7.7 Poverty – Homeless and Gambling Harm Learning

Definition: Poverty

Poverty is described by the Scottish Government as a household that has an income of less than 60% of the average income for that household type. Since the COVID-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis, more people in Scotland are now living in poverty.⁹⁹

Homelessness perspective¹⁰⁰

The underpinning reasons for the high number of people experiencing homelessness in Scotland is a:

Homelessness and poverty are inextricably linked. If you do not have enough money to afford your rent and bills you will be asked to leave your property.

Poverty and low income prevent people from accessing potential housing options and if they do, they may find it hard to sustain this tenancy. Poverty increases your risk of illness and with the 3.9% of Scotland's workforce not having set working hours, this could mean unemployment, lack of sick pay and the loss of your housing.¹⁰¹

Activity

Fill in the missing word to show how poverty breeds marginalisation and division in society which can lead to homelessness.

Poverty is the common factor in both individual and structural causes of homelessness.

Gambling perspective

Gambling harm impacts people from all socio-economic backgrounds. However, people living in low-income households are particularly likely to experience harm.

With 1 in 5 people in Scotland living in poverty,¹⁰² gambling is sometimes seen as a potential way out of desperate circumstances or a difficult financial situation. Gambling companies knowingly profit from this - 10 times more gambling premises, such as bookies, are located in the most deprived areas than in the least deprived areas.¹⁰³

Motivations

Gambling is sometimes seen as a coping mechanism, or an escape when experiencing hardship. Charities report an increase in people gambling to try to make ends meet or pay bills due to the cost of living crisis.

Exposure

Betting shops are 10 times more likely to be found in more deprived areas than in the least deprived areas. Research identified Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Glasgow, and the City of London as having the most betting shops per person.¹⁰⁴

Past experiences

Early experience of economic deprivation, uncertainty, or food scarcity encourages people to prefer smaller-sooner rather than larger-later rewards.¹⁰⁵

Gambling harms are linked to several different poverty measures including unemployment, housing instability, homelessness, low income, and social deprivation.¹⁰⁶