periods of imprisonment are less effective at addressing the underlying causes of offending (including those linked to inequality, deprivation and social exclusion), implementation of the Community Justice Strategy delivery plan will support the aim to encourage wider use of community rather than custodial interventions where appropriate working closely with those who have offended (who are often young males).

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Improving the Management of Sexual Offence Cases (scotcourts.gov.uk)

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: equality impact assessment – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Journey times in the Scottish Criminal Justice System: 2022 to 2023 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Cashback for Communities Programme: EQIA – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Recorded crime in Scotland: attempted murder and serious assault, 2008-2009 and 2017-2018

Homicide in Scotland 2021-2022: statistics

Non-sexual violence in Scotland: report – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Violence Prevention Framework for Scotlandand Evidence Supplement

Characteristic

Sexual Orientation

What is known about existing inequalities?

In 2022, Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual adults were more likely to have experienced discrimination in the previous 12 months (25 per cent) compared to the general population (8 per cent).30 More than two-thirds of Scottish LGBT survey respondents (68 per cent) had faced verbal abuse and 16 per cent had been physically assaulted for being LGBT.31

The number of charges of sexual orientation aggravated reported crime increased by 2 per cent in 2022-23 to 1,884.32 The number of charges reported has increased consistently year on year since the legislation was introduced, except for a fall in 2014-15.

Offences aggravated by prejudice towards sexual orientation are the second most common type of hate crime offending.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Our funding for justice partners has an important role in protecting vulnerable people, addressing discrimination and hate crime and bringing those responsible for it to justice.

Through our funding of SCTS and other justice partners, courts and tribunals will continue to have an important role in protecting vulnerable people and addressing discrimination and hate crime.

The portfolio’s budget will allow Police Scotland and other justice partners to continue their work to support the most vulnerable, tackle hate crime and bring those responsible for it to justice.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)

Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill – Equality Impact Assessment – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristics of police recorded hate crime in Scotland: study – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Police recorded hate crime – characteristics: updated study – gov.scot(www.gov.scot)

Scottish Household Survey: publications – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

1 Scottish Prison Population Statistics 2022-23 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

2 Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2021/22: Main Findings – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

3 Scottish Household Survey 2020 – telephone survey: key findings – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

4 Violence Prevention Framework: Evidence Supplement (www.gov.scot)

5 Fire safety regime for existing high rise domestic buildings – review: Fairer Scotland Duty summary – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

6 Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2022-23 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

7 Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2021/22: Main Findings – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

8 Civil justice statistics in Scotland 2021-22 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

9 Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2021/22: Main Findings – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

10 Scottish Household Survey 2020 – telephone survey: key findings – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

11 Hate Crime in Scotland 2022-23 | COPFS

12 Police recorded hate crime – characteristics: updated study – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

13 Hate Crime in Scotland 2022-23 | COPFS

14 The right to family life: children whose mothers are in prison – Report Summary – Joint Committee on Human Rights (parliament.uk)

15 Pregnant Women in Custody (sps.gov.uk)

16 Importance of strengthening female offenders’ family and other relationships to prevent reoffending and reduce intergenerational crime – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

17 Scottish Household Survey: publications – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

18 Ethnicity in the justice system: evidence review – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

19 Hate Crime in Scotland 2022-23 | COPFS

20 Police recorded hate crime – characteristics: updated study – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

21 Scottish Prison Population Statistics 2022-23 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

22 Hate Crime in Scotland 2022-23 | COPFS

23 Police recorded hate crime – characteristics: updated study – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

24 Coronavirus (COVID-19): Justice Analytical Services Data Report – November 2020 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

25 Domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland, 2021-22 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

26 Domestic abuse and stalking charges in Scotland | COPFS

27 Scottish Crime and Justice Survey – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

28 Recorded crime in Scotland: attempted murder and serious assault, 2008-2009 and 2017-2018

29 Homicide in Scotland 2021-22 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

30 Scottish Household Survey: publications – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

31 The Scottish LGBT Equality Report — Equality Network (equality-network.org)

32 Hate Crime in Scotland 2022-23 | COPFS

Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

Affordability and Access to Transport:

Those on lower incomes have less access to private modes of transport and are more reliant on public transport. Access to private vehicles is patterned by household income; latest data shows that 50 per cent of households with an annual income up to £10,000 had access to one or more cars, compared to 97 per cent of households with an annual income of more than £50,000.¹

COVID-19 had a significant impact on use of public transport, with levels of patronage on both bus and train dropping significantly during the pandemic. Levels of patronage have recovered on both bus and train but not fully. Currently, train use is around 10 per cent less, and concessionary bus use is around 25 per cent less than it was compared to the equivalent period pre-pandemic.

Data from before the pandemic shows that those on lower incomes are more likely to use bus services and to do so more frequently. Fifty-one per cent of households with an annual income up to £10,000 had used a bus as least once in the past month compared to 27 per cent of households with an annual income of over £50,000.²

For train services, the converse is true in that households with an annual income up to £10,000 are less likely to use the train at least once a month (23 per cent) compared to those households with an income of over £50,000 (43 per cent).³

Access to bikes is also patterned by income. Data from the Scottish Household Survey shows that 22 per cent of households with a net income of £10,000 per year or less have access to at least one bike, compared to 72 per cent of households with a net income of £50,000 or over.⁴

Access and affordability^5,6 of public transport remain key issues for those on lower incomes which is a particular issue for rural and island communities. Island communities face similar issues to those living in remote and rural areas, but in many cases the challenges can be greater.

Factors resulting in additional costs for households in island communities compared to the rest of the UK include longer commuting distances compounded by higher fuel prices; the additional cost resulting from the need to make occasional trips to the mainland; and additional ferry/air costs for inter-island travel.

The experiences of low-income families indicate that transport often determines and constrains their options in terms of household spending and their day-to-day experiences. Families have highlighted multiple competing costs within budgets, of which transport is just one, including food, clothing and fuel.

Latest data from the Scottish Household Survey from 2021 showed that 60 per cent of those from households with a net income of £10,000 per year or less said they found their transport costs easy to afford; this compares to 86 per cent of those from households with a net income of £50,000 per year said they found their transport costs easy to afford.⁷ Note that this analysis was undertaken prior to fuel prices and general inflation reached a peak in 2022.

A recent evaluation of the Road Equivalent Tariff found that people living on islands felt they personally benefitted from Road Equivalent Tariff. This is predominantly a result of increased disposable income and the ability to make journeys which were previously prevented by fare levels.⁸

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

We have committed in the PfG to publish the Fair Fares Review which will develop and assess options to create a fairer, more transparent system of fares across all modes that maintain and increase affordability for those who need it most, taking cognisance of the relative changes to the overall cost of travel.

We have implemented a pilot for the removal of ScotRail peak-time fares, a move which will encourage modal shift from car to rail and reduce the cost of travelling. This was initially for a period of six months, from October 2023 to March 2024, but this has been extended by a further three months to June 2024.

We are also continuing to roll out our under-22s concessionary travel scheme, supporting more children and young people living in Scotland to travel for free.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

National Transport Strategy 2 Equalities Impact Assessment

National Transport Strategy – Fairer Scotland Duty: Assessment

Transport and Travel in Scotland 2021: Results from the Scottish Household Survey | Transport Scotland

Transport and Child Poverty Beyond the Pandemic

evaluation-of-road-equivalent-tariff-on-the-clyde-and-hebridean-network.pdf (transport.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

Fuel Poverty/Energy Costs:

It is estimated that from October 2023, with the price cap at £1,923 for the average dual fuel household, 33 per cent (around 830,000 households) of all households will be in fuel poverty, with 21 per cent or 530,000 households in extreme fuel poverty.

Fuel poverty is increasingly recognised as a multidimensional complex phenomenon, and households may move in and out of fuel poverty as conditions and circumstances change. It is often linked to other elements of socioeconomic disadvantage.

Energy costs are likely to disproportionately affect those on lower incomes. Consumers most likely to be paying higher energy prices will be those on their supplier’s default tariff. A customer ends up on one of these default tariffs if they do not regularly switch supplier or negotiate a better deal.

The Competition and Markets Authority found that being on a low income made someone less likely to have switched supplier in the last three years.

Affordability of low emission options will also be more difficult for those on low incomes who have less access to savings and affordable borrowing.

In Scotland, levels of fuel poverty are highest among households using electricity as their primary heating fuel, at 52 per cent compared to 31 per cent of households using gas. Seventy-four per cent of households in fuel poverty, who use electricity for heating, use storage heaters.

Research found that direct electric heaters were the cheapest to install but the most expensive to run, whereas heat pumps were much more expensive to install but had comparable annual fuel costs to a gas boiler. This suggests that property owners with low capital may therefore be unfairly impacted by higher running costs as they are restricted in their choice of low carbon heating system. Installing energy efficient improvements and low carbon heating systems may also incur additional costs, for instance, through the potential need for a new cooking appliance, a water tank, new radiators and redecoration after works are completed.

Many low carbon heating systems also require minimum levels of home energy efficiency to operate properly, meaning that some homes require significant upgrades in, e.g., insulation, before it is possible to install low carbon heating systems. These upfront costs are often cited as an important barrier to retrofitting and installing low carbon heating.⁹

Not being able to meet these upfront costs may create or exacerbate inequality as some property owners may be unable to afford their preferred choice of new heating system or energy efficiency measures, or be unable to finance any at all.

