Driving progress on child poverty as legislation to be reviewed
The type of targets used to measure the impact on child poverty will be reviewed to ensure continued progress in improving families’ lives.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said the Scottish Government will begin the review this summer in consultation with children and families, charities and public bodies.
The announcement came during an update to the Scottish Parliament on progress towards eradicating child poverty. It is estimated that Scottish Government policies in the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan, published in March, will keep around 100,000 children out of relative poverty this year.
Ms Somerville said: “Our defining mission is to eradicate child poverty and we are unwavering in that commitment. The review will help to make sure the targets set in our legislation are accounting for all efforts across government in ending child poverty.
“We have made a great deal of progress since the Act was passed in 2017, within the devolved powers we have, including introducing the game-changing Scottish Child Payment, and are making huge strides in cutting everyday costs for families. We must now bring together wider interventions such as our childcare package and free bus travel.
“Against a cost-of-living crisis, continued Westminster austerity, and a volatile international situation, the Scottish Government invested over £3.1 billion in support targeted at low-income households last year, with spend benefiting children rising to almost £1.5 billion, enabling ongoing investment in key policies.”
Child poverty campaigners have responded to Thursday’s (18th June) Scottish Government Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan – Annual Progress Report and her announcement of a review of child poverty targets.
John Dickie, Director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland, said: “Very real progress has been made on child poverty in Scotland recently, but the Cabinet Secretary’s focus today on reviewing targets rather than strengthening her child poverty plan is hugely concerning. Struggling families need a stronger plan, not a review of targets.
“It is vital that Ministers come forward with a revised child poverty plan. The current plan rightly focusses on boosting income from employment and social security and cutting the costs families face, but the scale and detail of action falls far short of what’s needed. A revised plan must demonstrably set out how further year-on-year progress will be made. For the one in five of Scotland’s children still locked in poverty there is no time to lose.”
Mr. Dickie continued: “Plans to increase the Scottish child payment for babies under one are a positive step but they won’t kick in for over a year and will still leave the vast majority of children without any additional financial support.
The promise of more breakfast clubs, after school and holiday activities and further childcare expansion will all be welcomed by families, but don’t yet add up to the scale of intervention needed to make serious further progress.”
The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland sent a proposed Programme for Government to every member of the Scottish Parliament ahead of todays Ministerial Statement. The group’s proposal include:
Extending the planned increase to Scottish child payment for babies (to £40 a week) to all eligible children, as a step toward doubling its value to at least £55 per week by 2030.
Commencing outstanding provisions of the Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2025 to enable gaps in Scottish child payment entitlement to be addressed, and to ensure the payment provides greater security for families whose earnings from work fluctuate by, for example, introducing a 12-week ‘run on’.
Ensuring high-quality school aged childcare is available to all parents during term time and school holidays.
Subsidising providers to deliver short periods of free childcare to help families when support for childcare costs from universal credit is not available
Using public procurement and public body wage setting powers to drive improvements in the quality of work.
Investing in the provision of affordable social housing, to ensure all children live in safe, secure and affordable homes; and
Funding every school to fully remove cost pressures from families, and overcome poverty-related barriers to learning through expansion of free school meals, extension of school clothing grants, provision of devices and connectivity, and funding access to ‘rite of passage’ residentials and school trips.
Mr Dickie continued: “There is no question that budget pressures and long-term fiscal sustainability pose a real challenge for the Scottish government.
“That is why it is more important than ever to reduce the long-term costs that poverty imposes on our public services and economy.
“Each and every public sector reform and tax and spending decision must be designed to contribute to child poverty reduction.”
Our End Poverty in Edinburgh Annual Progress Report has been published on the Council website ahead of Committee today, 24th October 2023. We would also like to share with you an opinion piece written by our End Poverty in Edinburgh group members, in response to the report:
End Poverty Edinburgh (EPE) welcomes this third annual report on the progress of ending poverty in our city. Despite there still being a great deal of work yet to be done, we would like to begin by acknowledging areas of progress.
