Civic Scotland urges SNP leadership hopefuls to keep child poverty as top priority

Over 70 charities, unions, faith groups, health professionals and social policy experts have joined forces today (Sunday 12th March) to call on the SNP leadership contenders to keep child poverty a top government priority if they become First Minister. The call, coordinated by End Child Poverty members in Scotland, comes just ahead of the ballot opening for SNP members to start voting on the new leader.

The signatories to the letter – including the General Secretary of the STUC, the Unite, Unison and EIS trade unions, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health as well as front-line charities and faith groups across Scotland - urge Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf to commit to build on what they describe as the “hugely positive progress” made under the current First Minister. 

In the letter they say they are pleased to hear the candidates all agree on the need for further increases to the Scottish child payment, as despite real progress, the job of ending child poverty is still far from being achieved. They point to official statistics showing one in four children are still living in poverty and say rising costs are outstripping additional Scottish government supports.

Speaking on behalf of members of the End Child Poverty coalition, John Dickie, Director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland said:

“Huge progress has been made by the Scottish government to put in place the building blocks needed to end child poverty. Investment in the Scottish child payment has relieved pressure on hard pressed families and brought legally binding child poverty targets within reach. But far too many children are still locked in hardship, and it is now vital that those vying to be next First Minister commit to not just sustain current policies but build on them. We want to hear the candidates spell out what action they will take on social security, employment, childcare, housing and family support to ensure no child in Scotland is left in poverty.”

More information

For further details and interviews see CPAG media centre

Notes

  1. See a copy of the letter and 70 signatories.
  2. The 2017 Child Poverty (Scotland) Act introduced by the Scottish government and backed by all the Holyrood parties requires Ministers to meet statutory targets, including to ensure fewer than 18% of children are living in poverty by 2023/24 and less than 10% by 2030.
  3. Tacking child poverty is currently described by the Scottish government as a ‘national mission’ and one of its top three strategic priorities.
  4. See the latest official statistics on child poverty in Scotland.
  5. A recent Institute for Fiscal Studies analysis found that as a result of Scottish tax and benefit policies “amongst the poorest 30% of households, those with children will see their incomes boosted by around a sizeable £2,000 a year on average” compared with the system in England and Wales. 
  6. Recent analysis from Loughborough University shows rising costs outstripping additional Scottish government supports.
  7. All three candidates agreed that the Scottish child payment should be increased during the first STV televised debate see Twitter/X.
  8. Members of End Child Poverty in Scotland include Aberlour Child Care Trust, Action for Children, Barnardo’s Scotland, Children 1st, Children in Scotland, Close the Gap, Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland, Home-Start UK, includem, One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS), Oxfam Scotland, Parenting Across Scotland, Poverty Alliance, Save the Children, The Trussell Trust.