June 4, 2024
One in four children in Scotland live with the injustice of poverty in wealthy Scotland. This is simply not acceptable. Last year, the Poverty and Inequality Commission’s scrutiny report concluded that – without urgent and concentrated action – the Scottish Government will miss its 2030 child poverty targets. In the 12 months following the publication of this scrutiny report, we do not believe we have seen the urgent or concentrated action necessary to change this trajectory.
It is in this context that we welcome the Minister’s statement on the progress of the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan. Scotland’s 2030 child poverty targets are necessary, ensuring that efforts to eradicate child poverty are both focused and able to be held to account. However, ambitious commitments must be matched with bold, immediate action.
In our briefing for MSPs ahead of the Ministerial statement, we outline how the Scottish Government can turn rhetoric on justice and compassion into concrete action – including raising the Scottish Child Payment to £40 a week by the end of this Parliament.
You can download it from here.
