The Most Rev Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church joined leaders of the Church of Scotland and the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland in signing a statement calling for: “the Scottish and UK Governments to set aside political differences and come together in a spirit of pragmatism and compassion to seek effective solutions” to the ongoing cost of living crisis across the UK.

The statement comes after recent news reports that the rise in energy bills will have a devastating affect, pushing many thousands into fuel poverty, as well as rising inflation affecting the prices of household goods.

The full statement reads:

The Church of Scotland, the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Roman Catholic Church, along with Christians and people of other faiths and those of no faith, are deeply concerned about the cost of living crisis.

The cost of living is rising fast. Energy bills are expected to increase significantly in April and inflation is pushing up the cost of essentials, including food. This will hurt low income families more than most and push more people into deep poverty, creating for some the grim choice between eating or heating. These are not luxuries, they are the very basics.

It is a tragedy that poverty, especially child poverty, continues to be a significant problem in the United Kingdom in 2022.

We urge both the Scottish and UK Governments to set aside political differences and come together in a spirit of pragmatism and compassion to seek effective solutions to this very serious and worsening situation. We call on political leaders to listen to those who have lived experience of poverty and to follow this engagement with the creation of conditions necessary to support people out of poverty and to prevent people falling into poverty in future.

At the same time we applaud the hard work of third sector and charitable organisations who, despite having to contend with a surge in demand and financial challenges of their own, continue to support the poor and vulnerable in our communities through essential and life-sustaining services.

The Most Rev Mark Strange, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
Rt Hon Lord Wallace, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Rt Rev Hugh Gilbert, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland