A quarter of Scottish children in poverty
Scotland's political leaders are being challenged to set out how they will meet targets to cut child poverty, as one expert insisted it is clear current action "is not enough".
John Mckendrick, a professor of social justice at Glasgow Caledonian University, was unveiling a new report revealing in "stark terms the scale of poverty" in Scotland.
Scotland's political leaders are being challenged to set out how they will meet targets to cut child poverty, as one expert insisted it is clear current action "is not enough".
John Mckendrick, a professor of social justice at Glasgow Caledonian University, was speaking as a new report he was lead editor for was published.
It reveals in "stark terms the scale of poverty" in Scotland – with more than one million people suffering.
The Poverty in Scotland 2021 report adds 240,000 children – one in four youngsters – are living in poverty.
It warned the Covid-19 crisis has "exacerbated levels of poverty" and fundamental change is needed to address the problem, "including the more ambitious use of Scotland's tax powers".
The report was produced by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland, the Poverty Alliance, and academics from Glasgow Caledonian and Heriot-watt universities.
All parties at Holyrood have backed legislation to ensure less than 18 per cent of children are living in poverty by 202324, and 10 per cent by the end of the decade.
To achieve that target, the report urges politicians to be "more ambitious" when using Scotland's tax powers.
It also calls for links between spending decisions in the Scottish budget and their impact on poverty to be clearer.
Further recommendations include a call for politicians to focus more on improving pay and job security, especially for young people, women and black and ethnic minority workers.
The report demands that the Scottish Child Payment, which is given to low-income families, is doubled to £20 a week – a move the SNP and some
other parties have already committed to.
CPAG Scotland director John Dickie said: "With less than two weeks until the election, this report sets out in stark terms the scale of poverty that
still exits across Scotland, but also contains a range of positive solutions that we urge all those elected to the new parliament to act on.
"All the Holyrood parties committed to ensure that fewer
than 18 per cent of our children are living in poverty by 2024, and that less than one in ten of our children are living in poverty by 2030.”