Chris leads the Scotland team at JRF that works to find solutions to poverty in Scotland and amplify the voices of people experiencing poverty. The team works with partners across the public, private and third sectors to advocate for solutions that will loosen poverty’s grip on people in Scotland, and to inspire more people to understand it and take action to solve it. Prior to joining JRF, Chris worked for the Scottish Government as Head of the First Minister’s Policy and Delivery Unit. He was formerly a government lawyer, working principally on NHS and social care law.
Email: chris.birt@jrf.org.uk
With targets missed and poverty too high, radical change is needed. Local government needs to play a bigger role in poverty reduction, both in their delivery and in a healthier relationship with the Scottish Government.
The Scottish Government have announced a review of the child poverty reduction targets. This could be a chance for the Scottish Parliament to proudly restate its commitment to ending child poverty.
Scottish Parliament set a high bar with the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act — but the Act's final delivery plan in March, by its own admission, doesn't go far enough.
All parties have published their manifestos for the 7 May Holyrood elections, but they fall well short of the action needed to meet child poverty targets, leaving the next Scottish Government to match rhetoric with action.
Now is the time for politicians in Wales to be bold, and take significant action, to ease hardship and increase economic security.
Economic insecurity is shaping how people in Scotland vote, think about politics, and if they believe change is possible at all — particularity those facing the most pressure.
Poverty is still too high, people are feeling overlooked and ignored by politicians - the next Scottish Parliament is vital for a better future for children in Scotland.
A toolkit to help Scottish political parties shape their thinking and action to meet the 2030/31 child poverty reduction targets ahead of the 2026 Scottish Election.
This year our report asks how effective social security is at reducing poverty and advancing equality in Scotland.