SWBG blog

Women's Survey 2024 Launch

On Friday 1st March we launched our Women's Survey 2024! 

Our 2024 Women’s Survey is once again looking to capture women in Scotland's experiences of how they are managing the cost-of-the living crisis and the impact this is having on them and their families. While headline inflation figures have reduced during 2023 and into 2024, prices are still higher than they have ever been, and households' disposable income is lower now than in 2019. [1]  

Our previous surveys have shown that women are often the shock of absorbers of poverty for their households skipping meals, not replacing clothes or shoes for themselves or skipping haircuts etc. to try and protect other family members from the impact of increasing costs. 

‘Sometimes my meals are very different from everyone else’s’ [2] 

The tactics women are using to manage their household budgets have been one of reducing spending on non-essentials to afford items like food and heat. Yet, our surveys have shown that for many this hasn’t been enough, and that single parents and disabled households often must make the decision between heating and eating. 

With the UK having tipped into technical recession as a result of household incomes declining, as part of this year's survey we have added some additional questions around debt and savings. From previous surveys we know that women have been using savings or credit cards to manage regular monthly expenditure and that they are worried about the impact this will have on their retirement. This year, we want to explore the potential longer-term consequences of the current crisis for women.  

Additionally, this year's survey also looks at public sector reform. In November 2023 we heard the Deputy FM say that  

‘there was “no doubt” that staffing for services would have to be reduced due to tight budgets and inflation-driven pay deals’. [3]  

Given the consequences that declining public services have on women, who often end up impacted or picking up the slack caused by this, we feel it's important that we understand what good public sector reform looks like for women and we want to hear from you about this.  

Finally, with the country soon heading to the polls, we are keen to know women’s priorities for the upcoming UK General Election. Decisions made at Westminster have a great impact on women in Scotland. Analysis by the UK Women’s Budget Group last week showed that cuts to National Insurance contributions in the Spring Budget will benefit better off men, impacting on women’s inequality [4]. Let us know what really matters to you so we can advocate for policies that make a difference to women’s lives. 

How can you help us?

We’d like to hear different views from women across Scotland. This is crucial for us to understand the different realities of women in   all local authorities. We are particularly interested in hearing from more ethnic minority women, women that are carers, and women who are single parents.

We are also offering a £25 voucher to 10 people who complete the survey, this will be selected at random. 

If you haven’t done so already, we’d like your support to share the Women's Survey 2024 to help us reach a diverse range of women across Scotland. You can do this by: 

• Sharing the survey through your social media account (if possible): LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter). 
• Sharing amongst your networks
• Sharing with any women’s groups you might work with 

References 

[1] https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-uk-families-suffering-worst-decline-living-standards-g7 

[2] https://www.swbg.org.uk/content/publications/SWBG-Cost-of-Living-report-proof-06.pdf

[3] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland-67539045

[4] Tax giveaways to better off men will cost worse off women, says WBG - Womens Budget Group

The cost of funding tax giveaways. Reflections ahead of the UK Spring Budget 2024

Blog by Heather Williams, SWBG Training Lead

With a general election on the horizon, the newspapers and TV are full of the potential tax cuts being considered as the Chancellor comes under increasing pressure from MPs worried about their re-election chances. The hope is that tax giveaways in the 2024 Spring Budget can have a similar effect to those in Norman Lamont’s Budget in 1992.[1]

Doing the news rounds yesterday, Jeremey Hunt promised to embark on the ‘long path’ to lower taxation,[2] which suggests that the Chancellor hasn’t paid much attention to the recent YouGov poll. This showed that 3/4s of those polled were not supportive of personal tax cuts and would rather see the money used to prop up already crumbling public services.[3]

Due to the self-imposed fiscal rules the Chancellor is choosing to adhere to, the outlook for UK public services is potentially bleak. The decisions made this week could have worrying long term consequences for the UK economy, which has already slipped into a technical recession after being stagnant for a long period of time.[4] The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on the back of the pandemic and austerity has squeezed households’ disposable income, affecting their spending decisions. Our Women’s Surveys for the last two years have shown that households have been rapidly cutting back on what they see as unnecessary expenditure such as meals out, haircuts or clothes, all of which has had a knock-on effect on the High St.[5] While the Chancellor may hope further tax cuts could reverse this trend, with interest rates high, inflation still high, income tax personal allowance thresholds remaining static (pushing more into paying tax or into higher tax bands), and cuts to public spending including a punitive social security system, this short-term approach is unlikely to provide sufficient stimulus.

