Scottish Government scrapping the two child limit to help end child poverty
The Scottish Government will effectively scrap the impact of the two-child limit from 2nd March 2026, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has confirmed.
On a visit to Busy Bees Bellfield parent and toddler group in Portobello, Ms Somerville said the introduction of the Two Child Limit Payment will mean 20,000 fewer children will be living in relative poverty in 2026-27, according to Scottish Government modelling.
Speaking ahead of a statement to parliament on the publication of the annual report on Best Start, Bright Futures, the Scottish Government’s child poverty strategy, Ms Somerville said:“The Scottish Government has consistently called on the UK Government to end the two-child cap.
“Reports suggest that they are looking at the impact it is having. But the evidence is clear and families and Scotland can’t wait any longer for the UK Government to make up its mind to do the right thing and scrap the cap once and for all.
“The Two Child Limit Payment will begin accepting applications in March next year. At less than 15 months from when we announced this in the Scottish budget, this will be the fastest that a Scottish social security benefit has been delivered.
“This builds upon the considerable action we have taken in Scotland, including delivering unparalleled financial support through our Scottish Child Payment, investing to clear school meal debts, and continuing to support almost 10,000 children by mitigating the UK Government’s Benefit Cap as fully as possible.
“However, austerity decisions taken by the UK Government are holding back Scotland’s progress. Modelling published in March makes clear that if the UK Government act decisively on child poverty, they could help to take an estimated 100,000 children out of poverty this year.”
The two child limit cap was introduced by the UK Conservative Government in 2017. Since their Westminster victory last year Keir Starmer’s Labour government has refused to scrap the cap.
Phase 2 of the City of Edinburgh Council Resilience Fund aims to provide short-term support to small and medium third sector organisations in Edinburgh that work to end poverty.
Grants: Up to £10,000
Deadline: Fri 4 Jul, 1pm
Phase 2 aims to provide short-term support to small and medium third sector organisations in Edinburgh that work to end poverty. The fund helps organisations facing financial difficulties maintain their services and financial stability during 2025/26.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this funding organisations must
deliver activities which address or prevent poverty and which align with the city’s End Poverty in Edinburgh framework (further details about this can be found in the fund specification)
be headquartered in Edinburgh
have registered charitable status or be a non-profit distributing organisation
have a gross annual income of less than £500k
be experiencing financial challenges, for example
an unexpected drop in grant funding or other income
an unexpected increase in running or delivery costs, or
an unexpected increase in service demand
not be in receipt of funding from the Council through Phase 1 of the Third Sector Resilience Fund or the Income Maximisation Grant Programme.
Organisations can apply for up to £10,000 from this phase of funding. Funding can be used to support core costs or to maintain service delivery where this is at risk from the loss of expected grant funding, increased costs or unexpected increases in demand.
The Leith Collective launches free school uniform exchange to help pupils in need
Many families in Edinburgh are finding the cost of purchasing a new school uniform completely unaffordable.
For some children, this means going to school in an ill-fitting or worn-out uniform. For others, it means resorting to wearing non-school uniform items. Standing out from their peers in this way has the potential to result in a negative school experience and can impact a pupil’s ability to learn and thrive.
That’s according to The Leith Collective, who have been approached by a growing number of teachers and parents calling for help.
And so, as the current school term draws to a close, this Community Interest Company is launching a free school uniform exchange, so every pupil can start the new term in August with everything they need to see them through a successful school year.
Taking place at The Leith Collective stores in Edinburgh’s Ocean Terminal and Fort Kinnaird as well as the Livingston Designer Outlet and Dundee’s Overgate, the team behind this initiative are asking locals to donate good quality uniforms, coats, gym kits, shoes, schoolbags, pencil cases and any other school essentials so they can distribute them to those in need.
But that’s not all. The Leith Collection is calling on local businesses to donate surplus stock where possible, with those taking part in the exchange receiving a community support certificate in recognition of their contribution.
Speaking ahead of the launch, The Leith Collective founder, Sara Thomson said; “From an environmental point of view, it is so important to keep good quality uniforms out of landfill and in use for as long as possible.
“And from a personal point of view, I’ve heard first-hand accounts from teachers and parents about what a negative effect it can have on families when they simply can’t afford school essentials, and it’s heartbreaking.
