Tag: Poverty

Seizing Scotland’s economic potential to help tackle poverty

Programme for Government will be published tomorrow

Scottish Government investment in the years ahead will be prioritised on measures that help grow Scotland’s economy, tackle poverty and deliver high quality public services, First Minister Humzah Yousaf said.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s publication of his first Programme for Government Humza Yousaf said that by supporting businesses and building a wellbeing economy – focused on well-paid jobs and growth – Scotland can unleash entrepreneurial talent and generate new investment that helps deliver targeted measures to lift families and communities out of poverty.

The Programme for Government will also set Scotland on a path towards tackling some of the big issues facing the country. It will ensure that responding to the climate crisis is at the heart of government, while also taking the next steps in reforming and modernising public services to help tackle the aftermath of the pandemic.

The First Minister said: “The challenges we face – including the cost of living crisis, the impacts of the UK Government’s hard Brexit, and pandemic recovery – are significant, but we have strong foundations that we can build upon, to grasp opportunities and deliver real change. 

“During these challenging times, the people of Scotland need a government that is on their side. In the coming days we will outline our measures to support businesses and communities to unleash potential and promote entrepreneurship – helping provide well-paid jobs right across Scotland, and boosting national and local economies.

“Our focus on boosting economic growth will enable us to invest more in anti-poverty measures and support our vital public services, protecting the most vulnerable in society and raising the standard of living for everyone.”

CPAG: IT’S TIME TO DELIVER

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s Programme for Government statement from the First Minister, John Dickie, Director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland said: “The First Minister has been right to say that tackling child poverty must be a top priority and his leadership campaign pledge to increase the Scottish child payment to £30 in his first budget was especially welcome.

“His first Programme for Government is his opportunity to show he will deliver on that promise. With low-income families still reeling under the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis there is not a moment to lose to turn his welcome words into concrete policies.”

In a briefing circulated to all MSPs the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland say Scottish government policies, including the Scottish child payment, are working to reduce child poverty.

However, they point to the government’s own analysis showing that the interim child poverty target may be missed, and that the government’s current policy package is not sufficient to meet the 2030 target of less than 10% of children living in poverty by 2030.

With one in four children still locked in poverty they say the Programme for Government must now include action that will:

•    increase the Scottish child payment at the very least to £30 per week from April 2024, as committed by the First Minister in his leadership campaign (note 2). To be sure of bringing child poverty below 18% (the interim statutory child poverty target) they say a £40 Scottish child payment is needed (note 3).
•    Provide additional cash payments to families impacted by the UK government’s poverty producing two-child benefit limit and by the young parent penalty in universal credit . CPAG analysis shows the two-child limit affects over 80 000 children in Scotland and pushes up to 15 000 of them into poverty.
•    Further invest in childcare so that every parent can access the childcare they need, when they need it. 
•    Keep the manifesto commitment to increase the minimum school clothing grant in line with inflation. That would mean lifting them to at least  £150 (from £120) for primary school and £185 (from £150) for high school pupils by summer 2024.
•    Ensure that schools have sufficient resources to remove cost barriers, including to provide every child with a device and connectivity; remove costs for curriculum related trips and activities and ensure all pupils can attend ‘rite of passage’ trips.
•    Be bold in using tax powers in a progressive way to ensure sufficient resources are available to fully deliver on the actions that are needed to tackle child poverty. 

The 2023-24 Programme for Government will be published alongside the First Minister’s statement to the Scottish Parliament tomorrow (Tuesday 5 September).

This Programme for Government will build on the prospectus paper, ‘New Leadership – A Fresh Start’. This was published in April, shortly after the First Minister was appointed, and set out his three national missions: equality, opportunity and community.

BPS supports Essentials Guarantee

BPS SUPPORTS CAMPAIGN TO MAKE UNIVERSAL CREDIT ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE TO AFFORD TO COVER ESSENTIALS

The British Psychological Society has joined the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), the Trussell Trust, and other leading health and care organisations and charities to call for an “Essentials Guarantee”, a new law to make sure Universal Credit’s basic rate is always at least enough for people to afford the essentials. 

The organisations are warning that so many people are routinely going without the essentials it poses a serious risk to the UK’s health.

Together, they have written to the Prime Minister to express their worry that, as the high prices of everyday essentials like food and housing persist, too many people are expected to live with what can be devastating knock-on consequences. 