According to the OBR, the impact of the Chancellor's decisions in the Autumn to prioritise tax cuts at the expense of further investment in public services along with inflation has meant that departmental spending is facing a £19bn real term loss by 2027-28.[6] Many believe that current public spending plans for both revenue and investment are illusory and cannot be sustained, with 3 councils in England having already issued bankruptcy notices and another 9 requesting further financial support.  If the Chancellor chooses to cut personal taxes on the back of announcing further cuts to public spending, then this will be based on nothing more than ‘fantasy.’[7]

Additionally, if the Chancellor sticks to his current spending plans for public services, this will mean no further consequentials for the Scottish Government.  In Scotland this has meant that in this year's budget the Scottish Government has cut back on planned capital expenditure (due to a reduction in the grant funding in this area and the impact of inflation). As a result of decisions taken by the Scottish Government to prioritise investment in roads, namely the A9, they have had to make substantial cuts to investment in social housing and hospitals[8]

Women’s Groups across the UK (including SWBG) are warning the Chancellor that his decisions risk putting ‘gender equality into reverse’ due to the disproportionate impact that cuts to public spending, needed to balance any reductions in tax, have on women.[9]

Ahead of Wednesday, the Chancellor needs to decide if he is going to prioritise the UK’s long term financial and social stability or roll the dice on pre-election giveaways in the hope that this Budget can do what Norman Lamont’s did for the Conservative Party in 1992.

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/mar/03/budget1999.budget7 

[2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68461581 

[3] https://twitter.com/YouGov/status/1758539234733076563 

[4] https://www.ft.com/content/94ecda75-35de-4d09-bda6-f3a7c71dc3c6 

[5] https://www.swbg.org.uk/content/publications/SWBG-Cost-of-Living-report-proof-06.pdf 

[6] https://www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/article/obr-autumn-statement-measures-will-cause-19bn-fall-in-public-spending-power#:~:text=Speaking%20in%20a%20press%20briefing,eroded%20by%20around%20%C2%A319bn 

[7] https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/five-things-look-out-spring-budget-2024 

[8] https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-budget-2024-25/pages/2/#:~:text=Our%20%C2%A36.25%20billion%20capital,ambitions%20will%20not%20be%20easy 

[9] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/29/cuts-to-public-services-in-england-will-reverse-gender-equality-unions-warn 

What’s wrong with childcare in Scotland? A summary

The Scottish Women’s Budget Group (SWBG) is hosting a series of events focusing on the need to further invest in childcare in Scotland. Last month, we hosted the first webinar, ‘What’s wrong with childcare In Scotland? Perspectives ahead of the Scottish Budget 2024/2025’.

Aimed at policymakers and other stakeholders with an interest in improving the current system in Scotland, as well as the public, the webinar explored issues such as the affordability of childcare, availability, and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on service providers. The webinar featured:

• Insights from SWBG’s 2023 Childcare Survey and Pregnant then Screwed Scotland’s survey data;
• Perspectives from childcare providers via the National Day Nurseries Association;
• Evidence on links between childcare, poverty and work from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation

The webinar also presented an opportunity to discuss recommendations ahead of the publication of the Scottish Budget 2024/2025, and generated a wave of debate amongst those in attendance. Participants contributed their own views and experiences as users and providers of childcare services.

Below we capture the key insights from the webinar.

Looking at childcare through a gendered lens.