“This is the third year we’re running our free school uniform exchange and people need it more than ever. That’s why we’re widening our call this year and asking for businesses to get on board too to help those in need.”
People can donate and collect items, no questions asked, at The Leith Collective in Ocean Terminal, Fort Kinnaird, Livingston Designer Outlet and Overgate during opening hours. The hope is to help as many pupils as possible get off to the best possible start when the new academic year begins in August.
HES’s annual grants report, published today (Wednesday 11 June) as part of Scotland’s Historic Environment Forum, shows a significant increase in support for projects in Scotland’s most deprived areas.
Investment through HES grant programmes in areas in the most deprived quintile of Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) account for 20% (20.9%) of the total £12.4 million funding package administered by the public body.
The SIMD is the Scottish Government’s standard approach to measuring deprivation and looks at the extent to which an area is deprived across multiple domains, including income and employment.
£2.5 million of HES’s grant funding for 2024-25 was awarded to projects in the most deprived 20% SIMD, beating the previous figure of 6.34% by a significant margin. This figure surpasses previous years and speaks to HES’s Heritage for All vision set out in its new Corporate Plan 2025-28.
HES is committed to using insights from its annual grants report to refine and enhance its funding approach, promoting greater transparency and helping the organisation’s ambition to achieve equitable grant distribution.
The most popular type of grant awarded to these areas was HES’s express grants (up to £25,000). These grants are open to applications year-round with a target ten-week turnaround period. This programme of funding is vital for communities to be able to repair, care for and cherish their historic environment.
Projects successfully awarded express grants in the past year include the Whithorn and the Machars Pilot Archaeology Field School (hero image), where 51 pupils worked on excavating in one of the de-turfed areas of Sinniness, and the community of Luing and surrounding areas where a HES express grant funded guided tours, art demonstrations, multilingual song and more, all in celebration of Luing’s slate heritage past and its future.
With in-house experts on everything from traditional thatching to archaeological fieldwork, HES offers bespoke advice and works closely with projects to establish early success. This is vital for building confidence in new entrants who have not worked with the historic environment before and helps set them up for further success with more ambitious projects that may be eligible for larger grants.
Almost 50% of the overall funding (48.49%) went towards area-based regeneration schemes, including the successful Heritage and Place Programme which funds community-led regeneration projects.
In the past year the programme has celebrated projects such as the revitalisation of Granton Waterfront in Edinburgh, the development of a state-of-the-art heritage quarter in Forres, and more. These projects demonstrate how investment in heritage can help support local economies and enrich communities’ sense of place.
Alison Turnbull, Director of External Relations and Partnerships, said: “For too long, heritage funding has mirrored the inequalities we see in wider society. Our ‘Heritage for All’ vision means we seek to allocate our grants equitably to ensure our historic environment belongs to everyone.
“By working with communities in the most deprived SIMD quintile, we increase the diversity of voices and projects in the historic environment. We are committed to supporting projects that include a wide variety of people in decision-making about their heritage.
“We encourage new entrants to heritage projects in particular to reach out and learn how we can help you engage with and look after the heritage in your community.”
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “This report highlights the real impact that investment in our historic environment can have in addressing inequalities and supporting regeneration in communities that need it most.
“By targeting funding towards the most deprived areas, Historic Environment Scotland is helping to unlock opportunities, support skills development and bring people together through a shared connection to place and heritage.
“This level of progress is welcome and reaffirms the commitment to ensuring that our historic environment is accessible, inclusive and benefits everyone across Scotland.”
15,000 people in disabled households in Scotland will be forced into severe hardship if the UK government goes ahead with cuts to social security, warns Trussell
New report reveals hundreds of thousands of people will be pushed into severe hardship if government goes ahead with ‘cruel’ cuts to disability payments
15,000 more people in disabled households will be at risk of needing to use a food bank
New analysis from anti-poverty charity Trussell has found that 15,000 people in disabled households across Scotland will be forced into severe hardship and at risk of needing a food bank in 2029/30, if the UK government goes ahead with planned cuts to social security.
The report – produced by economic and public policy experts WPI Economics for Trussell – models the projected impact of proposed changes to social security for disabled people on the number of people facing hunger and hardship in Scotland, a measure of deep poverty which captures people at risk of needing to use a food bank now or in the future.