JRF’s own analysis shows the weekly Universal Credit standard allowance is £35 less than the cost of essential items for a single person, contributing to millions of people forced to use food banks because they can’t make ends meet.

Dr Roman Raczka, President-Elect of the British Psychological Society, and Chair of its Division for Clinical Psychology, said: “Nobody should be in a position of being unable to afford the essentials they and their families need to sustain their health and wellbeing, and it’s clear the current level of Universal Credit falls woefully short.  

“Poverty is one of the major risk factors for the development of physical and mental health problems, and we know that children growing up in poverty are three-to-four times more likely to develop mental health problems, which also leads to long-term impacts upon their education, life chances and quality of life.

“If the government is truly committed to preventing health inequalities from widening further, tackling poverty, and reducing pressure on our already stretched and underfunded public services, it must commit to the Essentials Guarantee to protect this generation, and generations to come.”

About the Essentials Guarantee

The Essentials Guarantee would embed in our social security system the widely supported principle that, at a minimum, Universal Credit should protect people from going without essentials.

Developed in line with public attitude insights and focus groups, this policy would enshrine in legislation:

  1. an independent process to regularly determine the Essentials Guarantee level, based on the cost of essentials (such as food, utilities and vital household items) for the adults in a household (excluding rent and council tax);
  2. that Universal Credit’s standard allowance must at least meet this level; and
  3. that deductions (such as debt repayments to government, or as a result of the benefit cap) can never pull support below this level.

The UK Government would be required to set the level of the Essentials Guarantee at least annually, based on the recommendation of the independent process. JRF analysis indicates that it would need to be at least around £120 a week for a single adult and £200 for a couple.

Back to School: 87% of parents in Edinburgh are spending less on themselves to save for school uniform

The back-to-school period can be a stressful time for parents and carers, and the current cost-of-living crisis is only set to add to this stress.

Looking to understand the situation parents face this month, UK affordable footwear retailer, Wynsors, has used the rate of inflation to estimate that families face paying 20% more for school uniform than they did back in 2018.

With that in mind, Wynsors has carried out a new survey of more than 1,000 UK parents to understand exactly how much this increased cost of school uniform is affecting their finances.

The results do not paint a positive picture for households across Edinburgh:

  • Over 3 in 5 parents (70%) in Edinburgh agree that the cost of buying school uniform and supplies puts a strain on their household budget.
  • Nearly half of parents in Edinburgh (45%) agree that abolishing school uniforms would help to save money.
  • 76% of parents in Edinburgh do not receive any financial support with the cost of new school uniform, and are the least likely to receive any financial help from family members.

With parents spending an estimated £230.40 on average to buy a full set of new school uniform in 2023, households across Edinburgh are having to make cutbacks elsewhere to afford the cost.

More than 3 in 4 parents in Edinburgh (87%) are spending less on new things for themselves (such as clothing) so they can stretch their household budget to cover the cost of buying new school uniform, the highest when compared with other cities in the UK, and 1 in 4 (26%) only buy school supplies and uniform when discounted to do so.

Adam Foster, Retail Director from Wynsors, comments: “As highlighted by this research, the back-to-school period is often a stressful time, but as the UK’s most affordable family footwear retailer, we want to take the stress out of the shopping experience by making school uniform accessible to all.

“From our low prices to our friendly in-store staff, we pride ourselves on helping parents over the last 50 years to get their kids equipped and ready for school.”

The full study, including more information on parents’ attitudes to school uniform and tips for saving money on the back-to-school shop, can be found on-site here: 

https://www.wynsors.com/blog/true-cost-of-school-uniform/

SPACE: Social investment builds foundations for a brighter future

£500,000 from Foundation Scotland helped develop the state of the art Broomhouse Hub, transforming the lives of hundreds living in South West Edinburgh

For over 30 years, Space @ The Broomhouse Hub has delivered transformative personal, social and community development opportunities for local people in and around Broomhouse, Parkhead and Sighthill.

The charity offers training, volunteering and employment opportunities for those disadvantaged by poverty or other limiting factors, counselling and befriending support, community food initiatives including school holiday support, social groups for isolated older people, and a range of classes and groups designed to support mental health and wellbeing.  

An important organisation for many people, Space @ The Broomhouse Hub successfully navigated the many challenges of the pandemic and they are now helping local people to manage the continuing cost of living crisis. 

