A NEW £10 a week supplement for low-income families to tackle child poverty in Scotland has been welcomed by campaigners as an “absolute game-changer”.
The new Scottish Child Payment will provide eligible families with monthly income supplement payments for every child under 16, with introduction for under-sixes starting by early 2021.
Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell told MSPs the new benefit will reduce poverty and “stands to be one of the most progressive policy proposals put forward since
devolution”.
Describing the latest figures showing almost a quarter of Scottish children live in relative poverty as “completely unacceptable”, Campbell said that the government “are not content to sit blithely by and allow the children of Scotland to bear the brunt of Tory austerity”.
Although plans for introducing the income supplement have been moved forward by a year compared to the previous target, Campbell said that it would not be fully rolled out until 2022, by which time more than one third of all children could be eligible for the payments.
By the time the benefit is rolled out to all eligible families across Scotland – those on benefits including Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Child Tax Credits – the government estimate that 410,000 children could be eligible for the income supplement.
John Dickie, director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland, said: “This new payment is an absolute game-changer in the fight to end child poverty – £10 a week for each child will make a real difference to families struggling to put food on the table, heat their homes and pay for the ordinary school trips, sport and other activities that are fundamental to a decent childhood.
“Today’s announcement is a landmark recognition of the role the Scottish social security system can play in ending child poverty.”
He added: “As a society that believes in justice and compassion, with a Parliament that has unanimously supported action to tackle poverty, today is an important milestone.
“Those who experience poverty, and the organisations that support them, have been listened to and action is being taken.
“Today has shown that we can use our social security powers for a purpose – loosening the grip of poverty on people’s lives.”
Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance, said: “Amid a rising tide of poverty, the new Scottish Child Payment will act as a lifeline for families struggling to stay afloat.
“An additional £10 per week will help unlock tens of thousands of children from poverty and underlines the important role that Scottish social security powers have to address
poverty.
“The early introduction of the new payment in 2020-21 for families with children under six is particularly welcome, and shows what can be done when there is political will to address poverty.”
Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “The Scottish Child Payment will be a lifeline for families up and down Scotland who are being dragged into poverty.
“The Scottish Government only has certain levers at its disposal but this move will offer a much-needed life raft to those who need it most and move us towards being a fairer and more compassionate nation.”
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