People with lived experience of poverty across the Highlands are being invited to help shape future action as part of a major regional initiative.
The Highland Poverty and Equality Commission is now recruiting an experience panel of 20 individuals to take part in a series of workshops aimed at improving support for those facing financial hardship.
The commission, established by Highland Council in 2025, is working to identify the causes, consequences and solutions to poverty, much of which remains hidden across the region’s communities.
Participants will take part in four workshops and will each receive £265 for their contribution.
The panel will play a central role in shaping recommendations, ensuring that future action is grounded in real experiences and practical understanding.
The work forms part of a wider evidence gathering process running until June 2026, with final recommendations expected later this year.
The commission has already identified key challenges, including high living costs, fuel poverty and limited access to services in remote areas.
It found that 33 per cent of households in the Highlands are in fuel poverty, with 22 per cent in extreme fuel poverty, both significantly above the national average.
In work poverty is also a major concern, with an estimated 70 per cent of children in poverty living in working households.
Housing pressures remain acute, with thousands of people on the housing register and hundreds in temporary accommodation.
The commission is also examining issues such as transport, childcare, digital access and the need for fair work opportunities across the region.
Its interim findings highlight how geography and distance continue to shape the experience of poverty in the Highlands.
Efforts so far have included evidence sessions held in communities including Fort William, Kyleakin, Evanton and Golspie, alongside outreach visits to smaller locations.
Further events are planned in Wick and Inverness as the work continues.
Co chair Jim McCormick said:
“It is those with lived experience of poverty in the Highlands who are best placed to tell us about the factors that will make the biggest difference and why.
“Their views will be critical to our final calls to action which we expect will lead to lasting and positive change for the region.”
Co chair Maggie Cunningham added:
“The commission’s purpose is to give people the opportunity to document their experiences and set out the changes that would help improve early intervention and develop joined up approaches to supporting people and tackling the poverty and inequality which affects so many lives.”
Funding has been allocated to support both the commission’s work and the implementation of its recommendations, with £500,000 set aside in the latest council budget.
The experience panel is expected to play a decisive role in ensuring that future policies reflect the realities of life across the Highlands.