This new analysis comes just weeks after it was revealed that almost 240,000 emergency food parcels were distributed by the Trussell community across Scotland during the past year. This is equivalent to one parcel every two minutes and a 101% increase compared to a decade ago.
Across the UK, it is projected that 440,000 people in disabled households will be forced into severe hardship. It also shows that the UK government’s planned increase to the basic rate of Universal Credit will move 95,000 people out of severe hardship – which Trussell says is clear evidence this welcome step cannot possibly make up for the sheer scale of the damage of cuts. The net impact of reforms will still be around 340,000 more people in disabled households facing hunger and hardship.
Trussell warns that UK government’s proposed £7 billion cuts to support for disabled people are likely to undermine its goal of increasing employment and will drive higher costs for public services.
Trussell and WPI Economics have shown that even before these cuts, the ongoing failure to tackle hunger and hardship leads to the Scottish government spending an additional £860m a year on public services alone, like the NHS, schools and children’s social care.
As MPs prepare to vote on legislation to introduce the cuts, Trussell is urging the UK government to think again and halt these damaging cuts to support for disabled people. They will be condemning hundreds of thousands of people to severe hardship and piling the pressure on food banks across the country, which are already stretched to breaking point.
As well as axing the proposed cuts, Trussell is calling on the UK government to bring forward the planned increase to the basic rate of Universal Credit so it comes into full effect from April 2026, rather than April 2029.
Cara Hilton, senior policy manager for Scotland at Trussell, said: “This UK government was elected on a promise of change, and with a commitment to end the need for food banks. If the government goes ahead with these ill-considered and cruel cuts to social security, this promise will not be kept – and instead, they will risk leaving behind a legacy of rising poverty and hunger.
“Tackling fiscal challenges should not be done at the expense of people already facing hunger and hardship. These cuts will force 440,000 people in disabled households into severe hardship and leave them at risk of needing a food bank. We urge the government not to continue down this damaging path.
“We support the plan to reform employment support and help more people into work, where their health allows this and accessible jobs are available, but these proposed cuts will utterly undermine this goal. Slashing support will damage people’s health and reduce their ability to engage in training and work.”
Craig Crosthwaite, manager at North Ayrshire Foodbank, said: “Most days we see people coming to the food bank who have a disability or are caring for someone with a disability in their household.
“Social security payments do not allow people to afford the essentials, and this is amplified when you are also dealing with the extra costs of managing a disability. Life simply costs more for disabled people. We fear that should these cuts be forced through Parliament, we will see many more people being forced to access our help.”
You can find out how many emergency food parcels were distributed in your area, and write to your MP to express your concerns at these cruel cuts, on the Trussell website: https://campaign.trussell.org.uk/parcels-by-postcode
Funding boost for activities clubs for children from low income families
Funding of £5.5 million for the Extra Time programme, which provides free activities clubs before school, after school and during the school holidays for primary age pupils, will support families on low incomes outwith school.
On a visit to the St Mirren Charitable Foundation’s Extra Time service at Kirklandneuk Primary School in Renfrew, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville saw how the programme is helping parents to get into and stay in work or training, or increase their working hours.
The 2025 Extra Time Evaluation Report, published today by the Scottish FA, highlights the potential for the scheme to support the Scottish Government’s priorities of growing the economy and eradicating child poverty.
Ms Somerville said: “The Extra Time programme is helping us to better understand how providing activities clubs before school, after school and during the holidays can improve outcomes for families on low incomes by supporting parents into work, training, studying or providing respite.
“We are increasing our funding by £1.5 million to invest £5.5 million this year to expand the Extra Time Programme – increasing the number of football clubs and trusts we are working with from 31 to 53. This national programme will provide around 5,000 children and their families on low incomes with access to vital services.
“The evaluation demonstrates that, as well as helping realise our priorities in growing the economy and eradicating child poverty, the Extra Time programme is supporting kids with their school attendance and attainment, helping tackle food insecurity and improving children’s health and wellbeing.”
Ian Maxwell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Football Association, said: “Today’s announcement of increased funding for the Extra Time programme is a significant boost, and testament to the success of the initiative and the impact it continues to have on families across the country.
