One million Scots living in poverty

● About 230,000 children affected, and numbers continue to rise

One million people in Scotland are now living in poverty as the impact of austerity cuts in recent years bites, official figures have revealed.

Children have been among the worst hit by the squeeze, as families with youngsters fall further behind those on middle incomes.

The rise in inequality has been branded “simply wrong” by campaigners who are now calling for more Scottish Government action to cut child poverty levels.

Ministers said the climate of austerity which has resulted in swingeing welfare cuts has been a key factor in the rise.

Almost one in five (19 per cent) of people in Scotland were living in relative poverty, after housing costs, in 2014-17. This is about one million people each year. Even after rent or mortgage costs are taken into account, it is still about 860,000 people. Child poverty now affects almost one in four (24 per cent) of Scots youngsters – about 230,000. This is up from 210,000 (21 per cent) in 2011-14. The figure is 180,000 each year before housing costs are factored in.

John Dickie, director of the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, said: “All the evidence suggests that eyewatering cuts to UK benefits for families both in and out of work are the key drivers of this upward trend.

“Behind these statistics are thousands of children going hungry, missing out on school trips, unable to enjoy the activities and educational opportunities their better-off peers take for granted.”

Persistent poverty rates were higher for children compared with other age groups.

Before housing costs, about one in ten (9 per cent) chil- dren living in Scotland were in persistent poverty between 2012 and 2016, although this is down from 10 per cent in the previous period.

Equalities Secretary Angela Constance said the Scottish Government is “absolutely committed” to reducing poverty. But she admitted: “These figures show the scale of the challenge we face, which is why we are committed to actions that make life better now as well as driving longterm change.

“We know that in the face of UK government cuts and continuing austerity, which are having a damaging impact on thousands of Scottish households, our actions mean we are fighting poverty with one hand tied behind our back.”

Annie Wells, Scottish Conservative equalities spokeswoman, said: “Despite all their rhetoric the SNP has not only failed to reduce child poverty but under their watch it has actively increased.

“Child poverty has now been rising for several years, which demonstrates the failure of SNP policies to understand and address the complex causes of child poverty.”

Labour equalities spokeswoman Elaine Smith branded the figures “unacceptable”.

She added: “No-one in 21st century Scotland should have to live in poverty – especially children.”