Fact check: Scottish child payment projected to keep 60,000 children out of poverty
The policy is part of a wider package aimed at dealing with child poverty in Scotland.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Various claims, including one by a member of the Scottish parliament and one by SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn during the ITV Leaders’ Debate, suggest the Scottish Child Payment has kept 100,000 children out of poverty in the country, while SNP leader John Swinney credited “the measures we’re taking to tackle child poverty”, during the BBC’s Question Time Leaders’ Special on June 20 and made a similar claim at the party’s manifesto launch.
Evaluation
This figure is a projection from the Scottish Government on the impact of various measures to tackle child poverty. The Scottish Child Payment itself is estimated to keep 60,000 children out of poverty.
The facts
The Scottish Child Payment is a benefit which parents can claim for a child under 16 years old if the parents are already receiving other payments from the state. It currently stands at £26.70 a week per child.
It was introduced in February 2021 for children under six years old, and expanded in late 2022.
An impact assessment on measures to tackle child poverty, released in February, estimates that Scottish Government policies will “keep 100,000 children out of relative poverty” in the 2024-25 financial year.
It adds that: “In 2024-25, the Scottish Child Payment alone is projected to impact the relative child poverty rate by 6 percentage points, meaning it will keep 60,000 children out of relative poverty in that year.”
The government’s estimates suggest 10,000 children will be helped by changes made to Universal Credit, with a further 30,000 helped by an essentials guarantee.
This is supported by a freedom of information request made to the government earlier this year. This states that the policy is estimated to “keep 60,000 children out of relative poverty in Scotland and Scottish Government policies overall will keep 100,000 children out of relative poverty”.
Links
Claim on X (archived)
Clip from Scottish leader’s debate on X (archived post and video)
Transcript of SNP manifesto launch speech (archived)
Scottish Child Payment details (archived)
Child poverty policies impact assessment: Summary (archived)
Child poverty policies impact assessment: Results (archived)
Freedom of information request (archived)
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.