As one of the most deprived areas in Scotland, Broomhouse feels the impact of rising costs disproportionately. Over the past few years, the charity has delivered numerous events to support all parts of the community in coping with mental and economic challenges.

Key services now include dignified access to food.  From their popular community café, they offer nutritious, good value food, providing over 1,500 community meals so far this year including free meals for struggling young carers who may barely be getting one meal each day, and free meals for all children (no registration, no other purchase needed) throughout the school summer holidays.

Thanks to their ambitious vision and support from funders, Space @ The Broomhouse Hub has undergone a massive period of growth, equipping them to support the growing numbers of people that need them.

Across the last few years, the charity has tripled their staff capacity and doubled the reach of their vital support services post-pandemic. The charity cites the development of their multi-purpose community hub as the catalyst for this expansion. 

Foundation Scotland’s social investment played a pivotal role in this development.

The Foundation Scotland social investment relationship with Space @ Broomhouse began in 2018. The two organisations had already worked together on several grant awards, but with growing demand for their services and an ambitious strategy in place, the team at Space turned to Foundation Scotland for expert advice and growth funding.

The social investment support offered by Foundation Scotland is a unique form of blended grant and loan, designed to help organisations to open doors and grow effectively.  Over the past 11 years, they have invested over £12.5 million in 72 organisations around Scotland. 

The Foundation Scotland team works closely with applicants to offer more than just traditional funding, also providing unique insight, planning support and advice to help attract further investment.  

Neil Hay, CEO of Space @ The Broomhouse Hub said: “Support for capital projects, and core funding, is critical to our work, yet unfortunately not so prevalent.

“As an organisation, we believe in connections and working together for the benefit of all. The partnership approach from Foundation Scotland has been so refreshing. Both the funding and relational support allowed us to get the build off the ground. 

“Together they helped us to realise our vision, and along with our other funders they have enabled us to develop our spaces, grow our team and ultimately helped us to build the foundations for a brighter future for many.”

Ali Kennedy, Social Investment Executive at Foundation Scotland, said “Space @ Broomhouse is an important and inspiring place for everyone in the local community and we are extremely proud of our involvement in its development. 

“Their fabulous new facilities support significant numbers of people in the area, families have an affordable safe and welcoming place to come to and enjoy, young people are provided with opportunities to develop skills, confidence and self-esteem, and older people and those living with dementia feel part of a connected community.

“We are thrilled to be here with the team today at the Broomhouse Street Party.  We’ve worked together for many years and it’s great to get the chance to see the activities in action. The Hub is a space for the community to come together.   It’s clear how much of a lifeline these services are for local people.  

“We know there are other groups that urgently need support to get started or grow, and this is even more challenging in the current climate. We are encouraging all interested groups to visit our website or contact the Foundation Scotland team directly to discuss eligibility.”

Supporting people in hardship through Cash-First Fund

Organisations at the frontline of helping people facing poverty and hardship can now apply for a share of government funding to help tackle food insecurity.

The £1.6 million Cash-First Fund is aimed at public sector and third sector partnerships to deliver cash grants for food and other essentials, helping to reduce the need for food parcels.

Up to £200,000 will be made available to partnerships including community food initiatives, local authority teams, and money advice services.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Taking a cash-first approach to tackling food insecurity means people can access the essentials they need while maintaining dignity. When this is delivered collaboratively, with advice and support to strengthen people’s income, it can also help prevent future hardship.

“Local public and third sector services know their communities best and are well-placed to support households in crisis, so I encourage them to work together and apply for the Cash-First Fund.

“Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is a critical mission for this government and our actions are already making a difference to households, including some of our most vulnerable children, across Scotland. The Cash-First Fund is another important milestone on this journey and our learning from this will take us another step closer towards a Scotland without the need for food banks.”

Head of Scotland at the Trussell Trust, Polly Jones said: “Cash-first partnerships will play a key role in taking us closer to a Scotland where no one needs to use a food bank.

“We are delighted the Scottish Government is launching this innovative pilot, supporting public sector bodies and community organisations to work together to ensure people get the support they need in a crisis and to reduce the need for food banks in their communities.”

Coordinator of the Independent Food Aid Network, Sabine Goodwin said: “This funding provides a critical opportunity to cement local cash first actions aimed at reducing food insecurity.

