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Attitudes to the ‘Necessities of Life’: Would an Independent Scotland Set a Different Poverty Standard to the Rest of the UK?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2014

Maria Gannon  and
Nick Bailey
Maria Gannon
Affiliation:
School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow E-mail: maria.gannon@glasgow.ac.uk
Nick Bailey
Affiliation:
School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow E-mail: nick.bailey@glasgow.ac.uk
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Abstract

This article examines whether the population of Scotland would set a different poverty standard compared with the rest of the UK. It is based on research on a consensual or democratic poverty measure, defined by majority views of the items or activities which should be considered the ‘necessities of life’. The article explores whether majority opinions are the same in Scotland as in the rest of the UK. More generally, it explores how attitudes differ north and south of the border, and possible reasons for this. Data on attitudes were collected through three closely related surveys in 2011 and 2012. The analysis suggests that, in the early years at least, a more independent Scotland would be unlikely to set a different social minimum. On this topic, as on many others, attitudes in Scotland are very similar to those in the rest of the UK.

Keywords

Povertydeprivationconsensual measureScotlandattitudes
Type
Articles
Information
Social Policy and Society , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , July 2014 , pp. 321 - 336
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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