Ending Destitution Together: Phase Two Delivery Plan

Foreword

Destitution should be unthinkable in a modern Scotland. However, it remains a daily reality for many people who have moved here to work, study, join family, or seek sanctuary from violence and persecution. Nobody should be forced into destitution. People who are subject to the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition are members of our communities and we should be able to support them at times of crisis.

The Ending Destitution Together (EDT) strategy, launched in March 2021, was designed to prevent and mitigate destitution, regardless of someone’s immigration status. The first strategy of its kind in the UK, it sought to clearly set out the impact of the NRPF condition on people living in our communities and the risks that arise from NRPF which can force people into destitution. The strategy was informed by powerful testimony from people with lived experience; knowledge from third sector organisations providing frontline support; and the expertise of local authorities, legal practitioners and public services. The Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) have worked tirelessly with partners across the sector to continue to deliver the vision and principles of the strategy and provide vital support to destitute households in Scotland. Since 2021, the Scottish Government has invested at least £500,000 each year to support the most destitute in Scotland.

The NRPF condition continues to force people into destitution when they are at their most vulnerable. It exacerbates existing inequalities by excluding some of our most vulnerable households from accessing essential support when they have nowhere else to turn. When people are excluded from mainstream welfare services, the responsibility for supporting them is transferred onto local authorities, other public services, and the third sector.

Data gathered from local authorities in Scotland by COSLA has shown year on year increases in the number of NRPF households approaching councils for support. Ongoing work funded by the Scottish Government to provide training and guidance to frontline services includes COSLA’s Migrants’ Rights and Entitlements Guidance, and immigration support provided by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Both have contributed to increased awareness and understanding of the rights of people with NRPF and strengthened pathways out of destitution and into mainstream services.

Evidence from the COSLA local authority NRPF survey has also informed development of a range of policy recommendations, highlighting clear links between NRPF destitution, homelessness and child poverty. COSLA’s data shows the very real impacts of the NRPF condition on local services in Scotland, and it is particularly concerning as Local Government budgets come under increasing pressure.

Scottish Government and COSLA remain committed to supporting the human rights of those fleeing violence and persecution, as illustrated by the continuing work to support New Scots and displaced people from Ukraine. This EDT Delivery Plan clearly sets out our inclusive approach with a series of ambitious actions, designed to remove barriers, raise awareness, knowledge and increase support for those at risk of destitution.

During 2024/25, a review of the EDT strategy was undertaken in partnership with stakeholders, third sector organisations, people with lived experience and local authorities. The review concluded that the vision and principles of the EDT strategy are as relevant today as the day they were published and remain the focus of our approach. Many of the action areas also remain relevant but there is a need to consider the changed landscape in which the strategy operates.

To that end, we are pleased to present this plan outlining the direction of delivery during this second phase of the EDT strategy.

This EDT Delivery Plan focuses on thirteen cross-cutting action areas to improve outcomes for those with insecure immigration status. These include actions to tackle child poverty, improve financial inclusion, challenge violence against women and girls, ameliorate access to health services and mental health services, as well as continuing to engage with the UK Government to address barriers faced by people with the NRPF condition.

It is recognised that there are limits on action that can be taken because immigration and nationality, including NRPF policy, are reserved to the UK Parliament. We resolve to do as much as possible, within devolved competence, to address destitution. The Scottish Government and COSLA will continue to raise issues impacting people living in Scotland with UK Government in order that policy and legislation prevent, rather than create, destitution. We believe it is morally right that everyone in our communities has their human rights respected and can access support in times of need. We remain bold in our actions and ambitions as we strive to create a fairer Scotland for everyone.

As we move to deliver this plan, it remains important to work together to ensure Scotland is a warm and welcoming country and to deliver change for people who need our support. We must be courageous in utilising the powers that are devolved to us to ensure that people living in Scotland are able to seek support when they need it without fear, and regardless of their immigration status.

Simita Kumar

Minister for Equalities and International Development

Councillor Maureen Chalmers

COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson