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Programme for Government must demonstrate First Minister's commitment to reducing child poverty

CPAG in Scotland's submission to the call for evidence from the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment

As schools look to a new academic year, school leaders, governors, teaching unions, Child Poverty Action Group and others working in schools have written to Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson MP calling for the two-child benefit limit to be scrapped in the 30th October Budget.

CPAG in Scotland's briefing ahead of the 2024-25 Programme for Government

A briefing on the circumstances that lead to some families missing out on Scottish child payment and other Scottish national and local payments.

'Too many parents have got stuck on benefits or in precarious, low-paid jobs with only quick-fire jobcentre appointments and no real support to get work that pays. A serious plan that tackles the obstacles for would-be workers is welcome. A high-quality employment support service involving local authorities, tailored advice and skills training is long overdue as is a childcare programme that provides an affordable place for every parent that needs one but we hope that childcare will be available to cover training periods for parents who need to skill up in order to get a job with prospects.'

'The new government pledged an ambitious approach to tackling child poverty but there was little to help achieve that aim in the speech today. The two-child limit is the biggest driver of rising child poverty and teachers, struggling parents and even children themselves can testify to the harm the policy is causing to kids day in, day out. All eyes will now be on government’s first budget, which must commit to scrapping this policy. Delaying its abolition will harm many more young lives and undercut the government’s poverty-reduction plans.'

'The taskforce is a welcome first step towards fulfilling the government’s pledge to bring in an ambitious child poverty strategy. But with a record number of kids in poverty now, scrapping the two-child limit on benefits has to happen in the government’s first Budget. The two-child limit is driving up child poverty more than any other policy, children need it to be removed as a priority.'

Seven years after the introduction of the two-child limit, there are almost 1.6 million children in 440,000 families affected by the policy.

Survey of 560 affected families reveals acute hardship. Charities and Church of England call on new government to commit to abolishing the policy this year – ‘...children can’t wait for government to align every star...’