Families ‘ teetering on the edge’ due to Covid

TENS of thousands of households across Scotland “are teetering on the edge” of being unable to provide food for their children due to the Covid- 19 pandemic, according to public bodies.

Calls have been made for low- income families to be given extra support when the programme for government is launched next week.

Ministers confirmed last week the Scottish Child Payment – a new £ 10 per week per child benefit targeted at low incomes – will begin its roll- out in February having been delayed by the pandemic.

Bill Scott, chairman of the Poverty and Inequality Commission, said: “The impact of the pandemic has not been borne equally.

“Women have been hardest hit and, with women’s poverty being inextricably linked to child poverty, we are living amid a rising tide of hardship.

“The Scottish Government has demonstrated its genuine commitment to tackling child poverty with the planned introduction of the Scottish

Child Payment, which will make a huge difference to those children’s chances of thriving. But it will be six months before the first Scottish Child Payments are made.

“The tens of thousands of families across Scotland who are teetering on the edge of being unable to put food in their children’s mouths or to prevent them shivering through the winter cannot wait six months. That’s why I am calling on the Scottish Government to use the existing powers it has to urgently put money into the pockets of families.”

Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, added: “The Scottish Government has the opportunity to pull families back from the brink.”