

A fairer Scotland publications
Find the latest reports and briefings produced by or funded by Oxfam Scotland related to poverty, inequality and tax policy in Scotland.

November 2024
This briefing lays out why Scotland’s current tax system isn’t working and how it contributes to widening inequality, underfunded public services, and a failure to address climate change.
It was collaboratively produced by the Steering Group of Tax Justice Scotland, which includes Oxfam Scotland.

June 2024
This report by IPPR Scotland examines how the costs and benefits of transitioning to clean heating across Scotland’s housing stock can be shared fairly. This project was supported by Oxfam Scotland, in collaboration with the Scottish federation of Housing Associations and The Pebble Trust.
Scorecard for the Scottish Budget 2024-25, End Child Poverty Coalition
2024
Scorecard for the Scottish Budget 2024-25, End Child Poverty Coalition
This joint briefing by the End Child Poverty coalition in Scotland compares the Scottish Budget 2024-25 against the coalition’s calls for what is required to shift the dial on child poverty. The Coalition is made up of over 80 organisations.
Shifting the Dial on Child Poverty, End Child Poverty Coalition’s priorities for the 2024-25 Scottish Budget
December 2023
This joint briefing by the End Child Poverty in Scotland campaign outlines the campaign’s priorities for the Scottish Budget in 2024-25. The Coalition is made up of over 80 organisations.
The case for fair tax reform in Scotland
September 2023
This joint briefing note outlines the need for fairer and better tax to fund action on poverty and inequality, while investing in care and tackling the climate crisis. It was collaboratively produced by IPPR Scotland, Oxfam Scotland, Poverty Alliance, CPAG in Scotland, Scottish Women’s Budget Group, One Parent Families Scotland, and the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland, and endorsed by a diverse range of 52 organisations across Scotland.
Thriving, not just surviving
November 2024
This report by One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS), shows that a new approach to employability for single parents and carers is needed. It argues this approach should put access to good-quality, sustainable and rewarding employment at the heart of its design and operation. This research was funded by Oxfam Scotland.
Food insecurity in times of Covid-19 – an insight into a deepening crisis
April 2021
This report explores, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020/21, the escalating scale of food insecurity with a focus on Scotland and on four demographic groups – the homeless, young carers and young adult carers, (destitute) asylum seekers, and people with disabilities. It was produced by Damian Dempsey and Hartwig Pautz from the University of the West of Scotland and funded by the UWS-Oxfam Partnership.
Care, Climate and Covid-19, Building a Wellbeing Economy for Scotland
November 2020
This briefing explores Oxfam Scotland’s priorities and recommendations for the Scottish Parliament both immediately and beyond the Scottish election in May 2021. It focuses on the measures needed to tackle poverty in Scotland, while contributing to sustainable international development and responding to humanitarian crises.
Food insecurity, in-work poverty and gender: a literature review
June 2020
This report outlines the findings of a rapid literature review focussed on how, in the UK, food insecurity intersects with in-work poverty and gender. It was produced by Damian Dempsey from the University of the West of Scotland and funded by the UWS-Oxfam Partnership.
Found Wanting – Understanding Journeys In and Out of Food Insecurity: A Longitudinal Study
October 2019
A Menu for Change: Cash, Rights, Food is a partnership project, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, and managed by Oxfam Scotland, Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, The Poverty Alliance and Nourish Scotland. This report explores how people’s circumstances change following an experience of severe food insecurity. This in-depth, longitudinal research offers a new perspective on food insecurity in the UK.
The Scottish Welfare Fund – Strengthening the Safety Net: A Study of Best Practice
June 2019
A Menu for Change: Cash, Rights, Food is a partnership project, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, and managed by Oxfam Scotland, Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, The Poverty Alliance and Nourish Scotland. The Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) is the major source of cash available to people in Scotland who find themselves without enough money for food. Funded by the Scottish Government and administered by local authorities, it provides nonrepayable grants to people in crisis so they can choose how best to meet their own needs. This report identifies and promotes examples of good practice in the administration of the Fund.
Spiritual beliefs and mental health: a study of Muslim women in Glasgow
January 2019
This report outlines the findings of a review of local social and co-operative business models and their potential to reduce poverty. It was produced by Darryl Gunson, Lawrence Nuttall, Smina Akhtar, Adam Khan, Ghizala Avan and Linda Thomas, in partnership with AMINA, The Muslim Women’s Resource Centre, funded by the UWS-Oxfam Partnership.
Scotland’s local authorities: still ‘bastions of decent work’?
October 2018
