Ministers will travel across the UK next month to hear views of local leaders, charities and those living in poverty.  

The visit comes ahead of the UK Government taskforce's plan to publish a strategy to tackle poverty in Spring next year. 

The group, led by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, will focus on reducing the number of children in relative poverty with a commitment to give all children in the UK “the best start in life”. 

During their trip, they are expected to discuss a range of issues such as employment and housing with local leaders, charities and organisations, parents, children and frontline workers.  

In Scotland, around 240,000 children (24%) were living in relative poverty after housing costs, over the period from 2020 to 2023, according to Scottish Government figures. 


Read more: 

Can you navigate friendships across the political divide?

Scottish Politician Of The Year Awards 2024: Full shortlist revealed

Poll: Should UK politicians get involved in US elections?


Scottish Secretary Ian Murray MP, a member of the Child Poverty Taskforce, said: "As we fix the country's economic foundations, this government is committed to transforming the lives of Scottish children growing up in poverty.

"For too long, governments in Scotland have failed to tackle the causes of child poverty. I am proud to be part of the UK Government's Child Poverty Taskforce, which brings together experts in this field and will use the levers of housing, education, childcare and healthcare to build a better future for all.

The trip announcement comes alongside a promise from the UK Government that they will “build a bold strategy” on Child Poverty by Spring next year which will give young people “the best start in life”. 

The UK Government says it will help households cut their energy bills and reduce fuel poverty through the £150 Warm Home Discount for low-income households and the Warm Homes Plan. Ministers have also promised to give £79 million to devolved governments as part of their Household Support Fund. 

However, the SNP says the UK Government must scrap the “cruel” two child benefit cap as a matter of urgency in order to tackle child poverty. 

On Sunday, a report found that the policy is causing children to go without basic needs including food. 

SNP MSP Collette Stevenson said: “Labour accelerates austerity at Westminster - hampering the considerable progress of the Scottish Government to eradicate child poverty. 

"The most transformational way for the UK government to reduce child poverty would be to immediately scrap the cruel two child cap, with an estimated 87,100 children in Scotland living in households hit by the punitive policy over the last year.

"The SNP has fought tooth and nail to have the two child cap benefit cap scrapped - but it is the Labour party that voted to keep it."

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is due to set out the UK Government's budget on October 30. However, senior Labour politicians have said the Government is not in a place to scrap the cap at the moment.