The SNP is calling on Sir Keir Starmer to follow Scotland’s lead in tackling child poverty.
New research shows that almost two million families across the UK could be lifted out of hardship if key Scottish policies were introduced nationwide.
The call comes ahead of the UK government’s spending review this week.
Analysis by the House of Commons Library reveals that matching the Scottish Child Payment, scrapping the two child benefit cap, and ending the bedroom tax would transform lives across the country.
The figures make for grim reading.
In 2013, 3.7 million children in the UK were living in poverty.
Today, that number has soared to 4.5 million.
Without urgent action, it is set to reach 4.6 million by the end of the decade.
Scotland is the only part of the UK where child poverty is falling.
That is thanks to bold policies introduced by the SNP government.
Chief among them is the Scottish Child Payment of £27.15 per child, per week, paid in addition to other benefits.
The analysis shows that raising the child element of Universal Credit across the UK to match this would lift 732,000 families out of poverty, including 38,000 in Scotland.
Abolishing the two child benefit cap and mitigating the bedroom tax, both of which the SNP has already done in Scotland, would help a further 609,000 families.
In total, adopting all three policies UK-wide would lift 1.84 million families out of poverty, with 75,000 of those in Scotland.
But progress at Westminster has stalled.
The UK government has delayed its child poverty task force review until the autumn after internal rows.
Last year, Labour MPs voted against scrapping the two child benefit cap, in a motion tabled by the SNP.
The Chancellor has also rejected proposals to abolish the bedroom tax.
Meanwhile, further cuts are on the horizon.
Planned reductions to disability benefits will push another 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, into poverty.
Affected families stand to lose an average of £4,500 a year.
SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson Kirsty Blackman MP said the evidence is clear.
“Keir Starmer’s Labour government is keeping almost two million families in poverty by failing to match SNP action,” she said.
“It is shameful that child poverty is rising to record levels under Labour, driven by punitive welfare cuts.”
Ms Blackman urged the Prime Minister to take bold action at this week’s spending review.
She called for the bedroom tax and the two child cap to be scrapped, and for the Scottish Child Payment to be replicated across the UK.
“Scotland is the only part of the UK where child poverty is falling,” she said.
“Families here receive the best cost of living support in the country.
“Westminster must follow our lead, or millions more children will be left in poverty.”
