Response to the Scottish Government's Call for Evidence: Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2026-2031

Read our response to the Scottish Government's consultation on the next Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan.

Since the introduction of the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 and over the course of the two previous tackling child poverty delivery plans, there has been positive action and investment to tackle child poverty in Scotland. The latest official child poverty statistics showed relative child poverty to be falling in Scotland despite rising to a record high across the UK as a whole. 

Despite progress, the drivers of child poverty - inadequacy of income through employment and social security combined with the costs that families face - mean that 23% of children in Scotland remained locked in poverty between 2021 and 2024.1 It has also now been confirmed that the interim 2023-24 child poverty targets established in the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act have been missed. While it is clear that existing actions have proven to be effective, progress is not happening fast enough. To meet the 2030 targets, the final child poverty delivery plan will need to be even stronger, more focused and more ambitious than its predecessors. 

Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland welcomes the opportunity to share evidence with the Scottish Government to inform the development of the next plan, highlighting both where existing action can be proven to have a clear impact and where future investment will make the most difference.