This has potential to impact on tenants as they are unable to benefit from efficient heating systems and therefore cheaper energy costs.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Through the Heat in Buildings Programme, the Scottish Government will continue to provide advice and support to communities and landlords to increase the number of renewable heating systems in homes and improve their energy efficiency.

We published consultations on our proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill and for a new Social Housing Net Zero Standard on 28 November 2023, supporting our commitments on reducing emissions from housing and buildings while tackling fuel poverty.

The consultations include commitments to provide flexibility and protections for specific groups and circumstances, including those on low incomes or experiencing fuel poverty.

We will ensure that our delivery programmes do not have a detrimental effect on fuel poverty and continue to support households to remove poor energy efficiency as a driver.

We have committed to identify and support disengaged and vulnerable groups, including equalities groups.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Heat in Buildings Strategy

Heat in Buildings Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment

Energy market investigation: Final report (publishing.service.gov.uk)

The economics of heat pumps and the (un)intended consequences of government policy (repec.org); The economics of heat pumps and the (un)intended consequences of government policy – ScienceDirect

Review of gas and electricity levies and their impact on low-carbon heating uptake (climatexchange.org.uk)

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

Affordability of Transport:

Young people have been disproportionately impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; latest labour market statistics show that the youth unemployment rate in Scotland averaged 9.6 per cent in 2022-23¹⁰. However, this is more than twice as high than the general unemployment rate in April 2023 (4.0 per cent).¹¹

Making sure transport is available for education, employment and training is now key to ensuring the opportunity gap is addressed between the generations and safeguarding against further child poverty challenges for generations to come.^12,13

People aged under 21 rely on buses for transport more than any other age group. Using data from before the pandemic, as this had significant impact on public transport use in 2020 and 2021, shows that around a third of people aged 16-21 used the bus at least two or three times a week, and around one fifth used the bus every day. Under-22 year-olds are also less likely than any other age group to hold a driving licence, and drive less frequently than all other age groups apart from people over 80.¹⁴

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

We are also continuing to roll out our under-22s concessionary travel scheme, supporting more children and young people living in Scotland to travel for free, reducing their travel costs. The scheme targets under-22s as they are more likely to travel by bus, find public transport expensive and be in low-paid or insecure work. More than 100 million free bus journeys have been made since the Scottish Government introduced free bus travel for under-22s in January 2022. There are now over 700,000 cardholders signed up and over 6 million journeys being made each month.

To make integrated travel easier for all, we are progressing the development of smart, digital and integrated ticketing and payment schemes and technology, including working with local authorities and operators to advance these, and sponsor the new National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board.

For example, we will progress feasibility of providing the national concessionary travel scheme on a digital platform, providing an alternative to the National Entitlement Card which may be preferable to certain age groups, such as the under-22s.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Young Persons Impact Assessments

Labour Market Statistics for 16 to 24 year olds: Scotland and the United Kingdom – April 2022 to March 2023 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

national-transpot-strategy-2-equality-impact-assessment-record.pdf (transport.gov.scot)

Transport and Child Poverty Beyond the Pandemic

Transport and Travel in Scotland: Results from the Scottish Household Survey 2021 Telephone Survey: Experimental Statistics

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

Fuel Poverty/Energy Costs:

Older people and families with young children are consistently identified as groups with higher energy needs, and vulnerable to the cold – and therefore more vulnerable to increased energy costs.

From October 2023, we estimate that 34 per cent of all fuel poor households are older households, i.e. small households made up of one or two residents, at least one of which is aged 65 or older.¹⁵

Older people are more likely to be vulnerable to cold weather, partly because they are more likely to have existing medical conditions.

Recent Scottish Government polling¹⁶ at the start of November shows that all ages are concerned about cost-of-living related issues. However, those aged 45 years old and over are more likely than those aged 18-to-44 to mention in their top three concerns rising energy/fuel prices (at 60 per cent and 50 per cent respectively).

Consumers most likely to be paying higher energy prices will be those on their supplier’s default tariff. A customer ends up on one of these default tariffs if they do not regularly switch supplier or negotiate a better deal. The Competition Market Authority¹⁷ found that being over 65 made someone less likely to have switched supplier in the last three years, and that willingness to switch supplier falls markedly with age.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The consultations include commitments to provide flexibility and protections for specific groups and circumstances, including those on low incomes or experiencing fuel poverty.

We will ensure that our delivery programmes do not have a detrimental effect on fuel poverty and continue to support households to remove poor energy efficiency as a driver.

We are committed to identifying and supporting disengaged and vulnerable groups, including equalities groups.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Public attitudes to coronavirus, cost of living and Ukraine

fuel-poverty-strategy-analytical-annex.pdf (www.gov.scot)

YouGov online polling for Scottish Government; fieldwork: 1-3 November; sample of 1021 adults 18+ across Scotland; weighted to be fully representative demographically and geographically.

Energy market investigation: Final report (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Characteristic

Disability

What is known about existing inequalities?

Sustainable Transport

Accessibility:

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on use of public transport. However, data from before the pandemic shows disabled adults are more likely to use the bus than non-disabled adults (11 per cent of journeys vs 7 per cent), less likely to drive (42 per cent vs 54 per cent), and more likely to be a car passenger (18 per cent vs 12 per cent).

A lower percentage of disabled people possess a driving licence (64 per cent vs 82 per cent) and a lower percentage have access to a car (52 per cent vs 77 per cent).¹⁸

Disabled people were generally slightly less positive about their recent experiences of using bus and trains than people who are not disabled.

Disabled people were less likely to agree that they felt it was ‘easy to change from bus to other transport’ (65 per cent of disabled people agreed, compared with 77 per cent of non-disabled people).

Disabled people face physical and emotional barriers to cycling or accessing an appropriate bike. Disabled people report that costs of accessing adapted or non-standard bikes are a significant barrier to cycling.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

We have committed in the PfG to publish the Fair Fares Review which will review both the cost and availability of services, including bus, rail and ferries. The Review will develop and assess options to create a fairer, more transparent system of fares across all modes that improves access to public transport.

To make integrated travel easier for all, we are progressing the development of smart digital and integrated ticketing and payment schemes and technology, including working with local authorities and operators to advance these, and sponsor the new National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board.

We will progress feasibility of providing the national concessionary travel scheme on a digital platform, providing an alternative to the National Entitlement Card. This will help to provide alternative access options to concessionary travel.

The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board will also have an Accessibility Representative to advise on how smart ticketing development can support improved accessibility.

We will also publish a final 20 per cent car kilometre reduction route map, promoting sustainable behaviours when planning a journey, and reducing both our reliance on cars and our transport emissions. Positive impacts of the route map have been identified for groups who are less likely to use car and/or more likely to use other modes, such as disabled people.

We are taking forward the Active Travel Transformation Project to help ensure we maximise opportunities in delivery from Active Travel investment. Through the Project, we have introduced the Active Travel Transformation Fund for construction-ready, ambitious Active Travel schemes. The Fund puts into practice for 2023-24 our theory of what transformation needs to look like from 2024-25 in a pragmatic and enabling manner. Delivery partners applying to this year’s Fund were assessed on a range of issues. These included their track record of delivering accessibility improvements, such as new footways, pavement surfacing, speed reductions, lighting, and side road treatments. This information was used to develop a holistic picture of the capability and capacity of delivery partners and inform Active Travel investment decisions.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

National Transport Strategy 2 Equalities Impact Assessment

National Transport Strategy – Fairer Scotland Duty: Assessment

Accessible Travel Framework

Active Travel Outcomes Framework

Active Travel Outcomes Framework Baseline Report

Draft EqIA 20% Car Kilometre (transport.gov.scot)

Transport and Travel in Scotland: Results from the Scottish Household Survey 2021 Telephone Survey: Experimental Statistics

Characteristic

Disability

What is known about existing inequalities?

Fuel Poverty/Energy Costs:

People with a chronic health condition or disability are considered to have higher and/or longer heating requirements. Indeed, households with at least one member with a long-term physical or mental health condition, (not strictly with a disability) are more likely to be in fuel poverty (41 per cent) and extreme fuel poverty (27 per cent) than households without a member with a long-term health condition at 27 per cent and 17 per cent respectively.

Households with disabled members may require additional energy for a variety of reasons, including the need for higher and/or longer heating times and use of energy-intensive equipment such as medical equipment. These needs increase energy costs and create a concern about disconnection or disruption.

A UK survey in May to June 2022 found that households with a disabled person had taken greater steps to reduce their energy usage in 2022 with nearly half struggling to keep their home warm (48 per cent compared to 30 per cent of non- disabled households).¹⁹

Many disabled people have needs which mean that economising on energy can bring severe hardship. In their advice to the Scottish Government in June 2022, the Poverty and Inequality Commission identified disabled people who faced higher energy costs, but were not on low-income benefits as one of the groups who missed out under the cost of living support package in May. In addition, almost half of carers recently surveyed indicated that increases in energy bills would negatively affect their health or the health of the person they care for.²⁰

Disabled people and families often live in the poorest quality houses and have additional needs that require support throughout the retrofit process. This can make it more expensive for scheme providers and installers to reach these households and treat their homes. Incentives to deliver targets at lowest cost have resulted in these households being sidelined.