“While this may be a football-based programme, with obvious health and education benefits to children who participate, the positive effects of Extra Time are felt throughout the entire family and it is another example of how the power of football makes a tangible difference across Scotland.
“We are grateful to the Scottish Government for this additional investment which will allow clubs to continue to bring Extra Time to life. It’s a hugely worthwhile programme and something we’re delighted to be involved in.”
In advance of the Spending Review, Child Poverty Action Group have joined with other organisations to urge the chancellor to make a firm commitment that the two-child limit and the benefit cap will be abolished as part of the Autumn Budget.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has written to UK Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, calling for an urgent change to the UK Government’s “immoral and reckless” social security reforms.
Ms Somerville welcomed the suggestion by Prime Minister Keir Starmer that cuts to winter fuel payment could be eased, but said this was not enough.
In the letter the Social Justice Secretary said: ‘I was pleased to hear the Prime Minister announce plans to ease the Winter Fuel Payment cuts in Parliament last week.
‘I am also aware of various media reports suggesting that a change in the UK Government’s two-child limit may be announced shortly. I welcome these developments and recognise that it is a step in the right direction to delivering a more robust Social Security system.
‘However, deep concerns remain around the UK government’s damaging social security reforms, including those announced in the ‘Pathways to Work’ Green Paper.
‘Given the speculation on the reversal or partial reversal of policies on Winter Fuel Payment and Two Child Cap, I call on you to urgently scrap these immoral proposals on disabled benefits.
‘These plans will only push more into poverty. It is therefore reckless and totally unacceptable for the UK Government to press ahead, not least due to the expected severity of the impact they will have on all our efforts to end child poverty – completely undermining the work of the UK Child Poverty Taskforce.’
Celebrities support Trussell as it calls on the UK government to take urgent action to end hunger now
ANTI-poverty charity Trussell reports that 2.9 million emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship across the UK between April 2024 and March 2025, with more than a million of these provided for children. This is equivalent to one parcel every 11 seconds and a 51% increase compared to five years ago.
Worryingly, the annual figures also show significant numbers of parents struggling to afford the essentials. Since 2019/20 there has been a 46% rise in emergency food parcels provided to families with children, and a 32% rise in parcels to support children under the age of five.
High-profile celebrities from the world of stage and screen, including actors Dame Julie Walters, Lesley Manville, and Charlotte Ritchie alongside comedians Rosie Jones, Nish Kumar and, James Acaster are highlighting these alarming levels of hardship and calling for urgent reform to ensure nobody is experiencing hunger.
They are joined by a host of other celebrities, including Trussell ambassador, AJ Odudu, Hairy Biker, Si King, musicians, James Bay and Tom Grennan, Reverend Canon Kate Bottley, and Dr Alex George.
“Emergency food distribution is being normalised in the UK,” said Dame Julie Walters. “These stats highlight the need for us to come together and play our part in saying this isn’t right and things need to change if we’re to see a future where no one needs a food bank to survive.”
Actor Lesley Manville, who recently won an Olivier Award, said: “I’m shocked at the extremely high levels of emergency food parcels being distributed by food banks, especially the sharp rise in children under five needing support.
“This has to be a wake-up call for the UK government to prioritise hunger and hardship.”
Hairy Biker Si King also added his voice, saying: “It is heartbreaking to see a generation of children growing up thinking that it is normal to see a food bank in every town.
“We all have a moral responsibility to tackle the root causes of poverty to ensure no one has to turn to a food bank to get by.”
And singer-songwriter Tom Grennan said: “One emergency food parcel distributed in the UK is too many but nearly 2.9 million is scandalous.
“Food banks shouldn’t have to exist. In a just and compassionate society, everyone should have enough money to afford the essentials. Trussell won’t stop until this becomes a reality.”
Comedian James Acaster said: “Food banks do an incredible job in helping people facing hunger in the UK. The reality is that their support has seen a rise of more than 50% rise over the last five years with the biggest increase among families with children under four.
” It’s incredibly sad and I stand with Trussell in calling for government action to tackle poverty in our country.”
With MPs soon to vote on the UK government’s proposals to cut essential support for sick and disabled people, Trussell is warning that these changes could force even more people to turn to food banks to get by.
