Politicians must use fairer taxes to tackle Scotland’s poverty crisis

Heather Kay, Manager of the STAR Project, recently delivered a keynote speech at our Talking Tax event looking at the role fair taxes can play in tackling poverty. 

Tax Justice Scotland is seeking to promote a better conversation on tax policy. As such, the views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Tax Justice Scotland and its diverse supporters.

For more than 25 years, the STAR Project has worked to tackle poverty and build safer, more connected communities in Renfrewshire.

Every day at STAR, we see the reality of poverty, and let me tell you, it’s not about poor choices or laziness – it’s about a system stacked against ordinary people.

Take Janet, a mum who came to us recently. She works part-time, budgets carefully and does everything right. Yet she skips meals so her children can eat. She feels ashamed of asking for help, as if she’s failed. But Janet hasn’t failed – the system has.

These stories aren’t rare tragedies. They’re the daily grind for thousands. People working multiple jobs still can’t afford the basics. Children miss out on school trips because families can’t cover bus fares.

Cuts to public services make things worse, not just for families but for charities like ours. In the last three years, with the equivalent of six full-time staff, we’ve supported over 26,000 people. That is what systemic inequality looks like. It’s why I shared our community’s experiences at Tax Justice Scotland’s first in-person event.

Because these stories are not outliers, they are the direct consequence of how our tax and public spending choices are made.

Tax Justice Scotland brings together civil society organisations, economists, trade unions, academics and campaigners who believe our tax system can and should do more to reduce inequality, adequately fund public services, and protect people’s dignity.

From the frontline, I can say with certainty that without fairer tax, we will continue to ask communities and charities to absorb the damage of political choices they didn’t make.

We believe Scotland’s devolved and local tax systems have the power to drive positive social and environmental change by supporting higher public spending, redistributing wealth more fairly, and shaping responsible business practices.

Here’s the truth. Poverty isn’t inevitable. It’s created and sustained by policy decisions. One of the most powerful tools we have to change this is tax. If those with the broadest shoulders contribute more, we can guarantee life’s essentials – food, heating, housing, healthcare, not as luxuries, but as rights. A fairer tax system would mean:

• Social security that protects people from destitution and provides a proper foundation on which people can build a better life for themselves and their households;
• Properly funded schools, health services, and councils, helping safeguard the vital services that we all need to live with dignity;
• Investment in good health and sustainable incomes, not just crisis responses. Scotland has the resources we need. We can use those resources to invest in a better future.

What we lack is political courage. We need a tax system that protects the poorest, not punish them. That’s not a radical utopia, it’s simple, practical common sense.

For too long, we’ve heard broken promises and empty platitudes. Now we need action – a clear commitment that tax will be used to build a fairer Scotland and make a measurable impact on people’s lives.

At STAR, we pledge every day that we will not bury another person because of political egos. Today, I ask, will you help us keep that promise?

This article also appeared in The National.