A quarter of kids live in poverty

A quarter of children in a Rutherglen postcode area are living in poverty.

New figures have revealed how many youngsters throughout Scotland are facing financial trouble and a disadvantaged background.

Data from the Office for National Statistics, published for all areas of the UK, showed that 175,009 kids in Scotland were below the breadline in March last year, up from 158,781 in March 2015 – or one in seven in Scotland.

The worst affected ward in Rutherglen and Cambuslang was Spittal, with 25 per cent of youngsters there classed as being in child poverty.

Other areas struggling include Bankhead South, with 24 per cent, Burnhill & Bankhead North on 21 per cent, Vicarland & Cairns on 19 per cent and Westburn & Newton, also on 19 per cent.

The ward with the lowest number of affected kids was Cambuslang Central, with nine per cent.

However, even the region’s worst figures are far behind the nation’s poorest, with 69 per cent in Govanhill West – which falls under the Glasgow Southside seat of Nicola Sturgeon – below the breadline.

Sixty-one per cent (107,507) of kids living in poverty last year in Scotland had at least one working parent.

Scottish Labour spokesperson for social justice and security, Pam Duncan-Glancy, said: “What a damning indictment of the SNP’s record on child poverty this is.

“After 15 years in government, child poverty is still rising , even in the FM’s own constituency.”

Charities have warned child poverty is likely to worsen with the rise in food and energy costs taking effect, coupled with the £20 increase in Universal Credit being scrapped last October.

The Poverty Alliance, which represents 350 groups across Scotland, said the figures were a shameful injustice.

Director Peter Kelly added: “No child should have their life chances restricted and restrained simply because of where they were born.”

Imran Hussain, head of policy and campaigns at Action for Children, said: “Unless the Government chooses to shield them now by protecting benefits from rising inflation, it will fail on its manifesto pledge to cut child poverty and millions of families will continue to face years of miserable hardship.”

John Dickie, director of the Child Poverty Action Group, said: “It is worrying that many of the children affected have full-time working parents. This shows many jobs are failing to pay a living wage.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said the figures were partly due to the government only having “limited powers” to cause change.

They stated: “Tackling child poverty is our national mission and we are helping to lift thousands of children out of poverty in Scotland within our limited powers.”

He added its Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan “is backed by new investment of £113million on top of funding already allocated.”