This report explores concerns that the provision of decent work by local authorities in Scotland is at risk and investigates how human resources and organisational development personnel with them think about decent work, the importance they attach to it, and what they see as central challenges to providing and promoting decent work. It was produced by Mohammed Ishaq, Stephen Gibb, Asifa Maaria Hussain from the University of the West of Scotland and funded by the UWS-Oxfam Partnership.
Inclusive Business, Recommendations for enhancing the Scottish Business Pledge as a driver of change
August 2018
This briefing makes recommendations for how to strengthen the Scottish Government’s Business Pledge as a tool to drive improved business practice.
What Sort Of Scotland Do You Want To Live In?
2018
This report was prepared by the Carnegie UK Trust in partnership with Oxfam Scotland to inform the Scottish Government’s review of the National Outcomes for Scotland.
Building a More Equal Scotland: Designing Scotland’s Poverty and Inequality Commission
27 April 2017
This report, produced in collaboration with the Fraser of Allander Institute, explores the scale of inequality in Scotland, the drivers behind it, and potential policy responses. It makes recommendations for the Scottish government as it establishes the new Poverty and Inequality Commission.
Decent Work for Scotland’s Low-Paid Workers: A job to be done
7 September 2017
This report presents findings from a unique research project aimed at establishing what low-paid workers in Scotland value as important when it comes to ‘decent work’. It was authored by Francis Stuart from Oxfam Scotland, Hartwig Pautz from the University of the West of Scotland, and Sally Wright from the Warwick Institute for Employment Research, with support from the UWS-Oxfam Partnership.
What Makes For Decent Work? A study with low-paid workers in Scotland
9 March 2017
Increasingly, large numbers of people experience work which is insecure and which is paid at levels which do not allow families to live above the poverty line. Using participatory research methods, this research identifies the priorities of low-paid workers when it comes to the concept of ‘decent work’. It was authored by Francis Stuart and Suzanne Crimin from Oxfam Scotland, Hartwig Pautz from the University of the West of Scotland, and Sally Wright from the Warwick Institute for Employment Research, with support from the UWS-Oxfam Partnership.
What Scotland’s future workforce think about ‘Decent Work'
May 2016
This study investigates 82 Scottish secondary school pupils’ views on and expectations about decent work. It was produced by Amanda Simpson, Janet Moffett and Graham Allan from the University of the West of Scotland and funded by the UWS-Oxfam Partnership.
Exploring ‘Decent Work’ with people with criminal convictions
May 2016
This study investigates how people with criminal convictions think about ‘decent work’ and whether ‘decent work’ could support them desisting from crime. It was produced by Johanne Miller and Lisa Borchardt from the University of the West of Scotland and funded by the UWS-Oxfam Partnership.
‘Decent Work’: the employers’ view
May 2016
This report provides some perspective on the views of employers on the concept of ‘decent work’ based on review of the relevant literature and eight in-depth semi-structured interviews with employers from both the public and private sectors. It was produced by Stephen Gibb and Mohammed Ishaq, Hussain from the University of the West of Scotland and funded by the UWS-Oxfam Partnership.
Even It Up: Scotland’s role in tackling poverty by reducing inequality at home and abroad – Oxfam’s policy priorities for the Scottish Parliament
8 October 2015
In this report, Oxfam Scotland urges the Scottish Parliament to use its powers to reduce inequality and poverty, both at home in Scotland and abroad.
Tea in the Pot: Building ‘social capital’ or a ‘great good place’ in Govan?
March 2015
This report examines the role of a women’s organisation in Govan called Tea in the Pot in serving the needs of its local community and, drawing on this learning, then challenges the appropriateness of the language of ‘social capital’. It was produced by Maria Feeney and Chik Collins, supported by the UWS-Oxfam Partnership.
A Review of Social and Employee-Owned Co-operative Business Models and their Potential to Reduce Poverty
November 2014
This report outlines the findings of a review of local social and co-operative business models and their potential to reduce poverty. It was produced by Geoff Whittam and Steve Talbot, funded by the UWS-Oxfam Partnership.
The Scottish Doughnut: A safe and just operating space for Scotland
25 July 2014
The world faces twin challenges: delivering a decent standard of living for everyone, whilst living within our environmental limits. These two interwoven concerns are depicted by Oxfam’s Doughnut Model. The paper then provides a snap-shot of Scotland’s current situation by assessing performance against suggested domains and indicators.
Oxfam Humankind Index: The new measure of Scotland’s Prosperity, second results
10 June 2013
This report assesses Scotland’s prosperity through a holistic and more representative measure of progress, that goes beyond the dominant economic model of Gross Domestic Product.
Our Economy: Towards a new prosperity
20 June 2013
For too many Scots, the existing economic model is failing. This paper argues that the Scottish economy must pursue policies which deliver for the people, and policy-makers must play a central and driving role as underwriters of community solutions.
The Right to Exist, the Story of the Clydebank Independent Resource Centre
2008
This book tells ‘the story’ of the Clydebank Independent Resource Centre (CIRC), a former partner organisation of Oxfam Scotland. It was produced by Chik Collins from the University of the West of Scotland, with funding and support from Oxfam.