School Shouldn’t Cost, The Young People’s Poverty and Education Manifesto 2026 published today, 9 December, sets out what thousands of young people across Scotland say should happen to further reduce the impact of poverty in their schools.
Published today, School Shouldn't Cost: Young People's Poverty and Education Manifesto 2025-31 sets out what thousands of young people across Scotland say should happen to reduce the impact of poverty in their schools.
We wholeheartedly support government’s decision to do the right thing and scrap the two-child limit. Much like the expansion of free school meals, it will improve the lives of children up and down the country. And with record high levels of child poverty in the UK we welcome government’s recognition that publication of the strategy is only the first step. There is much to do and we must now build on this momentum to achieve more tangible change for children.
The festive winter period bring fun, but often also financial pressures for families on low incomes. Our joint report with the National Education Union covers how schools can reduce costs to make festive celebrations accessible to all.
Twelve young people from the Cost of the School Day Voice network met with the First Minister, John Swinney, and the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth. They met at the First Ministers official residence, Bute House in Edinburgh, for a discussion about how the government can help further reduce the impact of poverty in Scotland’s schools.
Scrapping the two-child limit will be transformational for children. This is a much-needed fresh start in our country’s efforts to eradicate child poverty and while there is more to do it gives us strong foundations to build on. Every child deserves the best start in life and with today’s decision government has done the right thing.
A poll of English primary and secondary teachers, conducted by the NEU, found six in seven teachers (86%) say child poverty is limiting opportunity for their pupils to some extent. Two in five say it is limiting pupil opportunity greatly.
