Increase Scottish Child Payment to £40 a week, campaigners urge

Charities are pushing for the Scottish Government to take bold action to tackle child poverty ahead of Tuesday’s Holyrood Budget.

Finance secretary Shona Robison will set out the government’s tax and spending plans for the next financial year on Tuesday afternoon.

Campaigners want to see the Scottish Child Payment increased to £40 per week to help those most in need.

‘It’s about getting your confidence back’

Courtney Gallagher attends stay, play and learn sessions at the Roots to Rise project in Barmulloch.

It gives her a chance to take some time out and provides help for families to access benefits or find a job.

She told STV News: “They do what they can to support you when it comes to work or anything like that – they give you advice.”

Fellow attendee Louise O’Hara added: “The girls were just talking about what I want to do when I go back to work. It’s about meeting new friends and getting a bit of confidence back – realising that you’re not just a mum, you do have a life.”

The UK Government’s decision to scrap the two child benefit cap has freed up more than £100m for the Scottish Government, which had planned to mitigate its impact.

It has promised to use the additional cash to tackle child poverty.

Lorna Kettles from Early Years Scotland said: “It’s only through listening to families with meaningful and constructive consultation – allowing organisations like ourselves to be there – that you’ll understand where the changes need to happen.

“Of course it can happen, but it needs to be done collaboratively. It’s really important that it’s not something that’s used as a vote winner.

“We’re talking about Scotland’s children, we’re talking about the future, we’re talking about the most important people that we have in this country, so there’s a real obligation on the incumbent government and any elected member, plus all of civil society, to really work together in that eradication.”

‘We need action, not promises’

Charities want to see promises turned into bold action in the Budget.

Charis Chittick from One Parent Families Scotland said: “That for us would look like increasing the Scottish Child Payment to £40 a week because we have seen the impact of that on the families that we support.

“It’s important that we build on what is already working, and then we support families to access income maximisation, so that they’re accessing the money that is already owed to them.”

Robison also has big decisions to make on income tax and business rates.

Labour say they will not oppose the measures, meaning they are likely to pass.

But with an election in less than four months, this is a Budget that will bring many key issues into sharp focus.