More than 326,000 children across Scotland are now receiving vital support through the Scottish Child Payment, with new figures showing the powerful role this policy is playing in protecting families from poverty.
At the end of March, 326,225 children and young people were benefiting from the payment, which has helped drive Scotland’s child poverty rate four percentage points lower than it would otherwise be.
It is a clear signal that direct, dignified support can change lives.
Under the leadership of John Swinney, tackling child poverty has been placed front and centre of government priorities, with this benefit now serving as a cornerstone of Scotland’s efforts to shield families from Westminster’s welfare cuts.
In stark contrast, the UK Labour Government has yet to publish its long-promised child poverty strategy.
The delay has been met with frustration from campaigners.
Save the Children has warned that failing to act could push a further 20,000 children into poverty.
And there are wider consequences looming.
The UK Government’s own figures suggest that Labour’s plan to cut disability benefits could force 250,000 more people into poverty, including 50,000 children.
MSP Collette Stevenson said the difference in direction is undeniable.
“Scotland is the only part of the UK where child poverty is expected to fall, and that’s directly because of the choices being made here,” she said.
She also pointed to the high satisfaction ratings from people using Social Security Scotland, where 87 percent of respondents rated their experience as good or very good.
“This is what a benefits system based on fairness, dignity and respect looks like in practice,” she said.
While families in Scotland receive targeted, meaningful support, the response from Westminster has often felt cold and detached.
Labour has now been in power for nearly a year but has offered no real action on child poverty.
Hesitant suggestions in the press about possibly reviewing the two-child cap simply don’t match the urgency of the crisis facing thousands of families.
As costs rise and the pressure on low-income households intensifies, families need policies that move at the speed of their lives, not at the pace of internal party debates.
This is not just about benefit systems or fiscal plans.
It’s about ensuring that no child in Scotland starts life under the shadow of poverty, and that no parent is left feeling they’ve been abandoned by those in power.
Scotland is showing what’s possible.