SWBG Coordinator, Carmen Martinez, kicked off the webinar with a summary of the SWBG’s ‘2023 Childcare Survey’  findings, drawing attention to the cost of childcare and the impact that the current inflationary period is having on women’s ability to manage this expense. For example, 54% of women told us that they had to make changes to other areas of household spending to manage childcare costs while 30% were struggling with costs. Regarding availability, 38% of all survey respondents found accessing childcare difficult, and 22% found it very difficult (both during the school term and holidays). Those who struggle due to accessibility issues include respondents with school-age children who are unable to find wraparound care which fits around their working hours. SWBG also highlighted some of the issues with the existing 1,140 hours of funded childcare offer, this mainly focused on the lack of flexibility in provision, as only 14% of respondents who qualified for funded hours noted that the scheme fully meets their needs.

We also looked at the impacts that managing childcare have on women. According to our survey, 55% of women said that this has impacted on paid work they could do, with 66% reporting that the cost of childcare has impacted their financial wellbeing, and 48% stating that managing childcare has influenced their decision NOT to have another child. Finally, SWBG brought to the fore the economic impacts of childcare costs on women. Almost 33% of our survey respondents had to reduce their working hours to be able to manage childcare costs (while only 8% of respondents told us that their partners had to reduce their hours). In addition, 20.5% women said they were using compressed hours, arranged informally with their employer to manage childcare. This figure was 14.8% for their partners. This highlights the extent to which the lack of social infrastructure (i.e. affordable and accessible childcare) penalises women, contributing to gender inequality.  

Carole Erskine, from Pregnant then Screwed, shared similar findings. According to their survey data, 65% of Scottish parents are leaving the workforce or reducing their hours due to the cost and/or lack of availability of childcare. In addition, 43% of parents who have seen childcare costs increase in the last 10 months say they cannot afford to have any more children, and 65% of mothers with a child under 12 months say that they either have or will have to cut their maternity leave short due to the cost-of-living crisis. These percentages contribute to the increasing body of evidence linking the cost and/or lack of adequate childcare services to women’s inequality.

The providers’ perspective

An interesting perspective, and one that the SWBG was keen to explore following our Childcare Survey 2023, was the implementation of the funded ELC offer in Scotland. Jonathan Broadbery, Director of Policy and Communications at the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), a representative body for private and voluntary day nurseries that are involved in delivering childcare, provided a very informative assessment. He started by pointing out what’s right with childcare in Scotland, recognising where the country sits compared to other UK nations. He highlighted the ambition of the 1,140 hours policy, which center on facilitating parents’ return to the labour market and, very importantly, improving the quality of childcare at a crucial time for children and their development. Other laudable policy principles are affordability and accessibility for 3- and 4-year-olds, parental choice, and its focus on children’s rights.

Jonathan also discussed the differential funding approaches to ELC as well as the impact that inflation is having on providers’ cost-of-operating crisis. For example, whilst 30% of funded hours are delivered by private nurseries, the funding received is not proportional to this, which is exacerbating the recruitment crisis in the sector, but also impacts on parent’s choice and the overall costs of childcare. For instance, parents of younger children face higher costs as providers try to ensure the sustainability of their service. Given these challenges, NDNA calls for increasing investment to pay ‘genuinely’ sustainable rates, improving providers’ business sustainability, and pay for the workforce. Additionally, it would like to see supported employment programmes into ELC and a single ELC account for families to make the system less complex and increase take-up.

Pre-school childcare as an effective tool to reduce poverty

The webinar also discussed other approaches to ELC. Jack Evans, Senior Policy Adviser at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, spoke about their current project, which focuses on meeting one of the Scottish Government’s three strategic objectives for ELC: poverty reduction. Before delving into the project’s details (literature review, polling with families, public and sector consultations and modelling), Jack noted some key aspects that interact with ELC policy such as the value that parents place on their childcare, the risks of ignoring inequalities in unpaid work, and issues affecting the workforce and providers, which are crucial to finding solutions that can work in the ‘real world’.