For some participants with health impairments or conditions, completing the application process for energy efficiency improvements was a deterrent to receiving this support.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The consultations include commitments to provide flexibility and protections for specific groups and circumstances, including those on low incomes or experiencing fuel poverty.

We will ensure that our delivery programmes do not have a detrimental effect on fuel poverty and continue to support households to remove poor energy efficiency as a driver.

We are committed to identifying and supporting disengaged and vulnerable groups, including equalities groups.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Heat in Buildings Strategy

Heat in Buildings Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment

Facing Barriers (financialfairness.org.uk)

Emergency Budget Review: Summary of Evidence on Equality and Fairness (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Gender Reassignment

What is known about existing inequalities?

Safety on Public Transport:

Sixty nine per cent of trans women and 59 per cent of trans men responding to a UK National LGBT survey said they avoided being open about their gender identity on public transport for fear of a negative reaction from others.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Though not a specific PfG commitment, funding will continue in 2024-25 for the hate crime charter which offers training for operators and raises awareness of issues that affect vulnerable groups. The purpose of this is to ensure that people of different faiths, ethnicities, sexual orientation, disabled people and those with other protected characteristics feel comfortable and safe using public transport – this includes being free from hate crime, bullying and harassment when travelling. Maintaining spend reduces risk and prevents widening bullying and harassment.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Accessible Travel Framework

Characteristic

Gender Reassignment

What is known about existing inequalities?

Affordability of Public Transport:

Concerns have been expressed that transgender people can experience economic disadvantage due to trouble securing and maintaining employment (e.g. due to prejudice and harassment) and the cost of gender reassignment treatments that are not currently available on the National Health Service.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

We are also continuing to roll out our under-22s concessionary travel scheme, supporting more children and young people living in Scotland to travel for free.

Characteristic

Pregnancy and Maternity

What is known about existing inequalities?

Access to Public Transport:

In 2020, 80 per cent of men responding to the Scottish Household Survey said they had a driving licence compared to 75 per cent for women.²¹

In response to the Scottish Government consultation on the National Transport Strategy, Engender suggests²² that public transport has been predominantly designed to serve commuters who work from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays, with routes running between suburbs and urban centres in a radial fashion.

These services benefit men more than women, as women are more likely to need a range of orbital transport routes which cross towns and cities and timetables which fit with unpaid care work, part-time employment and shift work.

Engender add that while women are the majority of bus users and part- time workers, they see services as premised on full-time working, not reflecting the needs of women caring for children. Connections between communities and, leisure or education services remain poor in many areas, and lack of integration in rural areas was criticised.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Improving access to public transport will benefit those who are pregnant or caring for young children and are more likely to have multi-purpose journeys.

To make integrated travel easier for all, we are progressing the development of smart, digital and integrated ticketing and payment schemes and technology, including working with Local Authorities and Operators to advance these, and sponsor the new National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

National Transport Strategy 2 Equalities Impact Assessment

National Transport Strategy – Fairer Scotland Duty: Assessment

Draft EqIA 20% Car Kilometre (transport.gov.scot)

Transport and Travel in Scotland 2021: Results from the Scottish Household Survey | Transport Scotland

Engender-response-to-the-Scottish-Government-consultation-on-Scotlands-National-Transport-Strategy.pdf

Characteristic

Pregnancy and Maternity

What is known about existing inequalities?

From October 2023 we estimate that single mothers have a higher fuel poverty rate at 67 per cent, than single working age adults without children at 45 per cent in Scottish Government Scenario modelling.²³

The pressure of keeping a warm home for children can impact parents’ physical and mental health. Conflict between keeping a warm home and cost of heating leads to stress and practices like adults skipping meals. Parents of children in under heated homes described struggling to keep everyone warm and emphasised how stressful this was.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The consultations include commitments to provide flexibility and protections for specific groups and circumstances, including those on low incomes or experiencing fuel poverty.

We will ensure that our delivery programmes do not have a detrimental effect on fuel poverty and continue to support households to remove poor energy efficiency as a driver.

We have committed to identify and support disengaged and vulnerable groups, including equalities.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Heat in Buildings Strategy

Heat in Buildings Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment

Characteristic

Race

What is known about existing inequalities?

Access to/Affordability of Transport:

Particular minority ethnic groups are more likely to be reliant on public transport and also more likely to be living in poverty.²⁴

The cost-of-living crisis is also more likely to affect particular households. Certain groups are overrepresented in these households, including notably, minority ethnic groups.²⁵

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

We are also continuing to roll out our under-22s concessionary travel scheme, supporting more children and young people living in Scotland to travel for free.

To make integrated travel easier for all, we are progressing the development of smart, digital and integrated ticketing and payment schemes and technology, including working with Local Authorities and Operators to advance these, and sponsor the new National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

National Transport Strategy 2 Equalities Impact Assessment

National Transport Strategy – Fairer Scotland Duty: Assessment

Draft EqIA 20% Car Kilometre (transport.gov.scot)

Transport and Travel in Scotland: Results from the Scottish Household Survey 2021 Telephone Survey: Experimental Statistics The Cost of Living Crisis in Scotland: An Analytical Report (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Race

What is known about existing inequalities?

Safety on Public Transport:

Public transport can provide a space in which perpetrators can target violence or threat of violence at certain groups of society. There was an increase in discrimination during COVID-19 internationally.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Accessible Travel Framework

Tackling Hate Crime on public transport | Transport Scotland

Characteristic

Religion or Belief

What is known about existing inequalities?

Safety on Public Transport:

Findings from the Scottish public inquiry into islamophobia reported in 2021 that participants to the inquiry say they are facing increased Islamophobic abuse on public transport.

Fifty nine per cent of Muslims responding to the public inquiry report that, as a result of experiencing or fearing Islamophobia, they have altered their behaviour.

Most of the respondents answering this question had changed their behaviour in terms of going out: staying in more; keeping children in more; and taking extra precautions when going out in public, for instance choosing not to go out after dark and avoiding public transport and certain places.

Of Muslims who responded to the inquiry, 83 per cent said they had experienced islamophobia, including on public transport. Many respondents described avoiding public transport for fear of physical assault.

Respondents to the enquiry also described avoiding air travel in particular, for fear of abuse or harassment.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Tackling Hate Crime on public transport | Transport Scotland

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

Access to Public Transport:

In 2021, 80 per cent of men responding to the Scottish Household Survey said they had a driving licence compared to 75 per cent for women.²⁶

Public transport has been predominantly designed to serve commuters who work from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays, with routes running between suburbs and urban centres in a radial fashion. These services benefit men more than women, who are more likely to need a range of orbital transport routes which cross towns and cities and timetables which fit with unpaid care work, part-time employment and shift work.

Engagement by Engender suggests that, while women are the majority of bus users and part-time workers, they see services as premised on full- time working, not reflecting the needs of women caring for children.

Connections between communities and health, leisure or education services remain poor in many areas, and lack of integration in rural areas was criticised.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Improving access to public transport will benefit those who more reliant on its use, including women.

We are also continuing to roll out our under-22s concessionary travel scheme, supporting more children and young people living in Scotland to travel for free.

To make integrated travel easier for all, we are progressing the development of smart, digital and integrated ticketing and payment schemes and technology, including working with Local Authorities and Operators to advance these, and sponsor the new National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

National Transport Strategy 2 Equalities Impact Assessment

National Transport Strategy – Fairer Scotland Duty: Assessment

Transport and Travel in Scotland: Results from the Scottish Household Survey 2021 Telephone Survey: Experimental Statistics

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

Personal Safety:

Research²⁷ carried out by Transport Scotland highlights that women and girls are being forced to adapt their own behaviour and change their travel habits in order to feel safe on public transport. Younger women, those from ethnic minorities and disabled women spoke of particular issues and heightened feelings of being unsafe. Female transport workers also reported feeling unsafe.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Women’s and girls’ views and experiences of personal safety when using public transport | Transport Scotland

Tackling Hate Crime on public transport | Transport Scotland

Characteristic

Sexual Orientation

What is known about existing inequalities?

Safety on Public Transport:

Among respondents to the National LGBT survey²⁸ 70 per cent of all respondents with a minority sexual orientation said they had avoided being open about their sexual orientation for fear of a negative reaction.

Sixty five per cent of cisgender respondents said they had avoided being open about their sexual orientation on public transport.²⁹

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

National LGBT Survey: Research report – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Tackling Hate Crime on public transport | Transport Scotland

1 Transport and Travel in Scotland 2021: Results from the Scottish Household Survey | Transport Scotland

2 Transport and Travel in Scotland 2021: Results from the Scottish Household Survey | Transport Scotland

3 Transport and Travel in Scotland 2021: Results from the Scottish Household Survey | Transport Scotland

4 Transport and Travel in Scotland 2021: Results from the Scottish Household Survey | Transport Scotland

5 Transport and Child Poverty Beyond the Pandemic

6 national-transpot-strategy-2-fairer-scotland-duty-assessment.pdf (transport.gov.scot)

7 Transport and Travel in Scotland 2021: Results from the Scottish Household Survey | Transport Scotland

8 evaluation-of-road-equivalent-tariff-on-the-clyde-and-hebridean-network.pdf (transport.gov.scot)

9 Review of gas and electricity levies and their impact on low-carbon heating uptake (climatexchange.org.uk)

10 Labour Market Statistics for 16 to 24 year olds: Scotland and the United Kingdom – April 2022 to March 2023 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

11 1 (www.gov.scot)

12 national-transpot-strategy-2-equality-impact-assessment-record.pdf (transport.gov.scot)

13 Transport and Child Poverty Beyond the Pandemic

14 Transport and Travel in Scotland: Results from the Scottish Household Survey 2021 Telephone Survey: Experimental Statistics

15 fuel-poverty-strategy-analytical-annex.pdf (www.gov.scot)

16 YouGov online polling for Scottish Government; fieldwork: 1-3 November; sample of 1021 adults 18+ across Scotland; weighted to be fully representative demographically and geographically.

