Minimum Income Guarantee

"While poverty persists, there is no true freedom."

It is a disgrace that around a fifth of Scots live in poverty and poverty rates have been increasing since 2014.

One in four Scots children (240,000) live in poverty. Single people, single-parent families, and large families (more than three children) suffer increased poverty levels with a third of these groups living in poverty.

Deep poverty (defined as 50% of median income) has now reached similar levels to that found 20 years ago with 14% of people in Scotland having far less than is needed to make ends meet.

The crushing impact of poverty literally steals years of healthy life from the poorest Scots; males born in the most deprived areas can expect about 25 fewer years in good health than males born in the least deprived areas. The gap is over 21 years for females.

Scotland should have; initially a Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG), which is a universal guaranteed income for every Scot, delivered through targeted payments and free of behavioural conditions.

This will provide relief for the poorest Scots and will put cash into their hands allowing them basic dignity. A Minimum Income Guarantee would be the first step on the path to a Universal Basic Income (UBI) and the socially just independent Scotland we will build.