Poverty is a scar on our nation

Hard-hitting report blasts governments for failing to tackle deepening crisis

- PAUL HUTCHEON

A DAMNING state-of-the nation report has revealed more than one million Scots are living in poverty.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation a charity that carries out research aimed at ending poverty in the UK - also found a huge rise in "very deep" poverty and called for a national consensus to tackle the scourge.

It blasted: "Both the Scottish and UK Governments are failing to use their powers."

Citizens Advice Scotland chief executive Derek Mitchell said: "Poverty is a scar on Scotland, it destroys lives, families and communities and it needs to be eliminated."

The figures coincide with Challenge Poverty Week starting today. Despite commitments by politicians to tackle deprivation, the JRF report shows the limited progress in cutting poverty rates. Of the one million people in Scotland experiencing poverty, a quarter are children.

The country has a population of 5.5million, meaning one in five people are affected overall.