17 Energy market investigation: Final report (publishing.service.gov.uk)

18 Transport and Travel in Scotland: Results from the Scottish Household Survey 2021 Telephone Survey: Experimental Statistics

19 Facing Barriers (financialfairness.org.uk)

20 Emergency Budget Review: Summary of Evidence on Equality and Fairness (www.gov.scot)

21 Transport and Travel in Scotland: Results from the Scottish Household Survey 2021 Telephone Survey: Experimental Statistics

22 Engender-response-to-the-Scottish-Government-consultation-on-Scotlands-National-Transport-Strategy.pdf

23 Scottish Government Scenario modelling

24 Transport and Travel in Scotland: Results from the Scottish Household Survey 2021 Telephone Survey: Experimental Statistics

25 The Cost of Living Crisis in Scotland: An Analytical Report (www.gov.scot)

26 Transport and Travel in Scotland: Results from the Scottish Household Survey 2021 Telephone Survey: Experimental Statistics

27 Women and girls’ safety on public transport | Transport Scotland

28 National LGBT Survey: Research report – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

29 National LGBT Survey: Research report – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

In 2021, a minimum acceptable standard of living in remote rural Scotland typically required between 15 per cent and 33 per cent more household spending than in urban parts of the UK. This varies significantly by household type, with younger families less affected than pensioner households. These additional cost of living issues are being addressed particularly for island communities through the islands programme spending line.

Remote Rural Scotland has Scotland’s lowest residence based median gross annual pay for full-time employees at £30,111, compared with £33,107 for the rest of Scotland, and £35,631 in accessible rural areas.

Food insecurity is more prevalent among adults living in low-income households, with single parent households and working-age single adults having the highest prevalence by household type¹. This will affect low income households in rural Scotland in addition to higher living costs. Food prices have also been found to be 13 per cent higher for families in Islands than Remote Rural areas.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The largest PfG commitments are all part of the Agricultural support schemes, and the agri-environment scheme. Additionally there are PfG commitments on Marine, Forestry and Rural Communities, National Islands Plan delivery and Carbon Neutral Islands.

These schemes are usually aimed at tackling agricultural or environmental issues rather than addressing inequalities directly, however some rural-specific spending can help some disadvantaged groups, for example around 10,500 low-income hill farmers are supported through the LFASS – the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme. Additionally agricultural workers, including Seasonal Migrant workers, have their wages and working conditions protected through a statutory Wages Order annually which covers pay and working conditions and which is enforced by inspectors from RPID (Rural Payments and Inspections Division). This includes terms to protect workers, for example, a statutory higher rate for overtime of £15.63 to disincentivise overuse of seasonal workers or overly long picking-days.

Overall, it is unlikely that this portfolio budget directly reduces socioeconomic disadvantage given the funding recipient profile. This portfolio budget funds direct financial support for farmers that also reduces the costs that farmers need to cover – this may help in keeping food prices affordable for low income households across the country. The multiplicity of funding available for landowners and farmers makes it difficult to estimate any direct impacts in this area. The strong mis-match between production and consumption also makes this link unclear. So for example Scottish consumers eat relatively little lamb, but Scottish crofters and farmers produce large quantities. The difference is exported. The evidence for any effects on food prices for low-income households is limited and some may be capitalised instead into inflated land values and rent.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Method: applying the Minimum Income Standard approach to remote rural Scotland - The cost of remoteness - reflecting higher living costs in remote rural Scotland when measuring fuel poverty: research report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

National Indicator Performance | National Performance Framework

Executive Summary - Economic conditions ofcrofting: survey 2019 to 2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Rising number of female forestry apprentices helps grow equality in sector | Skills Development Scotland

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

The reliance on ferry links, the cost of ferry and air transport and the limited availability all add additional layers of cost to an existing high remote rural base cost which is compounded by island geographies and weather.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Peatland Restoration and forestry funding will mitigate climate damage and therefore are likely to improve overall community resilience to flooding and extreme weather, for which there is evidence that those on low incomes are more likely to be most impacted and least able to respond². Little is known about the incomes or protected characteristics of those who work on peatland restoration, however, and research is needed in this area.

Looking through the portfolio budget in detail, the largest elements of the budget are Common Agricultural Policy payments, through a variety of schemes, to around 17,400 farm businesses each year. £282 million is paid as direct income support payments to farmers and £142 million is paid to farmers as part of greening support for farmers’ environmental responsibilities.

Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) has a budget of around £65 million. This is another scheme originating in the EU, but continued after exit. This supports farmers and crofters in Scotland’s more challenging agricultural areas, such as mountains, with around 10,500 recipients and keeps people living and working in rural areas.

The PfG includes a proposal for crofting law reform. Crofters on average make only £4,538 from their crofting activities, and most receive no subsidy for their farming activities³. When the Bill is presented there will be more evidence on the socioeconomic impacts of the legislation and how it can benefit crofters.

The Marine Fund for Scotland delivers £14 million of grants to the marine sectors. These are designed to fulfil economic and social benefits for marine and coastal communities.

All applicants to the Marine Fund Scotland 2022-23 are asked to commit to the Fair Work First criteria, in a way that is relevant and proportionate for their organisation. Additionally, funding through the Marine Fund Scotland supports supply chains which deliver benefits back to some of the most peripheral coastal communities in the UK. For example, assistance to one processing facility in the central belt provides a processing outlet for 18 co-operative shellfish grower members, located throughout the Highland and Islands of Scotland.

The projects being delivered as part of the PfG commitments relating to islands are directly supporting sustainable economic development, population retention and growth, alleviating child and also fuel poverty and addressing climate change impacts in a fair and just way.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Rural communities, especially those on the islands, are likely to face higher costs for key goods and services, and are much more likely than those in other areas to face fuel poverty. Poverty in rural Scotland: evidence review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)⁴

https://www.gov.scot/publications/ cost-remoteness- reflecting-higher-living- costs-remote-rural- scotland-measuring- fuel-poverty/pages/2/

Low income households in rural and island areas are amongst those likely to be most negatively affected by the cost of living crisis and will face particular challenges as a result of reduced real term incomes and increased costs. The Cost of Living Crisis in Scotland: analytical report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)⁵

The Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022 institutes the principle that adequate food is a human right (as part of the right to an adequate standard of living) and essential to the realisation of other human rights.

Food insecurity, which links to the right to food, is a key socioeconomic inequality. Further evidence on this topic in a rural context should be provided through research on food insecurity built into the new Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Strategic Research Programme, which commenced in 2022.

Overall average farm income was £50,000 in 2021-22. Without support payments the average farm would have made a profit of £5,100. The average support received was around £44,800. However incomes vary widely by farm type, sector and region.

Upland and less favoured area sheep farmers have some of the lowest incomes in the sector, with an average farm business income in 2021-22 of £11,100. The average farm in receipt of LFASS had income around £43,200 in 2021-22. This income data is taken direct from the Farm Business Survey unweighted data, which represents around 240 farms that receive LFASS. Farms in receipt of LFASS may have a mix of LFA and non-LFA land⁶.

On average farms received £10,200 of LFASS funding, around 24 per cent of the size of their total income. Farm business income of the average LFASS farm is significantly above the average household income for Remote Rural Scotland at around £29,000 in 2021. Within Pillar One, beef schemes support farm types with a near to average income of around £28,300.

The Scottish Government has committed to considering options to see agricultural workers paid the living wage, ensuring more money reaches rural communities and their families and helps tackle rural poverty.

Fairer, Greener Scotland: Programme for Government 2021-22 (www.gov.scot)⁷

Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation: fairer Scotland duty summary - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Good Food Nation (Scotland) Bill: fairer Scotland duty assessment - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Executive Summary - Economic conditions ofcrofting: survey 2019 to 2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Supporting documents - Seasonal migrant workers in Scottish agriculture: research report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

Rural and Island areas tend to have an older population when compared to the rest of Scotland. Specifically, rural areas have a lower proportion of the population in the age range 16 to 34 but a higher proportion of people aged 45 and over. This is particularly true for the age range of 65 and over in remote rural areas.

The projected percentage change in population by age grouping shows that Scotland’s population will age in every area to 2043. The highest % reduction in children and the working age population is in islands and remote rural areas (-23 per cent and -15 per cent).

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Agricultural workers are disproportionately above the average age of the Scottish population, with 40 per cent of male farm occupiers and 32 per cent of female farm occupiers aged over 64 in 2021⁸. This is compared to around 20 per cent of the total population⁹. There are wider knock-on consequences of inflated land prices that also disproportionately affect younger people who rent land or homes, and whose incomes therefore supplement older wealthier people. The Land Matching Service is a scheme which works to link up younger or new entrant farmers with land that may be vacant or under-used. This may help reduce the age profile of the sector.