More specifically, the project’s context considers work intensity trends (number of working hours that people do) for all families, and for those living in poverty. For example, while the most common working set-up for families is both parents in full-time work, families in poverty are more likely to include one parent working full time, and one parent not working (93% of those not in work being women). Regarding people trapped in persistent low paid work (11% of Scotland’s population), 72% of them are women. Therefore, to avoid exacerbating gender inequalities in the labour market, Jack highlighted that having an ELC offer that moves parents into work is not enough. Instead, parents need to move to jobs that pay at least the Real Living Wage or above, and argued that ELC has a role to play in supporting parents to find better work.

Within this context, the project’s literature review captures previous research on ELC, and it includes a summary of 47 recommendations related to the interaction of work and ELC, such as data collection, parent’s lack of choice, the financialisation of childcare or interactions between ELC and the child benefit payment. This literature review found large gaps about what hasn’t been properly evaluated, for example, the variation in delivery and strategy between local authorities. While this does not mean that there are 32 different ELC strategies in Scotland, there is a certain degree of variation, and knowing ‘what works’ would be key to improve good practice. The project’s literature review also focuses on contradictory findings. For example, while quantitative research shows that families are generally happy with the quality and flexibility of ELC, parents may report a different experience via qualitative research. In this regard, the project’s commissioned polling has revealed that the policy aims of the existing offer match with parents’ needs and what parents want from a new offer is not widely different, with the majority indicating a preference for a funded ELC of between 35 and 40 hours per week. This new offer would increase family resilience. In terms of what this new offer would mean for parents’ work, it would allow parents to increase their work hours (from no work to work, or from part-time work to full-time), to access better paid work (overcoming the pay gap that exists from part-time to full-time work) and more secure work.

While there is more data to analyse, some early conclusions from this project point out that the interaction between childcare and increasing income is not straightforward, and that any considerations about ELC policy must include labour market dynamics. In addition, changes to existing offers must be targeted, for example, to close the dissatisfaction gap between rural and urban settings. Finally, Jack noted that new funding models must be on the table, including the review of the existent universal offer to ease the burden on services and to ensure that people on the lowest income get the necessary support, so Scotland can meet its poverty targets.

Scotland’s incomplete journey on childcare

The webinar made it clear that the issue of childcare in Scotland is far from being resolved. While the Scottish Government’s funded ELC offer has been welcomed by families, its implementation has caused challenges to private and third sector providers, particularly as the cost-of-living crisis has increased their operating costs. This, in turn, is impacting on childcare affordability as providers have no other choice but to increase their fees for 1- and 2-year-olds to ensure the financial sustainability of their service.

Inevitably, existing gender inequality in the labour market and/or persisting gender stereotypes over who does care mean that women are increasingly affected by childcare costs, as evidenced by SWBG’s and Pregnant then Screwed Scotland. What’s the way forward? While increasing the scope of the existing offer was in the mix of solutions discussed, speakers agreed that the Government’s priority should be to improve the implementation of the current funded ELC. But how long will parents need to wait for key improvements to be made? And what will delays mean for them, their children, those working in the sector and the wider Scottish economy?

What's next in the series?

Our second webinar will take place (online) on Tuesday 5th March. Further details will be shared early next week via our socials, so please keep an eye out!

This webinar series is supported by Oxfam Scotland

Reaction to the Scottish Budget 2024/2025: Cuts to the Housing Portfolio

Our Engagement and Public Affairs Officer, Yve Barry, reflects on the recent cuts in the Scottish Budget 2024/25 Housing Portfolio and their gendered implications for women across the country. 

The Scottish Government previously stated that their “aim is for everyone to have a safe, high-quality home that is affordable and meets their needs in the place they want to be” (2021). In his recent Programme for Government, the First Minister stated that the Scottish Government is committed to delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 (2023). The upcoming Housing Bill is also promised to deliver a New Deal for Tenants including longer-term rent controls and new duties in the prevention of homelessness. The 2024/25 Scottish Budget announced a month ago instead delivered cuts to the Housing Portfolio, leaving questions about the Government’s longer-term strategy amidst Scotland’s housing crisis. 

Housing Sector Reaction 

We, like many others, are encouraged by the announcement that the Scottish Government will be investing in discretionary housing payments. This investment supports the mitigation of the benefit cap and allows Local Authorities to provide support to qualifying individuals in housing crisis. Furthermore, increased investment in some energy efficiency schemes and continued support for Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans are welcome (CIH, 2023; Findlay, 2023). However, these are the only increased funds for our homes. 

