News: Some good news – but Scotland can still do better for households in poverty

Responding to today’s proposed Scottish Budget, Poverty Alliance Policy & Campaigns Manager Ruth Boyle said: “People in Scotland want a just and compassionate society - but too many feel the system is rigged against them.

“There was some good news today – but we can do much more to make sure that every child in Scotland gets the investment they need for a decent life and a better future.

“Ensuring that every child in primary school gets a healthy breakfast is an excellent investment, because no child should go to school hungry.

“Increasing the Scottish Child Payment to £40 for eligible households with a baby under 1 is welcome and will help families at a time when they face increased costs. However, this must be a first step towards boosting that payment to £40 for every eligible child in the country. That is the kind of fundamental investment the Government needs to make if they are serious about meeting the 2030 child poverty targets.

“With Scotland not on track to meet those legally binding targets, we need all political parties to set out their plans to invest in country where no child lives in poverty. Our children can’t wait any longer.

“We can make that kind of investment in Scotland – and there is support for it. In among the Budget documents is new polling from YouGov showing that 54% of people in Scotland believe that Government should redistribute income from the better-off to those who are less well off. Just 29% disagree.

“The Scottish Government must raise revenue to invest in our shared national priorities, like tackling child poverty and reducing the cost of living. It’s right that the Government has turned to those with the biggest assets to contribute more with a tax on private jets and increased council tax for the highest value homes. This has to be the start of long-promised, fundamental reform of council tax so that our local councils can provide the services that all of us need, and that are a vital lifeline for so many households in poverty.

“The Poverty Alliance will continue to call for the measures we need to provide a Minimum Income Guarantee that no-one will fall under – including increasing wages, investing in strong public services, and providing a social security system that gives everyone in Scotland a secure foundation to build a better future. Today’s budget has some positive steps towards that ambition – but we need to go further and faster if we are to build a Scotland free from poverty.”