Scots ministers told to 'end the scandal' of one in five children in poverty

And they say Scottish ministers must act now to increase financial support to struggling families in advance of full roll out of Scottish child payment to under 16 amid a deepening cost of living crisis.

Other child poverty hotspots include North Ayrshire, where 24.7% of children were living in poverty, East Ayrshire (24%), Clackmannanshire (23.9%), West Dunbartonshire (23.4%) and North Lanarkshire (23.2%).

The study of Department for Work and Pensions 2020/21 data also reveals a postcode lottery of child well-being with East Dunbartonshire most protected from child poverty with just one in eight (12.8%) affected.

Other local authority areas least hit include East Renfrewshire (12.8%), Aberdeenshire (14.2%), Na h-Eileanan Siar (16.7%), the City of Edinburgh (17.2%) and Stirling (18.1%).

The research carried out by Dr Juliet Stone at the Centre for Research in Social Policy, at Loughborough University looked into those children living in households below average income while adjusted to take housing costs into account.

The End Child Poverty coalition in Scotland - including Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, Save the Children, Trussell Trust, Poverty Alliance, Oxfam Scotland, Close the Gap, Aberlour and Children 1st say that levels of child poverty have remained "stubbornly high" across Scotland and the rest of the UK They say the new data shows just how important additional investment in the new Scottish child payment will be to supporting families through the cost of living crisis and to drive forward efforts to meet Scotland’s child poverty targets.

The payment was introduced from February 2021 for children under six where families are in receipt of universal credit. Its value was doubled from £10 to £20 per week in April 2022 and it will increase to £25 per week when rolled out to all eligible under 16s by the end of the year.

Bridging payments for school aged children were not doubled and the coalition is urging Scottish ministers to "act now" to double the payments in advance of the full roll out.

The payments were introduced as providing “cash equivalent to the Scottish child payment” for eligible school aged children until full roll out of the Scottish child payment itself.

But the coalition say they have not been doubled as the payment has, despite the growing pressure the cost of living crisis is placing on family finances.

The coalition is also calling on the UK Government to ensure UK benefits keep pace with inflation permanently not just through one-off measures announced by the Chancellor in May.

Scotland has lower levels of child poverty than England or Wales, but the campaigners say that whilst progress is being made there can be no room for complacency if Scotland’s statutory child poverty targets, which were agreed by all the Holyrood parties, are to be met.

The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act requires the Scottish Government to ensure fewer than 18% of children are living in poverty by 2023/24.

Scotland’s Poverty and Inequality Commission recently warned that meeting the 2030 target will require “more transformational change” to address the drivers of poverty – including action to reshape the economy.

The coalition also highlights that Scotland’s independent care review, The Promise, was clear that “there must be significant, ongoing and persistent commitment to ending poverty and mitigating its impacts for Scotland’s children, families and communities.”

Councils and local health boards are also required to publish annual Local Child Poverty Action Reports setting out action being taken at local level to tackle child poverty.

The coalition is now urging newly elected councillors across Scotland to use local powers, including over economic development, housing and financial support, to maximise family incomes and reduce the costs parents face.

They say the Scottish government should also ensure that local authorities have the resources needed to effectively deliver local services that tackle child poverty.

Speaking on behalf of members of End Child Poverty Ed Pybus, of the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, said: “The figures show just how big a difference investment in social security can make, and how important the Scottish government’s new Scottish child payment is and will continue to be if Scotland is to end the scandal of children living in poverty.

"Progress is being made but, as low-income families struggling to cope with spiralling prices know all too well, there is no room for complacency, and we need every level of government to do its bit if we are to meet Scotland’s child poverty targets. The UK government must now commit to ongoing increases in UK family benefits.”

He added: “Here in Scotland we urge newly elected councillors to use every tool at their disposal to boost family incomes and reduce the costs families face. That means using local powers to deliver more cash support to families, support decent jobs - especially for women and those affected by disability, and improve access to high quality, free and accessible childcare. Finally, the Scottish government should act now to double bridging payments in advance of the full roll out of the Scottish child payment to ensure school aged children get the same support as the under sixes who are already benefitting from the payment.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “In April we accelerated the doubling of our Scottish Child Payment to £20 per week and we have committed to increase it to £25 when we extend it to under 16s by the end of the year – a 150% increase in under a year.

“Ahead of the extension to under 16s we introduced bridging payments. These payments alongside our Best Start Grants and Best Start Foods are vital forms of financial support only available to families in Scotland.

“Social security alone cannot end child poverty – that is why our Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan also includes actions to support parents with employment and to reduce household costs.

“Through the 2022-23 Scottish Budget, almost £3 billion has been allocated to a range of support that will help mitigate the impact of the increased cost of living. This includes work to tackle child poverty, reduce inequalities and support financial wellbeing, alongside social security payments not available anywhere else in the UK.”