International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (Oct 17)

Today (Thursday October 17th) is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. It’s a day to raise awareness, eliminate shame and stigma, and signpost to support.

Poverty is “when a person’s resources are not sufficient to meet their minimum needs to participate in society” (Joseph Rowntree Foundation). This can mean a lack of physical or financial resources, including clothing, food, housing, and fuel or employment, benefits, and pension. It can also mean a lack of opportunity for participation in society, including missing out on social activities or a lack of a social network to help with childcare or household tasks.

Moray ranks 14th out of 32 council areas in Scotland (1st is the highest rates) for poverty levels. This is in part due to a lower average wage in the area than the Scottish average, meaning Moray is less resilient to the rising cost of living. Nearly a quarter of Moray’s children live in poverty. (Moray Council)

Poverty in Moray is often hidden, particularly due to the rural nature of the area. The Cost of Living crisis (increasing cost of food, fuel, and energy), lack of (accesible and affordable) resources in rural areas, and limited access to employment and higher wages means it’s harder to earn income, and harder to buy essentials (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation).

We understand that everyone’s experience of poverty and financial hardship is different. We also know that women are acutely affected by poverty and financial hardship, Engender and the Scottish Women’s Budget Group describe women as, “the shock absorbers of poverty”. (Rape Crisis Scotland). The effects can be felt particularly hard by survivors of sexual violence and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV). 95% of people who experience domestic abuse experience some form of economic abuse (Surviving Economic Abuse). One in three survivors has to give up their home as a result of gender-based violence and domestic violence is the leading cause of women presenting as homeless in Scotland (Shelter). Poverty can prevent survivors from leaving their abuser if they don’t have the financial resources to sustain life outwith the relationship and gender based violence creates barriers to employment and economic resources due to the negative health and wellbeing impacts of the traumatic events, negative impacts to earning potential and career progression, and financial stability (Scottish Government).

At Moray Rape Crisis we understand that the cost-of-living crisis alongside other issues can affect people’s access to food. So we are partnered with Moray Food Plus and we offer survivors accessing the service a Food Larder where they can choose food to take away with them. We also offer free toiletries and sanitary products.

There is support available for anyone experiencing poverty and financial difficulties. You do not need to cope on your own. You may be scared or concerned about seeking help, but there is support, advice, and care for you. We have included a list below of some of these support services and resources below:

Local services

• Moray Food Bank  provides a variety of services to those either experiencing or at risk of food insecurity. They offer food parcels to referrals, have a poverty money advice service, and run cooking workshops and warm spaces at The Bosie on Elgin High Street.
• Moray Baby Bank offers families who are struggling financially with supplies and essentials for their baby. 
• Moray School Bank provides school uniform and warm winter clothing to children living in poverty across Moray. They occasionally run a pop up shop in Elgin Town Centre. They also offer other financial support for young people who have experienced financial hardship. 
• Moray Fresh Start offer starter packs for individuals and families moving out of temporary accommodation into tenancies. This includes items like kitchen items and appliances, bedding and towels and laundry and cleaning supplies
• Moray Community Foundation is a Community Charity set up to offer emergency funding to people experiencing hardship in Moray who may not be able to access any benefits or have nowhere else to turn for support in a financial emergency.

Specialist Services

• Age Scotland are scotland’s charity for older people, their families, and carers. They offer a helpline giving confidential support and advice.
• Amina: Muslim Women’s Resource Centre is a support service that empowers and supports Muslim and Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) women by serving as a vital link between them and the barriers they face everyday. They offer a helpline and employability advice and courses.
• No Recourse North East Partnership offer information and advice to individuals who have no recourse to public funds who live in the North East of Scotland (Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire & Moray)
• Surviving Economic Abuse is a charity that works to raise awareness of economic abuse and transforming responses to it. They offer information, advice, and work to change policy and practice in public and private sectors. They also offer a support line in partnership with Money Advice Plus for survivors of domestic abuse who are experiencing financial difficulties. (open Monday-Friday, 9am–1pm and 2pm–5pm. Calls are free of charge. For callers whose first language is not English, an interpretation service is available on request.)
• LGBT Health & Wellbeing Helpline offer a helpline for any concerns LGBT+ people might be experiencing including issues with housing/homelessness.

Housing

• Moray Council Housing Options provides information about the different housing options in Moray
• Shelter Scotland is a charity that exists to defend the right to a safe home and fights the impact of the housing emergency across the country. They offer advice, support, and campaigns.

Finance

• Money Advice Moray help Moray residents with money advice and welfare benefits.
• Moray’s Income Maximisation Team can help anyone in Moray who would like help with their benefits. They carry out free and confidential benefit checks to ensure you are receiving your full and correct benefit entitlement.
• National Debt Line is an independent debt advice service. They offer a phone or web helpline, information and advice and they have an online tool to help with budgeting.
• Scottish Illegal Money Lending Unit is a government agency who investigate and prosecute loan sharks and illegal money lenders. They offer immediate and long term support as well as signposting to local support. (You are not in trouble if you are repaying or have borrowed from an illegal money lender!)
• Scottish Welfare Fund exists to support vulnerable people in Scotland when they have a crisis. It can offer one-off grants for living expenses or household goods.
• Social Security Scotland offer benefits for individuals who qualify, including the Best Start Grant (Pregnancy & Baby, Early Learning and School age grants), Disability and Carer benefits, heating benefits and other benefits, including support paying for funerals and the Job Start benefit for young people aged 16-24 with the costs associated with starting a job.
• Financially Included (Glasgow-based) offer training and tools to practitioners and specialist advice to women who have experienced/are experiencing gender-based violence achieve financial independence.
• ‘Worrying About Money?’ leaflet and website