Disabled people are already overrepresented at food banks, with three in four ofpeople referred to a food bank in the Trussell community saying they or a member of their household are disabled, placing them at the highest risk of hunger and hardship.
Comedian Rosie Jones said: “These stats are a stark reminder to the UK government that slashing the income of someone living with a disability who is already struggling to cover life’s essentials is cruel and counterproductive.
“It will only result in more people living with a disability needing to use a food bank.
“We mustn’t forget that a lack of infrastructure support significantly correlates with an increased need for disability benefits. Social security should be there for everyone who needs it, built on compassion and justice.”
The Reverend Canon Kate Bottley said: “It’s desperately sad to know so many parents are left with no choice but to turn to a food bank to get by.
“We must strive for solutions to poverty in the UK if we’re to make food banks a thing of the past.”
Musician James Bay said: “These stats highlight the extraordinary work of food banks to support families facing hardship, but no one should have to turn to a food bank to feed their children.
“We can all use our voice and say this isn’t right and call for the UK government to step up if they’re serious about tackling poverty.”
Comedian Nish Kumar said: “Almost 2.9million emergency food parcels were distributed across the UK last year.
“Food banks were created to provide short-term support, but they’ve become a sticking plaster for a long-term problem: our broken social security system, which isn’t providing enough money to cover the cost of the essentials. The UK government must act or risk seeing more people turn to food banks on their watch.”
Actor Charlotte Ritchie added: “From my work with Trussell, I’ve seen firsthand the hope, dignity and relief food banks provide to people facing hardship.
“But they shouldn’t be needed in the first place. A food parcel distributed every 11 seconds to someone facing hardship in the UK highlights the need for government action to tackle food bank need, starting with a re-think on proposed cuts to disability benefits.”
TV star Dr Alex George said: “We are seeing an unacceptable increase in the number of children needing support from a food bank – a rise of more than 50% in children under five in the last five years.
“Trussell’s work is incredible, but no family should have to turn to a food bank to survive.”
TV host and Trussell Ambassador AJ Odudu added: “I’m proud to be a Trussell Ambassador, championing a future where no one in the UK faces hunger or hardship.
“Right now, someone needs an emergency food parcel every 11 seconds, a stark reminder of the growing challenge and the desperate need for collective action. It’s never been more vital that we all play our part.”
Number of emergency food parcels distributed by food banks in the Trussell community: 1 April – 31 March 2019/20, 2023/24, and 2024/25:
Nation and Region
FY 2019/20
FY 2023/24
FY 2024/25
North East
98,520
150,599
129,011
North West
254,220
356,164
332,253
Yorkshire and The Humber
108,587
231,754
211,604
East of England
190,144
350,040
332,540
East Midlands
101,789
167,035
140,959
West Midlands
169,141
269,759
243,987
London
204,355
454,998
455,571
South East
199,519
347,440
311,991
South West
163,244
255,404
238,937
England
1,489,519
2,583,193
2,396,853
Scotland
238,583
264,778
239,503
Wales
136,104
187,983
171,673
Northern Ireland
45,139
90,525
77,057
United Kingdom
1,909,345
3,126,479
2,885,086
Emma Revie, chief executive of Trussell, said: “Thousands of families with children, single households, disabled people, working people and older people from across the UK needed to access food banks for emergency food in the past year.
“A whole generation has now grown up in a country where sustained high levels of food bank need feel like the norm.
“This should be a massive wake-up call to government and a stark reminder of their responsibilities to the people of this country.
“This UK government will fail to deliver on its promise to improve living standards for us all unless it rows back on its harmful policy choices on disability benefits and housing support and shows greater ambition on areas like the upcoming child poverty strategy and future of local crisis support. Without action, they risk leaving a legacy of rising food bank need and child poverty.
“It is clear that the public’s cost of living fears are far from over, and these numbers show why. If the UK government truly wants to improve public services, boost the economy and make the UK a better place to live, then addressing hunger and hardship must be a priority.”
Food banks need everyone to play their part to move us towards ending the need for emergency food in the UK. The public can help make sure food banks can continue to provide warm, compassionate, practical support and advice in the year ahead by donating food or funds to Trussell or your local food bank to help end hunger in the UK.
You can find out how many emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship in your local area on the Trussell website: campaign.trussell.org.uk/parcels-by-postcode