The PfG contains a specific promise to develop a gender strategy for agriculture – this also includes new entrants and young farmers.

The PfG commitments on crofting, and also on forestry, also both mention new entrants, developing skills and opportunities for younger people.

As part of the Future Fisheries Management the Scottish Government are taking forward work to encourage new entrants into the wider seafood sector carrying out specific research into the barriers facing new entrants to ensure that appropriate support is in place. Support is available through the Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) for new entrants to secure their positions in the fishing industry, it can assist young fishers to purchase their first fishing boat (or share in a fishing boat).

The Addressing Depopulation Action Plan, will consider how we respond to the range of drivers impacting population decline including, but not limited to, access to public services, housing, transport, connectivity and an aging population.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Results from the Scottish Agricultural Census: June 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Mid-2021 Population Estimates Scotland | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk)

Rural Scotland Key Facts 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/2022-results/scotland-s-census-2022-rounded-population-estimates/#section4

Characteristic

Disability

What is known about existing inequalities?

Less than half of people living in rural areas of Scotland live within a 15-minute drive time to a GP by public transport, with only around two thirds of people in rural Scotland within a 15-minute drive time by public transport to a post office.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

In general issues of disability in rural areas and coastal communities are addressed by the work of other portfolio areas, for example through spending on health, rather than in industry specific activities. The Scottish Government supports the RSABI (https://www.rsabi.org.uk/) initiative on rural mental health. This work supports RSABI in it’s activities on the mental health of workers in rural areas and working in rural industries. There is a commonly found issue of isolation in farmers particularly given the nature of their work, and this helps to tackle this, and should therefor help to reduce the impacts of disability due to mental health.

Characteristic

Gender Reassignment

What is known about existing inequalities?

There is no identified evidence on differential impacts available in this area.

Characteristic

Pregnancy and Maternity

What is known about existing inequalities?

Pregnancy and maternity could be factors that discourage women from seeking a career in sea fisheries and aquaculture; for example toilet facilities on board fishing boats are not always adequate for women, whilst fishing equipment and clothing has often been developed for men. In addition, fishing requires overnight stays and long hours away from home on a fishing boat which creates challenges for pregnancy, maternity and childcare.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The policy and investments in Marine Scotland through the newly launched Future Fisheries Management Strategy aim to widen opportunities and tackle barriers for everyone (including women) to access roles in the fishing industry, on an equal basis, and to break down cultural assumptions of what work is acceptable for women to do. The issues and barriers specifically facing women’s access to fishing boats due to pregnancy and maternity concerns will also be discussed by Marine Scotland with stakeholders in the development of policies and solutions developed.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Supporting documents - Women in Scottish fisheries: literature review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Race

What is known about existing inequalities?

Past research has shown that migrant workers in rural Scotland experience isolation and face barriers in accessing affordable accommodation and English language provision.

More recently two rounds of research with Seasonal Agricultural Workers in Scotland^10,11 has shown some evidence in a small number of businesses of low wages, challenging housing, as well as some experiences of racism and xenophobia.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

There is little evidence of Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands portfolio spend in this area. Spending in other portfolio areas may impact on this inequality. However, much of the damage and negative experience is likely to be linked to migration policy which is reserved to the UK Government. The Worker’s Support Centre Scotland: https://workersupportcentre.org.uk/ provides support, advice and information to temporary migrant workers in Scotland, including those on the Seasonal Worker visa.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Supporting documents - Seasonal migrant workers in Scottish agriculture: research report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Fruits of Their Labour: Seasonal Farm Workers in Scottish Agriculture | SEFARI

Review of Equality Evidence in Rural Scotland (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Religion or Belief

What is known about existing inequalities?

There is no identified evidence on differential impacts available in this area.

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

There is a significant gender pay gap for women in remote rural areas (median gross annual pay for women full-time employees £28,703 compared to £32,824 for men)¹².

Research commissioned by Scottish Government in 2017 identified a range of issues that impact women in agriculture and limit their participation in the industry¹³.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

At present 60 per cent of working occupiers are male and 40 per cent of working occupiers are women in Scottish agriculture¹⁴.

The Gender Strategy for Agriculture will support our commitment to gender equality ensuring everyone, regardless of gender identity is empowered to access opportunities, realise their potential, and support business innovation. Women, new entrants and young farmers are vital for the future of agriculture as they drive innovation, improved efficiency and the future economic vitality of the industry. It is important that they get equality of opportunity, part of this is to get access to the right practical training to directly increase their skills, increase personal development and employment opportunities. The Practical Training Fund pays for gender aware training for women in agriculture, supporting their work, development and opportunities in the agriculture sector and helping to tackle discrimination by sex.

The PfG has a commitment to develop a gender strategy for agriculture and fund practical training opportunities for women, new entrants and young farmers.

Forestry has traditionally been a very male dominated profession, though over one in four apprentices in Forestry and Land Scotland are now female.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Introduction - Women in Agriculture research:progress report - 2020-2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2022

Women in farming and the agriculture sector: research report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Results from the Scottish Agricultural Census: June 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

In the sea-fishing sector there are more men than women employed¹⁵. Women make a significant contribution to the Scottish fishing industry through their paid and unpaid labour, and are mostly employed in onshore roles such as administration and seafood processing. However, they are underrepresented in offshore and senior leadership positions in fisheries, and their work is often undervalued because it is informal and less visible¹⁶.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Investments through the Future Fisheries Management Strategy aim to broaden employment opportunities and tackle barriers to equal participation in sea fisheries employment. Aquaculture is a key contributor to Scotland’s rural economy and a significant provider of highly skilled jobs, particularly in some of our remote, coastal communities. The Scottish Government is keen that equality plays a key role in economic growth and we continue to support Women in Scottish Aquaculture (WiSA)¹⁷ to promote women’s career development at all levels and encourage more women to consider a job in the sector.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Research into this topic has shown that fisheries are culturally represented and imagined as male- dominated, which can discourage women from entry. Women in the fishing industry also report facing sexist attitudes, behaviour and language.

In a sample of 708 people employed in the catching sector in 2018 only one per cent were female. Seafish, UK Seafood Processing Sector Labour Report, March 2018; https://www.nature.scot/sites/ default/files/2020-12/ Publication 2020 – NatureScot Research Report 1257 – Supporting a green recovery an initial assessment of nature-based jobs and skills. pdf

Women in Scottish fisheries: literature review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

https://www. sustainableaqua culture.com/ opportunities/ women-in-scottish- aquaculture/

Characteristic

Sexual Orientation

What is known about existing inequalities?

No differential impacts identified at present.

1 National Indicator Performance | National Performance Framework

2 Exploring the Social Impacts of Flood Risk and Flooding in Scotland (dundee.ac.uk)

3 Executive Summary - Economic conditions of crofting: survey 2019 to 2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

4 See Poverty in rural Scotland: evidence review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

5 The Cost of Living Crisis in Scotland: analytical report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

6 This income data is taken direct from the Farm Business Survey unweighted data, which represents around 240 farms that receive LFASS. Farms in receipt of LFASS may have a mix of LFA and non-LFA land.

7 A Fairer, Greener Scotland: Programme for Government 2021-22 (www.gov.scot)

8 Results from the Scottish Agricultural Census: June 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

9 Mid-2021 Population Estimates Scotland | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk)

10 Supporting documents - Seasonal migrant workers in Scottish agriculture: research report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

11 The Fruits of Their Labour: Seasonal Farm Workers in Scottish Agriculture | SEFARI

12 Annual+Survey+of+Hours+and+Earnings+2022+publication+-+26+October+2022%282%29kr.pdf (www.gov.scot)

13 Women in farming and the agriculture sector: research report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

14 Results from the Scottish Agricultural Census: June 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

15 In a sample of 708 people employed in the catching sector in 2018 only 1% were female. Seafish, UK Seafood Processing Sector Labour Report, March 2018; https://www.nature.scot/sites/default/files/2020-12/Publication 2020 – NatureScot Research Report 1257 – Supporting a green recovery_ an initial assessment of nature- based jobs and skills.pdf

16 Women in Scottish fisheries: literature review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

17 https://www.sustainableaquaculture.com/skills-training/women-in-scottish-aquaculture/

Social Justice

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

It is estimated that 21 per cent of Scotland’s population (1.11 million people each year) were living in relative poverty after housing costs in 2019-22.

The latest three-year average figures (2019-22) show that 24 per cent of children were in relative poverty.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Social Security

Scottish Child Payment is estimated to reduce relative child poverty by 5 percentage points (or 50,000 children) in 2023-24. It is estimated that over 300,000 children in low-income households will benefit from this support in 2024-25.

Best Start Foods (BSF) – removing income thresholds: evaluation evidence has already helped us understand the role of Best Start Foods in reducing financial pressure, providing the guarantee that recipients can afford essential foods for their children. Removing income thresholds for BSF will see an additional 20,000 people eligible for support including pregnant women and children under the age of 3.

We will continue to invest in a package of funding for income maximisation, welfare and debt advice services. In 2023/24 we invested over £12.3 million, including over £6.67 million to support the free debt advice sector in Scotland – estimated to support at least 40,000 people with free debt advice. Grant funding arrangements with a range of providers allow us to support person-centred, holistic advice with an emphasis on targeting the six priority family groups identified in Best Start, Bright Futures (BSBF).