There is now growing concern about the Scottish Government's promise to deliver an increased supply of affordable homes by 2032 and address inequality, poverty and homelessness. Government figures show a 30% cut in the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) and a 33% overall cut in the More Homes budget, reflecting upon the wider budgetary pressures of the Scottish Government (Scottish Government 2023). The Fuel Insecurity Fund has also been scrapped, which was aimed at supporting social tenants with rising energy costs despite a 4% rise in the UK inflation rate in December (BBC News, 2024).

There has also been criticism that these cuts have come at the expense of the Scottish Government’s plan to freeze council tax that will not benefit those most in need (Findlay, 2023). We have continued to express our concerns about this decision as it will only exacerbate financial problems in Local Authorities and have an adverse impact on many, especially women who rely on public services more. You can read more here: Scottish Women's Budget Group | SWBG blog | Can we achieve equality, provide opportunity, and create community by freezing Council Tax? 

What do this mean for women and gender equality in Scotland? 

Core to the delivery of the First Minister’s Programme for Government and focus on equality is the investment in our homes. The provision of affordable housing has been directly tied to the Scottish Government’s National Outcome of addressing poverty, and child poverty specifically. However, the impact of decreased investment in AHSP will not only have an impact on child poverty targets but will also have a disproportionate effect on women due to the inextricable link between child poverty and women’s poverty. Within the housing system, women’s position is largely determined by lower income and wealth levels. Particular groups of women, including single parents and disabled women, are at greater risk of poverty and as a result, precarious housing situations. Overall, 28% of women in our Women’s Survey ‘23 were struggling to manage housing costs. This increased to 55% of women earning under £20,000, 45% for single parents, 37% for disabled women and 31% for single adult households (SWBG, 2023). One woman told us: “We need access to good quality affordable housing. Instead, we’ve been trapped in the private rental market and have to move about every two years. It’s very difficult to get accommodation as a lone parent as landlords want to see high earnings and don’t like tenants on benefits.” (SWBG, 2023). Our recommendations to the Scottish Government, informed by these women, included setting out the long-term vision and funding arrangement to facilitate the development of accessible, affordable social housing. However, with this devastating cut in budget allocation, inequalities in housing will continue to make it harder for women to access appropriate and affordable housing for them and those they care for. 

Conclusion 

Housing is critical in targeting gender inequality, poverty rates, economic growth, and the climate emergency. However, the recent 2024/25 budget announcements were a missed opportunity for the Scottish Government to address the current housing crisis and work towards more equitable outcomes for those living in Scotland, leaving many, especially women, in the grip of rising costs, insecurity and poverty. 

References

BBC News. 2024. Tobacco and alcohol fuel surprise inflation rise. Last accessed 18/01/24: Tobacco and alcohol fuel surprise inflation rise - BBC News

Chartered Institute of Housing. 2023. CIH reaction to the draft Scottish Budget 2024 to 2025. Last accessed 18/01/24: CIH reaction to the draft Scottish Budget 2024 to 2025 | Chartered Institute of Housing

Findlay, Kieran. 2023. Budget: Sector hits out at ‘hammer-blow’ affordable housing cuts. Scottish Housing News. Last accessed 18/01/24: https://www.scottishhousingnews.com/articles/budget-sector-hits-out-at-hammer-blow-affordable-housing-cuts 

Scottish Government. 2021. Housing to 2040. Last accessed 18/01/24: 05 Next Steps - Housing to 2040 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) 

Scottish Government. 2023. Scottish Budget 2024 to 2025. Last accessed 18/01/24:  Scottish Budget: 2024 to 2025 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scottish Government. 2023. Social and affordable housing supply boost. Last accessed 18/01/24: Social and affordable housing supply boost - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scottish Women’s Budget Group. 2023. Women’s Survey 2023: Women’s experiences of housing and its cost. Last accessed 18/01/24: SWBG-Housing-Report.pdf