SNP child welfare policies mean low-income families in Scotland are “significantly better off” than those in England, according to the author of a new report.

The paper from the Centre of Research on Social Policy at Loughborough University analysed the impact of policies including child payments, free school meals, clothing grants and free bus travel on the cost of bringing up a child.

Commissioned by Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, the report builds on calculations that show the minimum cost of bringing up a child in the UK, excluding childcare costs, is around £76,000 in a two-parent family and £103,000 in a single-parent family. 

Assuming that the Scottish child payment is doubled to £20 a week (as is planned for April) and fully rolled out, and all primary school children are receiving free school meals, it found that the cost of bringing up a child in Scotland was 31% lower than elsewhere in the UK.

But the income of the average two-child family in Scotland on out-of-work benefits still falls about 30% short of meeting their needs, compared to 40% in the rest of the UK.

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SNP MSP Kaukab Stewart said: “It is encouraging to see clear evidence that SNP policies are reducing the financial challenges facing families right now.

“From expanding free, high-quality childcare to protecting family incomes by being the only part of the UK to have the Scottish Child Payment – one of five family benefits, the SNP in Government is supporting families across Scotland where we can.

“Unfortunately, the damaging impact of Westminster control means the efforts of the Scottish Government are diminished by toxic Tory cuts and a spiralling Tory cost of living crisis which the UK Government is not addressing in any meaningful way.

“Every day we are seeing that the only way to deliver a fairer future is for Scotland to become an independent country.“

Significant differences between Scottish and UK Government policy include free school meals for children in P4-P7, free bus travel for under 22s, the Scottish Child Payment, best start grants and the school clothing grant.

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Professor Donald Hirsh, the author of the report, said the Scottish Government's policies "make a substantial difference for families".

He added: “The rising cost of raising a child and the failure in recent years to match this with improvements in help from the state has left many families in the UK struggling to make ends meet.

“This report shows however that in Scotland, families are significantly better off in this regard, as a result of Scottish Government policies seeking to address the problem, and also childcare costs that have not risen as fast as in England.

“Benefit levels still remain well below what families need but it is encouraging to see policies at the Scottish level that make a substantial difference for families.”

John Dickie, director of the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, said: “This new analysis shows just how big a difference long campaigned for policies like the doubling of the Scottish child payment and roll out of universal free school meals will make.

"But it’s absolutely vital Holyrood Ministers press ahead to ensure they are all delivered this year and that all families are able to take up the extra support they are eligible for. 

"Scotland really is making progress tackling child poverty, but as the cost of living soars families need extra help now if they are to stay afloat this year."

Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: “The Scottish Child Payment, designed to tackle child poverty head-on, will be doubled to £20 per week from April – four times more than campaigners originally asked for. Combined with our three Best Start Grants and Best Start Foods, low-income families will receive £8400 of financial support by the time their first child turns six.

“We’re also providing immediate support to over 144,000 school-age children through Bridging Payments worth £520 this year and last, ahead of the extension of the Scottish Child Payment to under 16s by the end of the year.

“Our ambitious measures are already delivering considerable support to families compared with other parts of the UK – for example, through at least 1140 hours of funded early learning and childcare, employment support, maximising incomes, affordable housing, and social security.

"We remain the only part of the UK to have five family benefits."

A UK Government spokesman said: “We recognise the pressures people are facing with the cost of living, which is why we’re providing support worth around £20 billion this financial year and next to help.

"This includes putting an average of £1000 more per year into the pockets of working families via changes to Universal Credit, freezing fuel duties to keep costs down and helping households with their energy bills through our £9.1 billion Energy Bills Rebate.

"We have also boosted the minimum wage by more than £1000 a year for full-time workers and our £500 million Household Support Fund is helping the most vulnerable with essential costs."