Hefty uplift in benefit is required to beat child poverty, council told
Targets to reduce child poverty are unlikely to be met unless there is a hefty uplift in benefit payments, councillors have been told.
West Lothian’s Governance and Risk Committee heard the Scottish Government’s 2017 plans to cut poverty figures had been under siege from the pandemic and cost of living crisis. There has been a surge in the numbers of working people in poverty.
And while the council is one of few in Scotland that provides advice and assistance on finances and benefits through its Anti-Poverty Service and Advice Shops, the expected figure, above 23.9 per cent of children in poverty, still far outstrips the 2017 target of 18 per cent.
Nahid Hanif, the council’s Anti-Poverty Manager, told the committee: “The risk of not meeting the targets of reducing child poverty is managed and reported to the Anti-Poverty Taskforce. The risk of failure is currently considered to be high.” She added: “The levers required to meet the targets are outwith those available to the council.”
The target milestones as set out in the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 aim to reduce the number of children in relative poverty by 2023/24 to no more than 18 per cent – and to 10 per cent by 2030.
Ms Hanif said the national and Scottish governments would need to spend more, and change existing benefit caps to make a dent in the growing figures. Anti-poverty campaigners said that the Scottish Child Payment of £26.70 would need to be much higher to be effective.
In her report Ms Hanif said: “Child Poverty Action Group and Poverty Alliance are calling for an increase to the Scottish Child Payment, which they believe will lift more families out of poverty and will provide much more needed financial support than the council tax freeze.
“It is believed 309,000 children will receive this payment in 2023/24 with 85 per cent of eligible families in West Lothian receiving it. The implementation of the Scottish Child Payment shows the positive impact that benefits can have on reducing poverty. However, to reach the long-term target of less than 10 per cent of children living in relative poverty by 2030, the Scottish Government will need to raise this payment to closer to £40 a week than £26.70.”
The reasons cited for the increase in child poverty include specific UK policies such as the two-child benefit limit, and the increased prevalence of in-work poverty.