Comment: Poverty and income inequality statistics for 2015/16

Commenting on today’s Poverty and Income Inequality statistics for 2015/16 released by the Scottish Government, Alison Watson, Deputy Director of Shelter Scotland, said: “These figures confirm the devastating impact the lack of affordable housing is having on families and individuals living in Scotland, pushing more into poverty and damaging their wellbeing and life chances – especially children. “That 170,000 more people have been pushed into poverty because of their housing costs should be yet another alarm bell for the Scottish Government that much more needs to be done right now to tackle Scotland’s housing crisis. “It’s simply wrong that 1 in 4 children should find themselves in poverty and that more than 1 in 10 children have been living with persistent poverty for three or more of the last four years. “We want to see a step change in the provision of good quality and truly affordable homes being delivered in communities where they are needed across Scotland. We also need to protect investment in the housing safety net that helps some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in our society through very hard times and keeps a roof over their head.” Alison Watson added: “Poverty and homelessness are closely linked – it doesn’t take too much to tip a family over the edge into a spiral of debt, arrears and homelessness. A new national strategy on homelessness is needed to tackle the issues fuelling today’s homelessness.”