Inequality — Communities Channel Scotland

Covid-19 and climate change are clearly pressing issues of our time, but that doesn’t mean the issue of inequality has gone away. In fact, inequality in all it’s forms is currently as stark as ever, and is right at the heart of these and many other challenges.

Tackling inequality, whether locally or globally, underpins community development and is a key focus of community activity across Scotland. As a result, you will find most of the resources on Communities Channel Scotland are relevant to this area. But it is also helpful to highlight organisations and tools which are more excplicitly focused on inequality.

What about ‘equality’?

An important question, since ‘inequality’ and ‘equality’ are often ‘two sides of the same coin’, while at the same time there can be important differences in emphasis.

By ‘inequality’, we (Communities Channel Scotland) tend to refer to unequal amounts of power, health, wealth, education, income, good quality housing and other important aspects of life such as digital technology and transport.

By ‘equality’, we are refering to the importance of not discriminating against people and groups because of who they are - the focus here is usually on ‘protected characteristics’ which are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

Clearly a lot of inequality results from discrimination so equality and inequality are important dimensions of one another.

See our equality and involving everyone sections for organisations and resources focused on equality.
Human rights is another area related to both equality and inequality. See our dedicated human rights page.

Below you can find a collection of useful resources related to inequality.

Featured

Cost-of-living, Inequality, Poverty, Child poverty

Examples of communities tackling inequality

Cost-of-living, Inequality, Poverty, Child poverty

From supporting people affected to influencing change, community organisations are at the forefront of action around inequality and the cost-of-living. We’ve featured some of them on Communities Channel Scotland.

Cost-of-living, Inequality, Poverty, Child poverty

Inequality, Child poverty, Children, Poverty, Cost-of-living

Child Poverty Action Group

Inequality, Child poverty, Children, Poverty, Cost-of-living

Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) works on behalf of the more than one in four children in the UK growing up in poverty. This includes understanding what causes poverty, the impact it has on children’s lives, and how it can be prevented and solved.

Inequality, Child poverty, Children, Poverty, Cost-of-living

Health and wellbeing, Health inequalities, Poverty, Inequality

Scottish Communities for Health & Wellbeing

Health and wellbeing, Health inequalities, Poverty, Inequality

Scottish Communities for Health and Wellbeing (SCHW) is a coming together of 74 community-led organisations across Scotland supporting health and wellbeing in their communities.

Health and wellbeing, Health inequalities, Poverty, Inequality

Poverty, Deprivation, Evidence, Research, Quantitative

Social Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD)

Poverty, Deprivation, Evidence, Research, Quantitative

The SIMD is a way of helping understand and find which areas in Scotland are ‘deprived’. It could be useful if you want to understand more about the profile of neighbourhoods in your area and where services could be targeted, or if you need to show data relating to poverty and inequality in your community, such as for a funding application.

Poverty, Deprivation, Evidence, Research, Quantitative

Cost-of-living, Poverty, Child poverty, Social security, Benefits, Welfare

Help during the cost of living crisis

Cost-of-living, Poverty, Child poverty, Social security, Benefits, Welfare

This Scottish Government website has links to guidance and support for energy and bills, benefits and income, children and families, debt and money, health and wellbeing and older or disabled people.

Cost-of-living, Poverty, Child poverty, Social security, Benefits, Welfare

Cost-of-living, Poverty, Finance, Employment

Citizens Advice Scotland

Cost-of-living, Poverty, Finance, Employment

As well as providing links to your local citizens advice bureau, citizens advice scotland offer advice on their website relating to a range of issues, including welfare, financial hardship and other issues.

Cost-of-living, Poverty, Finance, Employment

Poverty, Cost-of-living, Inequality

Challenge Poverty Week

Poverty, Cost-of-living, Inequality

Launched by the Poverty Allliance in 2013, Challenge Poverty Week is an opportunity for us to raise our voices against poverty and unite with others in calling for a just and equal Scotland.

Poverty, Cost-of-living, Inequality

Poverty, Cost-of-living, Housing, Policy, Employment, Universal credit, Welfare, Social security, Inequality

Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Poverty, Cost-of-living, Housing, Policy, Employment, Universal credit, Welfare, Social security, Inequality

The JRF website is a useful place to go for information and policy thinking in relation to poverty, inequality, universal credit and welfare, work and pay, housing and a range of other issues. Any group campaigning around these issues should check the website out.

Poverty, Cost-of-living, Housing, Policy, Employment, Universal credit, Welfare, Social security, Inequality

Community-led health, prevention, Community capacity building, Health and wellbeing, Health inequalities

Community Health Exchange (CHEX)

Community-led health, prevention, Community capacity building, Health and wellbeing, Health inequalities

CHEX promotes and supports community-led health, a way for people in a community to take joint action to improve things for their community, leading to improved health and wellbeing and helping to address health inequalities. Most community-led activity fits this description, and CHEX welcomes any interested community groups to join its network and take advantage of resources, support and other opportunities on offer. CHEX also provides a searchable database of community-led health organisations.

Community-led health, prevention, Community capacity building, Health and wellbeing, Health inequalities

Social Impact Pledge, Poverty, Inequality, Cost-of-living

Social Impact Pledge

Social Impact Pledge, Poverty, Inequality, Cost-of-living

The Social Impact Pledge is about simple ways that public bodies can make a difference to communities. Here are some pledges made by public bodies that make commitments to address poverty and inequality.

Social Impact Pledge, Poverty, Inequality, Cost-of-living

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