“Ending the need for food banks undoubtedly requires strategic vision and close collaboration at a local level. We very much welcome the Scottish Government’s support of local partnerships and the prioritisation of a cash first approach to food insecurity.

Cash-First Fund: form and guidance

Public and third sector partnerships are invited to apply to the Cash-First Fund by 5pm on Friday 1 September.

Up to eight successful partnerships will each be provided with up to £200,000 over two years to deliver activities that improve urgent local access to cash in a crisis.

Scotland is the first nation in the UK to publish a plan towards ending the need for food banks, and this ambition is shared by food bank networks.

Anyone who is struggling financially can get advice through their local authority, a local advice service, Social Security Scotland or by visiting the Scottish Government’s cost of living website: https://costofliving.campaign.gov.scot/

Progress in tackling child poverty

Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan report published

It is estimated that 90,000 fewer children will live in relative and absolute poverty this year as a result of Scottish Government policies.

The Scottish Government analysis is published alongside the first annual report on its Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan ‘Best Start, Bright Futures’.

The report sets out progress made on the four year plan, including that an estimated £3.03 billion was invested across a range of programmes targeted at low income households in 2022-23, with £1.25 billion directly benefiting children.

These figures represent an increase of £430 million and £150 million respectively, compared with 2021-22. As a result of that spending, poverty levels this year will be nine percentage points lower than they would have otherwise been.

The report also details key actions to help households and address the three main drivers of poverty – income from employment, cost of living and income from social security and benefits.

These include almost £83 million to help deliver employability support, introducing a rent cap to help protect tenants during the cost of living crisis and providing over £84 million to support housing costs, while increasing the Scottish Child Payment by 150% and expanding it to all eligible children under 16.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The report demonstrates that we are preventing children falling into poverty and lifting people out of it. This year, 90,000 fewer children will live in poverty as a result of the concerted actions and focus we are providing, including lifting an estimated 50,000 children lifted out of hardship through the Scottish Child Payment.

“We are focused on driving forward action at the pace and scale required and the investment of around £3 billion in a range of programmes, with £1.25 billion directly benefiting children, demonstrates our commitment to taking action.

“By March this year, 303,000 children were receiving the Scottish Child Payment. Having increased the payment by 150% and by extending it to eligible children under 16, we are providing vital financial support to families worth £1300 a year.

“At the First Minister’s Anti-Poverty Summit in May our stakeholders, partners and people who have experienced poverty backed the approach we are taking. We will continue to do everything we can within the scope of our limited powers and fixed budget to help give more children the start in life they deserve.

“But it is only with the full economic and fiscal powers of an independent nation that Ministers can use all levers other governments have to tackle poverty and inequalities.”  

Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan – Annual Report

Scottish Government: ‘Cash-first’ approach to tackling food insecurity

New plan will strengthen access to cash in a crisis

A commitment to a ‘cash-first’ approach to tackling food insecurity is at the heart of a new plan to reduce the need for people to turn to food banks.

The plan, which is the first of its kind in the UK and is underpinned by human rights, sets out nine actions which will be taken over the next three years to improve responses to food insecurity.

Actions include establishing a new £1.8 million Cash-First Programme to help reduce the demand for emergency food parcels by improving urgent access to cash in crisis and associated support.

The Scottish Government will work with councils, the third sector and community food initiatives to help prevent future need by integrating money advice and wider support into crisis responses.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Whilst none of us want food banks, we recognise the important role they play for people in need. This plan, the first of its kind by any UK Government, will support people who face food insecurity and will move us closer to our longer-term ambition of a country where there is no need for food banks.

“We want to ensure we reach people in need and by providing a cash-first approach, backed by advice and support, we will support people to strengthen their incomes and prevent future hardship and crisis, allowing them more choice and dignity.

“Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is one of the Scottish Government’s three critical missions. The Trussell Trust suggests that our Scottish Child Payment may have helped to slow the pace of demand for emergency food parcels last year.

“Without the full economic and fiscal powers of an independent nation we can’t eradicate poverty, but we are taking all the action we can to support people within our limited powers and fixed budget.”

The plan also includes up to £623,000 funding for the British Red Cross to continue a Scottish Crisis Fund, which provides people at risk of destitution – including survivors of domestic abuse, and those no recourse to public funds – with emergency grants to purchase the food and other essentials.

