Director of Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland, John Dickie responds to today's (2 April 2026) IFS Labour market, living standards and poverty trends in Scotland report.
There are 4 million children in poverty in the year April 2024 to March 2025 (2024/25) new DWP statistics show. Today’s Households Below Average Income (HBAI) reports 4 million children – 27% – were in poverty in 2024/25. The two-child limit was in place in this period and will be removed from April 2026.
New official government data published today confirms child poverty is falling in Scotland. The number of children in poverty in Scotland fell from 25% between 2020-2023 to 21% in 2022 to 2025. Across the UK as a whole 27% of children were still living in poverty in 2024/25.
As the Bill to scrap the two-child limit gets its second reading in Parliament today, 63 organisations - including those representing children’s doctors, teachers, health visitors and anti-poverty charities - have published a statement urging MPs to vote for ending the policy.
School Shouldn’t Cost, The Young People’s Poverty and Education Manifesto 2026 published today, 9 December, sets out what thousands of young people across Scotland say should happen to further reduce the impact of poverty in their schools.
We wholeheartedly support government’s decision to do the right thing and scrap the two-child limit. Much like the expansion of free school meals, it will improve the lives of children up and down the country. And with record high levels of child poverty in the UK we welcome government’s recognition that publication of the strategy is only the first step. There is much to do and we must now build on this momentum to achieve more tangible change for children.
