In the Times today:

A majority of Scots would be happy for the nation’s benefits system to be more generous even if it meant they paid higher taxes, according to research published today. A report also found 79 per cent were in favour of a minimum income guarantee (MIG) being introduced.

The research from IPPR Scotland, who describe themselves as ‘progressive’ as opposed to ‘independent’, also includes this statement:

Following the publication of three significant reports by IPPR Scotland over the
last two years, the Scottish government have made ambitious commitments to
work towards our vision for a ‘living income’ – ensuring an acceptable and dignified
standard of living for everyone in Scotland. These have included:
• delivering a minimum income guarantee (MIG) – an income floor people could
be assured of not falling below – with the establishment of a cross-party
steering group to lead its development
• ensuring the contribution of a universal basic services (UBS) approach underpins
decent living standards. That sees collective services vital to people’s living
standards provided free, subidised by the state, or delivered through ‘social
tariffs’ by companies for those on the lowest incomes
• taking forward action on fair work which provides people with greater job
security, flexibility, and pay and conditions – with the aim of becoming a ‘fair
work nation’ by 2025.

Click to access towards-a-living-income-aug-22.pdf

This research would seem to be further evidence of a difference in Scotland, not that we are all kinder people than all of those in England but that support for kinder, more inclusive politics is stronger here and, crucially, strong enough to produce political action in support of that.

I’ve been on this sensitive topic for years now. Here are some earlier bits of the evdience:

In the Guardian today:

New mothers are being charged up to £14,000 to give birth in England, according to a report on the experiences of migrant women who have been billed for NHS maternity services. The report, published on Thursday by the healthcare charity Doctors of the World (DOTW), reveals that more than a third (37.8%) of the mothers surveyed – who include undocumented, refugee and asylum-seeking women – received a bill for maternity care after their babies were delivered, ranging from £296 to £14,000. Of that group, half were charged £7,000 or more.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/jun/09/migrant-women-charged-up-to-14000-for-nhs-maternity-services-in-england

The situation in Scotland according to the BMJ in May 2019:

Of course, care does not have to be restricted in this way. In Scotland and in Wales, a different approach is being taken. There, “refused” asylum seekers and migrants whose status is deemed “irregular” have the same rights and entitlements to health care as the general population. A recent systematic review reported that policies restricting welfare entitlements increased the likelihood of poor self-rated health and mortality. We propose that, in the absence of such data, approaches in Scotland and Wales demonstrate that the provision of healthcare can be separated from migration policy and align with the principles of ensuring universal healthcare coverage for all. This should not only be welcomed, but strongly encouraged.

https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2019/05/13/creating-a-hostile-environment-for-migrants-transparency-is-needed-on-nhs-charges-and-data-sharing-agreements-in-nhs-england/embed/#?secret=iK21IojhJu

By itself, this might not mean a great deal, other than to the mothers, but together with many other differences, it does:

Scotland IS a different place as its universities offer guaranteed places to care leavers

Abuse of women and the disabled far higher in England than in Scotland

Less homicide, less knife crime, less domestic violence, safer cities and now much lower alcohol problems: should Scotland’s old stereotypes be sent south?

Racial hate crimes increase by 33% in England & Wales while falling by 10% in Scotland: Who says we’re not different?

Scottish Muslim students far less likely to report abuse or crime?

Terror de-radicalisation referral rate in Scotland less than one third per capita of that in England

Only in Scotland! ‘A review of small country’s approaches to public policy reform in response to economic, demographic and other pressures found that only in Scotland could this ‘golden thread’ be so clearly discerned’

Scientific evidence that Scots tend to be different from the other groups in rUK?

Who said Scots were not more left-wing than those in the rest of the UK?

With 1 in 4 living wage employers already in Scotland, the Scottish Government aims to make this a ‘Living Wage Nation’

8% of the UK population and 28% of living wage employers. More evidence that we are different enough to want to run the whole show?

80 000 lowest paid workers in NHS England still on poverty wages as NHS Scotland follows Scottish Government policy to pay a living wage to all public-sector employees

Scottish care workers to receive Living Wage for ‘sleepover’ hours while English care workers receive only the National Minimum Wage.

Different Scotland in the UN report on ‘Workhouse Britain’

Scottish values making oil and gas firms a tad different too?

Are Scotland’s employers also different – more willing to pay a decent wage?

With 1 in 4 living wage employers already in Scotland, the Scottish Government aims to make this a ‘Living Wage Nation’

8% of the UK population and 28% of living wage employers. More evidence that we are different enough to want to run the whole show?

Another difference as UK small and medium-sized business people prefer Boris while Scots prefer…

Another difference between Scotland and rUK?

NHS England’s new motto: Who is laike us? Dem few and they err awl daid!

Scottish Government support for small businesses superior to that in non-Scottish parts of UK