Let’s make Scotland a land of opportunity for our kids

THIS year’s Scottish Budget will back our national mission to tackle child poverty and strengthen support available for families during the cost of living crisis.

We all know the most immediate and direct way to address poverty is by putting more money into the pockets of people who need it most and ensuring a decent standard of living.

That is why we are doubling the Scottish Child Payment to £20 a week from April 2022 and extending it to all under-16s by the end of next year. This benefit is designed to tackle child poverty head-on.

Once expanded, around 400,000 children will be eligible, and 40,000 are estimated to be lifted out of poverty in 2023-24.

The doubled payment, together with the three Best Start Grant payments and Best Start Foods, can give families up to £8400 by the time their first child turns six.

And we will continue to deliver our annual £520 bridging payment for around 150,000 children and young people in 2022 ahead of extending the Scottish Child Payment.

We are also taking action to tackle the cost of the school day and ensure every child can reach their full potential.

We will expand free school lunches for all children in P4-5 and special schools, supported by £70.2million funding.

We are investing £24million in supporting young people and their families with the cost of the school day – free music tuition, removing curriculum charges, increasing the school clothing grant.

The Scottish Government is also investing £145.5million in employing additional teachers and classroom assistants and a further £200million for the Scottish Attainment Challenge, as part of our commitment to provide an increased £1billion over this Parliament to tackle the poverty related attainment gap.

And we are taking wider steps to build financial security for people on low incomes.

We will invest £41million in our Scottish Welfare Fund, which aids people in times of crisis.

And a further £80million for Discretionary Housing Payments will safeguard tenancies and prevent homelessness, providing a lifeline for anyone struggling to meet housing costs and mitigating the UK Government’s bedroom tax in full.

This Budget gives certainty for lowincome families whilst working to reduce inequalities and make Scotland a land of opportunity for everyone – most of all our children.