Social Security Scotland makes payments which contribute to reducing inequality and which help protect people from the harms which flow from living in poverty. The Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill includes a number of proposals which are cross-cutting in nature. Overall, the provisions intend to enhance person-centred measures, tackle inequalities and empower people accessing their social security entitlement. For example, the Bill includes a provision to allow better alignment across the Five Family Payments which could increase accessibility and therefore take-up of benefits.

In 2024-25 we are making £90 million available to local authorities to spend on Discretionary Housing Payments which are a vital tool to safeguard tenancies and prevent homelessness among low income households. This includes fully mitigating the bedroom tax, helping over 92,000 households in Scotland sustain their tenancies; mitigating the benefit cap as fully as possible within devolved powers to support over 2,700 families, with over 9,400 children; and providing assistance with the damaging impacts of other UK Government welfare cuts, including shortfalls in Local Housing Allowance rates.

In 2024-25 we will invest around £370 million to uprate Scottish social security benefit payments in line with inflation. As families across Scotland continue to face difficult decisions due to the Cost of Living crisis, this investment protects the real value of these crucial forms of benefit income as prices rise in the economy. The families that will benefit include low income households with children, families with disabled people and carers. Evidence shows these household types can be disproportionately impacted by high inflation.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2019-22 (data.gov.scot)

Policy impacts – The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendment and Transitional Provision) (Scotland) Regulations 2022: Fairer Scotland Duty impact assessment summary – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scottish Government Social Security statistics publications - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scottish Child Payment - estimating the effect on child poverty - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scotland’s Economic and Fiscal Forecasts – December 2023 – Scottish Fiscal Commission

Best Start Foods: evaluation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

More help for more families - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Winter Heating Payment (Low Income) (Scotland): Fairer Scotland duty assessment

Tackling child poverty delivery plan 2022-2026 - annex 9: Fairer Scotland duty impact assessment

Tackling child poverty delivery plan 2022-2026 - annex 4: cumulative impact assessment - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Tackling child poverty delivery plan 2022-2026 - annex 7: equality impact assessment - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendment and Transitional Provision) (Scotland) Regulations 2022: equality impact assessment - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Findings from the Social Innovation Partnership learning programme.pdf (dropbox.com)

Ending homelessness together: updated action plan - October 2020 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment - mygov.scot

Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) Act: Equalities Impact Assessment and Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment.

Debt advice levy funding: 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Socioeconomic disadvantage

What is known about existing inequalities?

Low-income households are more likely to worry about affording food and more likely to change their eating habits due to insufficient income.

Data from the 2021 Scottish Health Survey show that 26 per cent of people in the lowest income quintile report being food insecure (worried about running out of food due to lack of money) compared to the population average of nine per cent.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Social Security

The early years are key to improving long term outcomes with socioeconomic differences having implications in later decades. Removing income thresholds for Best Start Foods will see an additional 20,000 people eligible for support including pregnant women and children under the age of 3. This will support more low income families to access healthy food and milk. In 2024-25 we expect around 51,000 people will receive a total of around £18 million of support through BSF.

We are investing in a new Cash-First Programme to improve the response to financial crisis and help reduce the need for emergency food parcels. Respondents to the consultation on the Scottish Government’s draft plan on ending the need for food banks included people with lived experience of poverty, food banks and community organisations. Analysis of the consultation highlighted the preference for a robust approach to prevent food insecurity that ensures people have enough income to afford food that meets their needs and preferences. It was clear that cash- first and dignified support measures were key to responding to emergencies.

Impact assessments were undertaken and highlight the challenges experienced by low income and food insecurity, providing evidence which supports the delivery of the Cash-First Programme.

Best Start Foods will be uprated in line with inflation in 2024-25. This investment protects the real value of this crucial form of assistance while food prices are rising in the economy, to support low income households with pregnant mothers or young children to purchase healthy food.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Scotland in the Red: personal debt statisticsin Scotland 2022

Tackling child poverty delivery plan - progress report 2022-23: annex a - measurement framework - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Summary of actions delivered through Every Child, Every Chance - Tackling child poverty delivery plan: fourth year progress report 2021 to 2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Child poverty analysis - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Best Start Foods: evaluation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scottish Health Survey(shinyapps.io)

More help for more families - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Cash-First - towards ending the need for food banks in Scotland: plan - gov.scot (www. gov.scot)

Cash-First: Towards ending the need for food banks in Scotland Equality Impact Assessment - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scotland’s Economic and Fiscal Forecasts – May 2023 – Scottish Fiscal Commission

Cash-First: Towards ending the need for food banks in Scotland - Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA)

Cash-First: Towards Ending the Need for Food Banks in Scotland - Fairer Scotland Duty Impact Assessment

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

Prevalence of poverty is higher for children, with 24 per cent of children in relative poverty after housing costs in 2019-22 (compared to 21 per cent of people overall). Poverty rates are particularly high for children in a minority ethnic household (39 per cent in relative poverty in 2019-22), in a lone parent household (38 per cent), and in families with a mother under 25 (55 per cent in 2015-18).

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Scottish Child Payment is estimated to reduce relative child poverty by five percentage points (or 50,000 children) in 2023-24. Best Start Foods – removing income thresholds:

Young parents under 18 are automatically eligible for BSF and Best Start Grant. 18 and 19 year old dependents who do not get any benefits can still apply for BSF or BSG if their parent or carer gets certain benefits. This provides young parents with better access to support.

Support for young people is required to help with the transition into employment. Job Start Payment is designed to help young people meet the costs of starting a new job and will increase in line with inflation in 2024-25.

The Five Family Payments (Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods) are targeted at low income families with children and will all be uprated in line with inflation in 2024-25, to protect the real value of these payments as prices rise in the economy.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Tackling child poverty delivery plan 2022-2026 - annex 4: cumulative impact assessment - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Annual progress reportfor ‘Best Start, Bright Futures: Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2022-2026’. Outlining action for the period 2022 to 2023

Tackling child poverty priority families overview - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2019-22 (data.gov.scot) Background - Best Start Grant: equality impact assessment

The Welfare Foods (Best Start Foods) (Scotland) Regulations 2019

More help for more families - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scottish Child Payment - estimating the effect on child poverty - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Job Start Payment: EQIA

Scottish Child Payment: Equality Impact Assessment

The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendment and Transitional Provision) (Scotland) Regulations 2022: equality impact assessment

Characteristic

Age

What is known about existing inequalities?

Homelessness is biased towards younger age groups. For example, in 2022/23 22 per cent of main applicants assessed as homeless were aged 16-24. However only an estimated four per cent of households in Scotland are headed by someone aged 16-24 (based on projected data).

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Progressing new Prevention of Homelessness duties through the introduction of housing legislation. The duties will include a requirement for specified public bodies to ‘ask and act’ about a person’s housing situation and will make changes to existing homelessness legislation to ensure local authorities must act at an earlier stage to prevent homelessness.

The duties will be based on the principles that prevention should be a shared public responsibility, that there should be earlier intervention across systems and that people facing homelessness should have more choice and control over where they live.

By intervening at an earlier stage, and encouraging services to work together to respond to people’s needs, we can ensure fewer people and families are faced with having to rebuild lives affected by homelessness.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Homelessness in Scotland: 2022-23 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Ending homelessness together: annual report2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Ending Homelessness Together Action

Plan 2020 - equality evidence and engagement - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Statistics for the Scottish population were taken from the 2018-based household projections for Scotland (published Sep 2020, NRS) Household Projections for Scotland, 2018-based | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk)

Characteristic

Disability

What is known about existing inequalities?

Many disabled people face additional living costs due to their disability or health condition. If disability benefits are removed from household incomes to allow for this, Twenty-nine per cent of households with a disabled member were in relative poverty in 2019-22 compared to 16 per cent of those where no-one was disabled.

Households that are headed by a disabled person spend proportionally more of their net income on housing, fuel and food and are therefore more likely to be negatively impacted by cost of living crisis.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

We are now delivering Child Disability Payment and Adult Disability Payment through Social Security Scotland, replacing Disability Living Allowance for children and Personal Independence Payment. Pension Age Disability Payment will replace Attendance Allowance.

Disability benefits are intended to provide disabled people with a contribution of financial support intended to mitigate the additional daily living or mobility costs that disabled people may have as a result of a disability or long-term health condition. These benefits will be uprated by inflation in 2024-25 to protect the real value of these payments as prices rise in the economy.

The Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill will advance equality of opportunity for people who have a disability through making provision to:

recognise DWP appointees, therefore avoiding delays to payments;
make appointees liable to repay funds to the individual for whom they were appointed if the appointee acts in breach of their duties; and
give Social Security Scotland discretion to accept late requests for re-determination and allow appeals to be brought, with the permission of the Tribunal, beyond the one-year prescribed period on the basis of ‘exceptional circumstances’.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Tackling child poverty - third year progress report : annex B - child poverty in families with a disabled adult or child - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Devolution of disabilitybenefits: evaluation strategy - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Cost of Living Crisis in Scotland: An Analytical Report (www.gov.scot)

Tackling child poverty - progress report 2022 to 2023: annex d - cost of living focus report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2019-22 (data.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Disability

What is known about existing inequalities?

