EHRF Budget Submission

Protecting Scotland’s Equality and Human Rights Infrastructure

BEMIS’s submission to MSPs, January 2026

Purpose of this Submission

BEMIS Scotland and the Race, Equality and Human Rights Network (REHRN) submit this briefing to MSPs to seek support for an inflation-linked uplift to the Equality and Human Rights Fund (EHRF) in the 2026/27 Scottish Budget.

The EHRF is a cornerstone of Scotland’s equality and human rights infrastructure. However, despite increasing demand and statutory expectations, the fund has remained cash-flat since 2021, resulting in a significant real-terms reduction due to sustained inflation.

To maintain the fund’s original value and ensure continued delivery against national outcomes and legal duties, we ask MSPs to support an uplift from £8 million  to £10.3 million per annum from 2026/27, with future index-linking to inflation.

This position to ensure that annual funding matches inflation has been endorsed by BEMIS, The Poverty Alliance, FENIKS, Central Scotland Regional Equality Council, West of Scotland Regional Equality Council, Multi-Cultural Family Base, AMINA (The Muslim Womens Resource Centre), The Equality Network and Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland. We anticipate that further Equality and Human Rights Funded organisations will join us in the coming period.  

Context: Inflation and Real-Terms Cuts

The Equality and Human Rights Fund has been set at approximately £8 million per year since its launch in 2021. Over the same period, cumulative UK inflation has been approximately 25%.

This means that in real terms:

  • The purchasing power of the fund has fallen to the equivalent of around £6.2 million
  • Funded organisations are delivering under significantly constrained conditions
  • Rising costs (staffing, premises, utilities, digital delivery) are not matched by funding levels

This constitutes a hidden cut to equality and human rights provision at a time when:

  • Racial inequality is deepening
  • Cost-of-living pressures are disproportionately impacting racialised and marginalised communities
  • Demand for rights-based advocacy and support is increasing

Alignment with the National Performance Framework

The Equality and Human Rights Fund directly supports delivery of Scotland’s National Performance Framework, particularly the following National Outcomes:

Communities

“We live in communities that are inclusive, empowered, resilient and safe.”
EHRF-funded organisations support community empowerment, racial justice, and cohesion, ensuring marginalised communities are heard and protected.

Human Rights

“We respect, protect and fulfil human rights and live free from discrimination.”
The fund enables specialist organisations to uphold rights, challenge discrimination, and support compliance with equality and human rights duties.

Children and Young People

“We grow up loved, safe and respected so that we realise our full potential.”
Race equality and human rights organisations provide preventative and advocacy-based support that protects children and young people from discrimination and harm.

Fair Work and Poverty Reduction

Erosion of equality funding undermines fair work in the third sector and weakens Scotland’s ability to address structural inequalities that drive poverty.

Failure to uprate the fund risks undermining delivery against these National Outcomes.

Alignment with Human Rights Standards and Duties

Maintaining a robust equality and human rights sector is essential for Scotland to meet its obligations under:

  • The Public Sector Equality Duty
  • International treaties including ICERD, CEDAW, CRC and ECHR
  • The Scottish Government’s commitments to human rights incorporation

Human rights standards require:

  • Progressive realisation of rights
  • Non-retrogression — states must not allow rights protections to deteriorate without strong justification

Allowing inflation to erode the EHRF represents a de facto regression in rights protection capacity, contrary to these principles.

Budget Ask for 2026/27

BEMIS Scotland and REHRN ask MSPs to support the following in the 2026/27 Budget:

1. Uplift the Equality and Human Rights Fund from £8 million to £10.3 million per annum

  • Restores the fund to its 2021 real-terms value
  • Additional funds to be distributed to each organisation proportionately reflective of their pre-exiting grant agreements.
  • Represents an inflation adjustment, not an expansion
  • Enables organisations to maintain existing service levels and workforce capacity

2. Commit to inflation-linked uprating

  • Prevents repeated real-terms cuts
  • Provides stability and predictability for funded organisations
  • Aligns with good practice in public funding and human rights budgeting

Why This Matters to MSPs

Supporting this uplift will:

  • Protect Scotland’s equality and human rights infrastructure
  • Support delivery of National Outcomes
  • Strengthen preventative approaches and reduce long-term costs
  • Demonstrate Scotland’s commitment to human rights-based budgeting

Failure to act risks:

  • Weakened race equality capacity
  • Increased pressure on statutory services
  • Erosion of public confidence in Scotland’s human rights commitments

Conclusion

The Equality and Human Rights Fund underpins Scotland’s ability to deliver inclusive, rights-based public policy. Maintaining its real-terms value is the minimum necessary to ensure Scotland continues to meet its legal duties, National Outcomes, and human rights commitments.

BEMIS Scotland and the Race Equality and Human Rights Network urge MSPs to support an inflation-linked uplift to £10.3 million per annum from 2026/27, ensuring equality and human rights are protected in practice, not just in principle.