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Scottish Human Rights Commission Publishes New Budgeting Resources

Resources aim to embed human rights into public spending decisions ahead of the 2027-28 Scottish Budget.

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The Scottish Human Rights Commission has released new resources to guide decision-makers in prioritising human rights within public spending ahead of the 2027-28 Scottish Budget.

The Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has published a suite of new resources designed to help decision-makers place human rights at the forefront of public spending. These materials are being released in anticipation of this year's Scottish Budget, acknowledging that budget decisions significantly impact people's daily lives and access to public services.
A human rights-based approach to budgeting can ensure public funds are allocated fairly, transparently, and effectively. The new resources, launched ahead of the 2027-28 Scottish Budget, are intended to support a stronger consideration of human rights throughout the entire budget process, from development and implementation to scrutiny.
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"As Scotland prepares for the next Budget, decisions about public spending will play a central role in shaping the future of public services and people's lives. Budgets are one of the clearest expressions of our priorities and values. They show not only what governments plan to do, but who benefits from those decisions and whether they are helping to realise people's rights. At a time when there is a strong focus on public service reform, a human rights based approach can help decision makers make better, more transparent choices about how resources are allocated. It can help ensure spending decisions are focused on improving outcomes for people and communities across Scotland. These resources provide practical support for those involved in developing, scrutinising and influencing budgets. We hope they will help embed human rights in decision making and strengthen accountability for how public money is spent."

Professor Angela O'Hagan · Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission
The resource package includes a Human Rights Budgeting Toolkit for those involved in developing and managing public finances, and a Human Rights Budget Scrutiny Toolkit for those responsible for examining spending decisions and their impact on rights. Tailored Budget Scrutiny Toolkits are also available for MSPs, National Human Rights Institutions, and auditors and public audit bodies.
As Scotland's National Human Rights Institution, the SHRC works to promote and protect human rights across the country. The new guidance aims to support the integration of human rights standards into public spending decisions and accountability processes, fostering more transparent and rights-based decision-making to improve outcomes for people and communities across Scotland.
Based on information from the official source: Scottish Human Rights Commission (12/11/2026)

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