According to analysis of the 2019 Scottish Household Survey, just over half (53.6 per cent) of surveyed households with at least one member with a disability or long-standing illness that also require housing adaptations to make it easier for all householders to go about their daily activities self-report requiring one or more adaptations which they do not already have.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Introduction of a Human Rights Bill – the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) includes a right to adequate standard of living including adequate housing and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) includes a right to live independently (which includes access to support services to support living and inclusion in the community).

We will promote housing adaptations to help older and disabled people to live independently in their own homes.

Updated practical guidance on the delivery of adaptations and equipment services was published in January of this year.

We are taking forward a review of the current housing adaptations system and will make recommendations on how best to improve and streamline the system, with any changes that Ministers agree being implemented thereafter.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Housing and regeneration outcomes framework: indicator updates

Housing to 2040 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Gender Reassignment

What is known about existing inequalities?

There is some evidence that people with the protected characteristic of gender reassignment may experience disadvantage in a range of social outcomes.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Human Rights Bill – providing economic, social and cultural rights equally to all and equality provision which requires that rights are delivered without discrimination.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Housing to 2040 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Gender Reassignment

What is known about existing inequalities?

There is evidence that transgender people may suffer poorer outcomes than the wider population including in relation to homelessness, health, and employment.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Human Rights Bill – as above (rights include adequate standard of living including housing, health and work) and equality provision requiring that such rights are delivered without discrimination.

The Scottish Government has published a Non-Binary Equality Action Plan which aims to improve the lives of non-binary people in Scotland by taking steps to address inequalities and barriers.

The plan includes a wide range of deliverable actions for the period 2023-28, which will bring about real, positive and lasting change to the lives of non-binary people in Scotland.

These actions will:

empower and enable non-binary people to participate in decision making regardless of their socioeconomic background.
ensure non-binary people are increasingly able to access high-quality, person-centred healthcare they need, at a place and time that is appropriate for them.
ensure development of legislation, guidance and policy takes into account the non-binary community and removes barriers to non-binary people accessing services.
ensure more robust and comprehensive data and evidence will be gathered on the characteristics and experiences of non-binary people in Scotland.
have schools and support services deliver more inclusive processes and practices that take into account the needs of non-binary children and young people.
have non-binary people increasingly feel able to take part in sport.

Our user-centred approach to the design and delivery of social security places emphasis on clients’ experiences. Our unique Experience Panels help us to understand a range of experiences in accessing the benefits system. We continue to review the diversity of clients applying for social security and any differences in outcomes of applications by equality groups through data produced by Social Security Scotland. Our continued programme of evaluations helps us to understand how to improve the experiences for clients and maximise the realisation of outcomes for all groups.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Life in Scotland for LGBT Young People 2022

National LGBT Survey: Summary report - GOV. UK (www.gov.uk)

Non-binary equality action plan - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Housing to 2040 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Evidence gaps are an issue but some research that transgender people in the UK face particularly high levels of inequality: Inequality among LGB&T groups in the UK: a review of evidence - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Characteristic

Pregnancy and Maternity

What is known about existing inequalities?

Pregnancy

In a recent survey by Maternity Action, nearly two-thirds of respondents (64 per cent) said that they worried a lot about money while they were pregnant or on maternity leave and a further third said that they sometimes worried.

Research from 2015 found a quarter of ‘new families’ are in poverty in the year after having their first child. This could be due to the increased costs of a new child and the need to take time off work to care for them. Thirty-four per cent of families where the youngest child is under a year old lived in relative poverty in 2018-21.

A person’s weight and nutritional status at the start of, and during, pregnancy can also impact their child’s health both in childhood and later life.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Best Start Foods (BSF) – removing income thresholds for BSF will see an additional 20,000 people eligible for support including pregnant women and children under the age of 3. More women are likely to be eligible for BSF as a result of the removal of the income thresholds. This will support more pregnant women to access healthy food and milk. In 2024-25 we expect around 51,000 people will receive around £18 million of support through BSF.

We also award Best Start Grant, Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment automatically to eligible families receiving Scottish Child Payment, without the need to apply, making it easier for families to access the support they are entitled to, increasing take-up and maximising financial assistance for families. In 2024-25 we expect around 58,000 people will receive around £20 million of support through BSG.

Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment and Best Start Foods provide financial support to pregnant mothers and will all be uprated in line with inflation in 2024-25, to protect the real value of these payments as prices rise in the economy.

Linked to our Cash-First Plan, we are working with partners that support families with infants under the age of 1 to improve emergency pathways to cash, infant formula or breastfeeding support, and wider holistic support in a crisis.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland report

Tackling child poverty priority families overview - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Tackling child poverty delivery plan: fourth year progress report 2021-2022 - focus report on households with babies under one - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Social Security Scotland client diversity and equalities analysis to March 2023

The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendment and Transitional Provision) (Scotland) Regulations 2022: equality impact assessment

Cash-First - towards ending the need for food banks in Scotland: plan

Cash-First: Towards ending the need for food banks in Scotland Equality Impact Assessment - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scotland’s Economic and Fiscal Forecasts – May 2023 – Scottish Fiscal Commission

More help for more families - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Maternity Action (2022) Cost of living on maternity leave survey

Infant food insecurity: summary report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Department for Work and Pensions (2015) Child poverty transitions: exploring the routes into and out of poverty 2009 to 2012

Scottish Government (2023) Additional child poverty analysis 2023 - Table 1 (target measures by priority group)

Characteristic

Pregnancy and Maternity

What is known about existing inequalities?

Single parents are more likely than the Scottish average to rent in the social sector. The vast majority of single parents are women (87 per cent in 2011). Social renters tend to be less satisfied with their housing (81 per cent compared to 95 per cent of owner occupiers and 84 per cent of private renters, in 2019).

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Human Rights Bill – as above in the gender reassignment section. Will include the right to an adequate home.

We invest in discretionary housing payments to mitigate the benefit cap. Those most likely to be affected by the benefit cap are larger families and lone parents. In 2024-25 we are making £7.8 million available to mitigate the benefit cap as fully as possible within devolved powers.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Tackling child poverty: second year progress report - annex C - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Tackling child poverty priority families overview - gov.scot Scottish Household Survey Data Explorer (includes data on housing satisfaction) (www.gov.scot)

Household composition for specific groups of people in Scotland | Scotland’s Census (scotlandscensus.gov.uk)

Best Start, Bright Futures: tackling child poverty delivery plan 2022 to 2026

Characteristic

Race

What is known about existing inequalities?

In 2017-22, people from non-White minority ethnic groups were more likely to be in relative poverty after housing costs. The poverty rate was 49 per cent for the ‘Asian or Asian British’ ethnic groups, and 48 per cent for ‘Mixed, Black or Black British and Other’ ethnic groups, compared with 23 per cent for ‘White - Other’ and 18 per cent for ‘White - British’.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The cross-cutting changes made to the Scottish social security system by the Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill will have a positive impact on people from non-White minority ethnic groups. The provisions in the Bill intend to empower people to challenge decisions, create efficiencies and streamline processes all of which should result in an improved experience of interacting with Social Security Scotland.

More broadly, ongoing funding will be provided for the Anti- Racism Observatory for Scotland, in recognition of the need for a strategic and coherent anti-racism approach to data, strategy and policy in Scotland.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Tackling child poverty priority families overview

Tackling child poverty delivery plan - progress report 2022-23: annex c - priority family types - approach to reporting evidence

The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendment and Transitional Provision) (Scotland) Regulations 2022: equality impact assessment

Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2019-22

Characteristic

Race

What is known about existing inequalities?

Eleven per cent of main applicants in households assessed as homeless/ threatened with homelessness had a reported ethnicity other than ‘White’; this compares to only five per cent of the Scottish (adult) population.

Evidence from a recently published evidence review by Scottish Government on hidden homelessness suggests that, internationally, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers may be vulnerable to hidden forms of homelessness for a variety of reasons, including fears around approaching authorities due to immigration status.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Human Rights Bill – as above. Will include the right to an adequate home.

Continued investment in the actions in Ending Homelessness Together, a strategy which has equality at its heart. We have recently commissioned research into hidden homelessness which will improve our understanding of housing insecurity and the routes into and out of homelessness for less visible and more marginalised groups. We continue to work with partners in the third sector identify ways to enable them to support people with no recourse to public funds who are at risk of rough sleeping and destitution, where possible within devolved competence. We are also piloting a £500,000 fund to leave, to give women the financial means to leave an abusive partner.

We provide direct funding for initiatives and organisations that support the integration of newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers in Scotland, as well as the provision of ongoing support for those who require it.

Affordable Housing Supply Programme

We are committed to delivering on our target of 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which at least 70 per cent will be available for social rent and 10% will be in our remote, rural and island communities.
Between 23 March 2022 and end June 2023, 13,354 homes have now been delivered towards the 110,000 affordable homes target, of which 10,459 (78 per cent) are homes for social rent.
The 10,757 affordable homes delivered to end June 2023 is the highest annual figure since the start of the statistical series in 2000.
Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has recognised that lower rents and more support for social rented homes in Scotland means we have lower relative rates of child poverty. Social rented homes also offer greater security of tenure.
An estimated 3,400 households with children have been helped into affordable housing in the year to March 2023. And keeping social rents lower than market rents benefits approximately 110,000 children in poverty each year.
In June 2023 we published refreshed guidance for all local authorities on the development of Strategic Housing Investment Plans (SHIPs) to support the submission of SHIPs in October.
The guidance aligns with key messages in the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2022-26 including requirements to ensure that any identified need for larger family homes is identified and reflected in delivery.
It also asks local authorities to draw on wider knowledge and evidence developed locally as part of the Local Child Poverty Action Plans.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Hidden homelessness: international evidence review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Homelessness in Scotland: 2022-23 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Ending Homelessness Together: High Level Action Plan (www.gov.scot)

Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan 2020 - equality evidence and engagement - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Affordable Housing Supply Programme - More homes - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland report

Characteristic

Religion or Belief

What is known about existing inequalities?