Firstly, we see early signs of a change in attitudes regarding user-led services and seeking the advice of those with lived experience of poverty. One example of this can be shown through the Edinburgh Partnership meetings; bringing together third and private sectors, public agencies, and local communities to talk about community planning. We have contributed to several of these and similar meetings; there seems to be a real desire to involve people living on a low income in how the council does its business, and we very much welcome this.
We have also been encouraged by new and developing services and schemes, such as the Regenerative Futures Fund, which sought out the views of people with lived experience early on while developing their intervention, as opposed to improving what they do later. We believe that including those with real-life experience is key when attempting to develop new or better services, whether that be improving housing conditions or tackling food poverty. Those with experience have already identified several cracks and gaps, so why not involve them in further adapting whatever the service or intervention may be? We are hopeful this change in attitudes will take root.
Regarding attitudes, End Poverty Edinburgh members have had much more positive experiences with frontline staff; those who speak to us face to face or on the other end of the phone. Treating people with dignity and respect should be the very least expected of staff on the frontline, and we are pleased to not only see efforts being made to ensure this is the case through implementation of training, but also in the delivery of services themselves.
We also welcome steps taken to implement the Living Hours Scheme in Edinburgh. This scheme is committed to providing at least 4 weeks’ notice for every shift, with guaranteed payment if shifts are canceled within this notice period.
This would also guarantee a minimum of 16 working hours every week (unless the worker requests otherwise) and a contract that accurately reflects the hours worked. We acknowledge that these are steps in the right direction in order to tackle in-work poverty, however we are looking forward to a wide and broad implementation of Fair Work principles (Effective voice, Respect, Security, Fulfillment and Opportunities) in all workplaces in Edinburgh.
Similarly, we understand the significance of Edinburgh becoming a Living Wage City. Although this is a long-term commitment, we understand that especially in the current cost-of-living crisis, more and more people are pulled into the cycle of poverty, whether they are in work or not; the importance of paying a real living wage is more crucial than ever. Although we understand there is much more work to be done, we believe it is important to highlight and celebrate this area of progress as it is perhaps a key step in the right direction.
Despite there being progress to celebrate, there are many areas we have still to make an impact on. Though we acknowledge a nationwide housing problem, we believe Edinburgh’s housing situation has an identity of its own.
With a high volume of short term lets and student accommodation, coupled with a severe lack of social housing, Edindex wait times are long and private rent prices are sky high, driving up poverty rates in the city.
There are still far too many families in temporary accommodation. It is just unacceptable that around 5,000 households and 9,000 people are in limbo living in temporary accommodation. It is not just the insufficient number of homes that is the problem, however, but also the quality.
Be it damage, mold or out of order elevators; repair times can be long, and communication often lacking. We have much experience of this and have heard many more examples.
We have been encouraged by what we have seen by working with the council in recent months, however, but we still feel the pace needs to step up as more and more people are struggling.
Edinburgh desperately needs an increase in quality social housing, accessible social housing, and genuinely affordable housing. We believe the housing situation in Edinburgh is crucial to tackle, and that more support is needed from the Scottish Government. Improving the housing situation in Edinburgh would undoubtedly have one of the biggest impacts on those experiencing poverty, so this must remain a priority.
Another suggestion we believe could have positive impact regards the Council Advice Line. The frontline staff on the advice line are very helpful and knowledgeable, but the limited opening hours of this service are a major barrier people in need. The line is only open on the mornings of Monday to Thursday, which is absolutely no good for those who work during these times.
Having the advice line available at more accessible times, such as some afternoons or evenings perhaps, would enable more people to utilise this extremely useful service and potentially make a big difference to their lives.
Despite initial difficulties in signing up, one scheme that seems to have made a big difference to some people’s lives is free bus travel for everyone under 22 years of age. We would like to see this scheme extended to everyone struggling on a low income.
Free travel would immediately eliminate barriers stopping many from getting around the city, whether that be related to getting to and from work, seeking help and advice services, or simply enjoying leisure time in places that would not have been possible without. We believe this could greatly improve our lives, financially, emotionally, and mentally, whilst supporting our journey to net zero.
