Briefing for MSPs ahead of 11 June debate: Scottish government priorities - eradicating child poverty

With 1 in 4 children still locked in poverty, all parties must make action on child poverty a priority in order to meet 2030 targets. 

Summary

• Progress already made on child poverty in Scotland to date is welcome – estimates show that Scottish child payment alone is lifting between 40,000-60,000 children out of poverty[1] – and it is hugely encouraging that the First Minister has made ‘eradicating child poverty’ his number one policy priority.
   
• Yet, between 2021 and 2023, 24% of all children (240,000) in Scotland remained locked in poverty[2] (with the impact of the full rollout of Scottish child payment likely to be reflected in next year’s statistics). Over half of Scotland’s Westminster parliamentary constituencies have a rate of at least 1 in 4 children in poverty.[3] The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017, backed by all of Holyrood’s political parties, requires Scottish Ministers to ensure less than 10% of children are living in poverty by 2030, which means bold and decisive action is needed now.
   
• However, just as urgent action is needed, progress and investment to tackle child poverty has stalled. The Tackling Child Poverty Progress Report 2023-2024 presented to parliament on 4 June makes it clear that not all actions set out in the government’s child poverty delivery plan have been adequately funded or delivered.[4]
   
• We urge MSPs to ensure the Scottish government: 
   
  • Delivers an immediate above-inflation increase to the Scottish child payment, and ensure it rises to at least £40 per week by the end of this parliament. 
  • Commits to fully funding commitments made in the 2022-2026 tackling child poverty delivery plan, Best Start, Bright Futures. 
  • Further invests in removing barriers to work for parents through enhanced childcare provision and employability support.
  • Reduces costs for parents including through the rollout of universal free school meals to all primary and secondary pupils.
  • Makes full use of Scotland’s devolved tax powers to progressively ensure local and national government has the revenue needed to eradicate child poverty.
  • Influences change on a UK level, pushing for a UK-level child poverty strategy, the removal of the poverty-producing two-child limit and a £20 per week increase to child benefit.
     

[1]Scottish government modelling projects that in 2024-25, 60,000 children will be kept out of poverty by the Scottish child payment (Scottish Government, Child poverty cumulative impact assessment: update, 2024). CPAG’s own analysis suggest the payment lifts around 50,000 children out of poverty, whilst reducing the depth of poverty for many more (CPAG State of the Nations, forthcoming, 2024). IPPR Scotland modelling in April 2023 estimated 40,000 children to be lifted out of poverty by the £25 payment (IPPR Scotland, Poverty doesn’t have to be inevitable – it needs political will and investment to eradicate, 2023).

[2]Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2020-23, Scottish Government, 2024.

[3]Local Child Poverty Statistics 2024, End Child Poverty Coalition, 2024.

[4]Best Start, Bright Futures Tackling Child Poverty Progress Report 2023-24, Scottish Government, 2024.