Child poverty campaigners react to Programme for Government
- Scottish child payment roll out and increase welcome, but more cash support needed now.
- “Budget review must include a wider package of immediate support.”
Scottish child payment welcomed by families
Responding to today’s Programme for Government John Dickie, Director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland said:
“The confirmation that the Scottish child payment will be increased to £25 and fully rolled out in November will be welcomed by families grappling with immense costs of living pressures.
Take-up must now be maximised so that every eligible child gets the payment, and resources must be prioritised to ensure that at the very least the payment holds its real terms value for families as inflation continues to rise next year”
Budget review must include a wider package of immediate support
“To prevent crisis turning to catastrophe more support for families is needed now. It’s disappointing there was no immediate commitment to doubling the bridging payments being made to school aged children until the child payment is fully rolled out, but the First Minister’s promise that this will be given priority consideration in the imminent emergency budget review is welcome. Families need extra support as a matter of utmost urgency and the budget review must include a wider package of immediate support.”
Double down on child poverty commitments
“Our children need protected from poverty and the damage it wreaks in the longer term too. That’s why the First Minister is right to double down on her child poverty commitments. She needs to ensure that even when the Holyrood budget is squeezed the resources needed to deliver high quality funded childcare, remove barriers to decent work and cut the cost of the school day are protected, enhanced and sustained. When children’s life chances are on the line we need to harness our collective wealth and income to protect and support them. Looking ahead, the Scottish government needs to review all the tax powers it has and make progressive use of devolved taxes to fund the social infrastructure needed, not just to prevent more children being pushed into poverty, but to help end that poverty for good."
Notes
Programme for Government must keep families afloat and double down on ending child poverty