Muslim adults are more likely to be in relative poverty than adults overall, after housing costs (63 per cent vs 19 per cent in 2017-22).

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The cross-cutting changes made to the Scottish social security system by the Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill will have a positive impact on members of this religious group. The provisions in the Bill intend to empower people to challenge decisions, create efficiencies and streamline processes all of which should result in an improved experience of interacting with Social Security Scotland.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill Policy memorandum

Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: equality impact assessment

Characteristic

Religion or Belief

What is known about existing inequalities?

There is a high percentage of social security clients with no religion (60 per cent) and this is likely to be somewhat linked to age (young adults make up a higher proportion of Social Security Scotland clients and are also more likely to have no religion). Those applying for Funeral Support Payment are more likely to identify as having a religion; 40 per cent identified as having a religion compared to 60 per cent of all benefits.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

In 2024-25 we expect to spend around £12 million on Funeral Support Payment helping around 6,000 people meet the costs of a funeral. The benefit helps alleviate the burden of debt clients may face when paying for a funeral.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Social Security Scotland client diversity and equalities analysis to March 2023

Funeral Support Payment: high level statistics to 30 June 2023

Funeral Support Payment: evaluation

Scotland’s Economic and Fiscal Forecasts – May 2023 – Scottish Fiscal Commission

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

The Women’s Budget Group calculated that by 2021-22, 59 per cent of the cumulative social security cuts announced or implemented since June 2010 by the Coalition government and continued from 2015 by the Conservative government would have come from women’s income. We know that many key benefits are largely claimed by women, who made up 89 per cent of applicants for Scottish Child Payment and 69 per cent of recipients of Carer’s Allowance.

The Poverty Alliance and Scottish Women’s Budget Group Cost of Living Report shows that women are being disproportionately impacted by the cost-of-living crisis due to existing inequalities across all areas of life. They are more likely to be living in poverty, have lower levels of savings and wealth and are less able to increase paid work than men due to caring responsibilities.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

The Five Family Payments (FFPs) are more likely to help women and the majority of people who claim FFP are women.

The vast majority of Scottish Child Payment (SCP) recipients – around 85 per cent – are women, and so SCP can be seen to be of particular benefit to them. Particular groups of women at greater risk of poverty include lone parents – we know that women make up the majority of lone parents and so they will particularly benefit from SCP.

Best Start Foods (BSF) is paid for the benefit of pregnant women. More women are likely to be eligible for BSF as a result of the removal of the income thresholds. Women are also more likely to benefit from the changes we are making to improve access for young pregnant persons and young parents.

We also award Best Start Grant (BSG), Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment automatically to eligible families receiving Scottish Child Payment, without the need to apply, increasing take-up and maximising financial assistance for families. For both BSF and BSG, the majority of people who claim are women.

The Five Family Payments (Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods) will all be uprated in line with inflation in 2024-25, to protect the real value of these payments as prices rise in the economy.

Human Rights Bill – economic and social rights include the right to social security and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

We are investing in a new Cash-First Programme to improve the response to the financial crisis and help reduce the demand for emergency food parcels.

Respondents to the consultation on the Scottish Government’s draft plan on ending the need for food banks included people with lived experience of poverty, food banks and community organisations. Analysis of the consultation highlighted the preference for a robust approach to prevent food insecurity that ensures people have enough income to afford food that meets their needs and preferences. It was clear that cash-first and dignified support measures were key to responding to emergencies.

Impact assessments were undertaken and highlight the challenges experienced by low income and food insecurity, providing evidence which supports the delivery of the Cash-First Programme.

The Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill introduces cross- cutting proposals aiming to create efficiencies, remove barriers and empower people using Social Security Scotland in line with the Scottish Government’s person-centred, human rights-based approach to social security.

The Bill will have a positive impact on women due to the gender breakdown of people using Social Security Scotland.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Supporting documents - The Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendment and Transitional Provision) (Scotland) Regulations 2022: equality impact assessment - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Tackling child poverty delivery plan: fourth year progress report 2021-2022 - focus report on households with babies under one - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Tackling child poverty delivery plan: fourth year progress report 2021-2022 - focus report on households with mothers aged 25 or under - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Tackling child poverty delivery plan 2022- 2026 - annex 6: what works - evidence review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Social Security Scotland client diversity and equalities analysis to March 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Cash-First: Towards ending the need for food banks in Scotland Child Rightsand Wellbeing ImpactAssessment (CRWIA) -gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Cash-First: Towards Ending the Need for Food Banks in Scotland Fairer Scotland Duty Impact Assessment - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Social Security Scotland - Summary statistics for Carer’s AllowanceSupplement to October eligibility date 2022

Characteristic

Sex

What is known about existing inequalities?

The gendered nature of caring is a key equality issue for this portfolio. Caring roles most typically fall to women and 69 per cent of those in receipt of Carer’s Allowance are women. The cost of living crisis will affect some households more than others and caring comes with additional costs that are likely to exacerbate financial pressures.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Carer Support Payment will replace Carer’s Allowance in Scotland from the end of 2023. It aims to improve take-up, help carers find out about wider support, provide more stable support, and will extend eligibility to some carers in full-time education. Carers will continue to get extra support from Carer’s Allowance Supplement. In future it will also provide extra support to those caring for more than one person and extend support to carers after the death of the person they care for.

The payment rates of these benefits will be uprated in line with inflation in 2024-25 to protect the real value of these payments as prices rise in the economy.

See also investment in Discretionary Housing Payments to mitigate the benefit cap in the socioeconomic disadvantage section above.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Carer’s Allowance Supplement: evaluation

The Cost of Living Crisis in Scotland: analytical report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Sexual Orientation

What is known about existing inequalities?

Evidence points to the barriers LGB+ people face in accessing mainstream services. For example, there is often a lack of visibility of LGBT identities within services which are necessary to counter LGBT people’s expectations of discrimination, or a lack of confidence that services can meet their needs. Many experience homophobia, biphobia or transphobia from services or have previous experience of discrimination from a service. In respect of carer benefits, LGBT carers report barriers in having both their LGBT and carer identities recognised by support services. Many LGBT carers and the people they are caring for may have reduced social networks due to a lack of acceptance of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This can result in accessing less support services than other carers. There can also be barriers to receiving support if they do not wish to declare the nature of their relationship to the cared for individual.

There is also emerging evidence around differences in the likelihood of claiming certain benefits by sexual orientation.

Client data on the sexual orientation of applicants to benefits shows that this varies across the benefits. For example, 87 per cent of Best Start applicants identified as Heterosexual, 2 per cent Bisexual and 10 per cent preferred not to say. This compares to 81 per cent of Job Start Payment applicants who identified as Heterosexual, 4 per cent as Gay & Lesbian; 6 per cent as Bisexual, 1 per cent in another way and 7 per cent who preferred not to say. For applicants to Young Carer Grant, 78 per cent identified as Heterosexual; 6 per cent as Bisexual; 3 per cent as Gay & Lesbian; 1 per cent in another way and 11 per cent preferred not to say.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Human Rights Bill – economic and social rights include right to social security and the Bill will contain equality provision which requires that rights are delivered without discrimination and equally to all.

Job Start Payment is payable to all young people who meet the eligibility criteria including those who share protected characteristics. Job Start Payment will therefore have a positive impact for these young people by ensuring they can directly benefit from the additional financial support to smooth their transition into employment.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)

Social Security Scotland Client Diversity and Equalities Analysis for June 2021 to March 2023 LGB access to welfare benefits | Welfare Access, Assets And Debts Of LGBT+ People In Great Britain (stir.ac.uk)

Carer Support Payment Equality Impact Assessment.

Inequality among lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender groups in the UK: a review of evidence

Job Start Payment: evaluation

Scottish Surveys Core Questions 2019 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Characteristic

Sexual Orientation

What is known about existing inequalities?

LGB+ people are 3 times more likely to be unemployed than Heterosexual people (6.7 per cent of LGB+ people, compared to 2.2 per cent of Heterosexual people).This is somewhat linked to age (younger people are both more likely to be unemployed and to identify their sexual orientation as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or in another way), however efforts to reduce unemployment for young people have the potential to disproportionately improve equality for LGB+ people.

Which PfG priorities (those with substantial budget implications) contribute to tackling these inequalities? How do they tackle these inequalities?

Human Rights Bill – economic and social rights include right to work and the Bill will contain equality provision which requires that rights are delivered without discrimination and equally to all.

We are providing funding of £1.1 million to organisations promoting LGBT+ equality in Scotland in 2023-24 from the Equality and Human Rights Fund.

Sources of information and analysis (including EQIAs and FSDAs)