Delivering a fair work recovery in Scotland: Securing a living income for all
Article
Work is at the centre of how we organise our society and our lives.
Fair work can provide people with a decent standard of living, a sense of purpose and a means of contributing to society. But for too many people in Scotland, work fails to deliver decent living standards or the security on which to build a good life.
This paper is the second in a series exploring how to achieve a living income for more people in Scotland, through social security, fair work, and collective services.
In this paper we focus on the role of fair work in achieving a living income for in-work households in Scotland. We argue that fair work can contribute to financial security across four key dimensions:
- decent rates of pay
- sufficient and reliable hours
- good working conditions, including job security, fulfilment, and voice
- opportunity to develop and progress.
Related items

Analysis of industry claims about the effects of higher gambling taxes
Our response to the backlash from the gambling industry on calls for higher taxes.
Rethinking child poverty through enrichment accounts
Every child should have access to activities that build confidence, skills, and opportunity, regardless of income.
Taxing choices: Taking the public’s temperature ahead of the budget
The stakes for a government are rarely higher than at a budget. Every chancellor has dealt with this differently. Ken Clarke would draft his budget speech with cigars and whisky, Gordon Brown pored over every word in what officials called…