“No room for complacency”: Child poverty campaigners respond to FM child poverty speech

“We need a ratcheting up of action not the stalling we are currently seeing” say Child Poverty Action Group

Responding on today's comments on child poverty from the First Minister the Director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland, John Dickie, said

"Humza Yousaf is absolutely right that the UK government must act to scrap poverty producing policies like the two-child limit and benefit cap. in stark contrast the action taken in recent years by the Scottish government, including the roll out of the Scottish child payment, is leading to hugely welcome reductions in child poverty. But the harsh reality is that the Holyrood government's own analysis is  clear that its existing policy package is insufficient to reach the legally binding target of less than one in ten children living in poverty by 2030. That’s why it was so disappointing that the Budget passed yesterday did nothing to build on current progress. With tens of thousands of Scotland children still locked in poverty there can be no room for complacency – we need a ratcheting up of action not the stalling we are currently seeing. There is far more the First Minister can be doing with devolved powers – starting with delivering the increase to a £30 Scottish child payment that he himself said he wanted to see during his leadership campaign.”

 

ENDS 

For further comment or interviews contact John Dickie, Director of CPAG in Scotland on 07795 340 618

Notes

  1. The Scottish government today published updated modelling suggesting child poverty may be reduced to 16% in 2023/24 – below the interim target set by the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act.
  2. “ Yousaf has previously announced he would look to increase the payment, but says he would push it to £30 per week from £25 in his first budget if elected first minister.” https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2023/mar/07/snp-leadership-debate-live-hamza-yousaf-kate-forbes-and-ash-regan-to-set-out-visions-for-scotland and https://twitter.com/CPAGScotland/status/1633482352193052673
  3. The First Minister promised at his anti-poverty summit in May 2023 that “shifting the dial on poverty – and child poverty in particular” will be a “defining mission” of his government during this Parliament. He subsequently promised to “maximise every lever at our disposal to tackle the scourge of poverty”.