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ALLIANCE raise human rights impacts of social care charging with UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty

  • Area of Work: Policy and Research
  • Type: News Item
  • Published: 23rd September 2026

Our presentation noted the negative effects of social care charging on human rights including health and adequate standard of living.

On 9 September this year, the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) joined organisations from across the UK to meet with the recently appointed UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Professor Elena Díaz. This meeting was organised as part of the UK Economic, Social and Cutural Rights (ESCR) Network, hosted by Just Fair, which the ALLIANCE is a member of.

In our presentation to Professor Díaz, we highlighted the links between poverty and non-residential social care charging in Scotland. Care charge increases, which in some cases have exceeded 50% or more, contribute to deepening poverty amongst disabled people, people living with long term conditions, and unpaid carers who rely on social care and support. In particular, we noted that the following ESCR convention rights are negatively impacted:

  • The right to social security and to an adequate standard of living, due to policies which do not disregard income from disability payments from charing decisions.
  • The rights to education, work and participation and cultural life, due to limiting people’s ability to leave their homes.
  • The right to health, due to limiting opportunities for social interaction and exercise.

Following the meeting, Just Fair have now published a written briefing containing the submissions from each organisation who participated, including the ALLIANCE. These organisations covered a range of specialisms, including disability, ethnic and racial minorities, children and young people, housing and taxation.

You can find out more about the UK ESCR Network on the Just Fair website.

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