Mental health is such an important factor in relation to combating poverty. Every barrier people on low-income face, be that food insecurity, fuel related worries, rent and housing issues, damages and repairs, bills, debt, unforeseen costs, childcare, travel – every barrier impacts mental health, adding to the immense pressure that people experience.
Those caught in the tight grasp of poverty are not living, they are surviving, if lucky, and that is truly unacceptable in our society.
So, as we welcome and celebrate the aforementioned areas of progress towards eradicating poverty from our city, we call to capitalize on this emerging momentum and step up our efforts for the years ahead.
Efforts to tackle poverty in Edinburgh have put more than £20 million into the pockets of residents who need it most, according to a report considered by the Policy and Sustainability Committee.
The third annual end poverty report looks at how Edinburgh is responding to the recommendations put to the city by the Edinburgh Poverty Commission in 2020.
Alongside ramped up work to help local people access grants and national welfare advice services, this year’s report details positive collaboration between the council and partners which has led to:
Supporting 4,150 people into work or learning
Recording an improvement in positive destinations from schools and a reduction in the poverty related attainment gap
Increasing the number of young people supported through Free School Meal and Uniform Grant programmes by 61%
Delivering £2.2m of Scottish Welfare Fund payments for people in crisis, alongside £300k of council support for local foodbanks
Introducing a new tenant hardship fund, alongside wider support like benefits checks, to support council tenants who are struggling to pay their rent
Securing £206k in savings for council tenants through Energy Advice Support
Investing over £119m in new affordable homes and improving existing homes and neighbourhoods; delivering 54 new homes for social rent plus 148 for mid market rent
Delivering poverty and homelessness prevention training to housing officers, community centre workers, librarians, parent and family support workers, health visitors, police officers, midwives, family nurses and other public sector employees
Working with employers to encourage take up of the real living wage, exceeding target to see 677 employers signed up in Edinburgh.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “We have shown in the last three years that when we come together as a city, we can make a real difference. And this difference really can be life changing.
“We’ve achieved a lot, and we’re committed to carrying on this work with our partners. But these last few years have also been a time of financial crisis. The cost of living remains high, we’re hurtling towards another winter where households will face money worries and we’re at risk of the city’s wealth divide growing.
“For all our combined efforts I remain concerned that poverty in Edinburgh could rise again. Without additional urgent action, one in five children in this city – Scotland’s most affluent city – will continue to grow up in poverty.
“I’ll be calling on the Scottish Government to join us in taking action to eradicate poverty, and to support our efforts to create the additional affordable housing we desperately need. We must work together to deliver the great deal of work that is needed, to ensure the very best future for Edinburgh’s children and young people.”
Acknowledging areas of progress and calling for efforts to be stepped up, the End Poverty Edinburgh group added:“We see early signs of a change in attitudes regarding user-led services and seeking the advice of those with lived experience of poverty. There seems to be a real desire to involve people living on a low income in how the council does its business, and we very much welcome this.
“We have also been encouraged by new and developing services and schemes, such as the Regenerative Futures Fund, which sought out the views of people with lived experience early on. We believe that including those with real-life experience is key when attempting to develop new or better services, whether that be improving housing conditions or tackling food poverty.
“Treating people with dignity and respect should be the very least expected of staff on the frontline, and we are pleased to not only see efforts being made to ensure this is the case through implementation of training, but also in the delivery of services themselves. We also welcome steps taken to implement the Living Hours Scheme in Edinburgh.
“Despite there being progress to celebrate, there are many areas we have still to make an impact on. Edinburgh desperately needs an increase in quality social housing, accessible social housing, and genuinely affordable housing. We believe the housing situation in Edinburgh is crucial to tackle, and that more support is needed from the Scottish Government. Improving the housing situation in Edinburgh would undoubtedly have one of the biggest impacts on those experiencing poverty, so this must remain a priority.
“So, as we welcome and celebrate the areas of progress towards eradicating poverty from our city, we call to capitalise on this emerging momentum and step up our efforts for the years ahead.”