Phil Arnold, Head of Refugee Support for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, British Red Cross said: “The Scottish Crisis Fund is a lifeline emergency payment for people in crisis.

“The fund enables people to continue accessing essential food, clothing, hygiene products and transport to get to key appointments, at an acute period of distress in their lives.

“The increased cost of living, widening dispersal of people seeking asylum to areas without specialist support, and reduced rights for people seeking protection in the UK, all underline the importance of a joined-up, properly resourced safety net which this fund plays an important role in providing.”

Polly Jones, head of Scotland for the Trussell Trust said: “We welcome this first plan to end the need for food banks from any government in the UK, and it comes at a time when the use of food banks is at an all-time high. Ending the need for charitable food aid requires significant leadership and urgency from all levels of government.

“The Trussell Trust is committed to working with the Scottish Government to support it to do what charities cannot and deliver bold long-term action to increase people’s income and ensure everyone can afford the essentials.”

Sabine Goodwin, Coordinator of the Independent Food Aid Network, said: “The Scottish Government has powers to reduce food insecurity and adopt a truly cash-first, income-focused strategy to end the need for charitable food aid in Scotland.

“As the poverty crisis deepens, frontline teams across Scotland are eager to see a time when no one needs to turn to any form of charitable food aid provision to get by. We welcome this plan and the Scottish Government’s commitment to critical steps towards that cash-first future.”

Cash-First: Towards ending the need for food banks in Scotland

cash-first-towards-ending-need-food-banks-scotlandDownload

Council ‘driving forward’ plans to tackle the impact of poverty on women and girls

A key factor in the bid to end poverty in the Capital by 2030 is the steps being taken by the Council and partners to prevent and mitigate the impacts on women.

The Impact of Poverty on Women and Girls report highlights that women show a higher risk of poverty, and deeper experience of poverty, than men across Scotland.

This is closely linked to child poverty, given there is a proportionately high share of caring responsibilities adopted by women in general – 90% of lone parents are women, 38% of those in Scotland live in poverty.

Women have also been disproportionately affected by the cost of living crisis and, alongside childcare, these patterns are strongly driven by gender inequalities in the workplace. Women account for 60% of all low paid workers in Edinburgh and 78% of all part time workers.

In response to these challenges, actions in the Council’s End Poverty in Edinburgh Delivery Plan, and other plans, which are expected to prevent or mitigate the impact of poverty on women and girls, include:

  • Raising awareness of the gender impacts of poverty
  • Helping to increase incomes for women in poverty
  • Reducing the costs and impact of childcare responsibilities

Council Leader Cammy Day said: “Tackling poverty is one of our key priorities as a Council and our 2030 target is ambitious but one I’m convinced can be achieved. We have to act decisively if we’re to eradicate poverty in Edinburgh.

“It’s a fact that women are more likely to experience poverty and thus it was important that we had a separate update on specific actions being taken to help to further highlight this issue.

“It’s also of course not just the material constraints of living in poverty that make things hard, it’s the emotional strain and it is important that we do all we can to tackle this.

“This update on actions currently underway was well received by councillors who fully support the work of the End Poverty in Edinburgh Delivery Plan which gives an important overview of where we are. We know that we can’t achieve our goals in insolation.

“That’s why we are working with partners such as the End Poverty Edinburgh citizen’s group who help us make sure that the real experiences of people who live in poverty are at the centre of shaping the actions we take to tackle poverty and inequality in the capital city.

“Analysis of these actions will be continued, and I look forward to the update on the wider End Poverty in Edinburgh progress later in the year where will look at all households and priority groups.”

NO Poverty concerns for one new council employee. Edinburgh’s interim Director of Adult Social Care will be paid no less than £403,390 A YEAR!

I’m sure that will go down really well with the capital’s care workers, the majority of whom are women! – Ed.

Poverty Summit: Prioritising those most in need

Tax, targeted support and tough budget choices will all need to be considered as part of bold measures to tackle poverty, First Minister Humza Yousaf said yesterday after meeting poverty campaigners.

The anti-poverty summit, convened by the First Minister, saw political leaders from across the Scottish Parliament meet with people who have direct experience of poverty, campaigners, and third sector organisations.

Speaking after the event, which was attended by around 90 delegates, the First Minister said: “I called the summit to listen to the views of a wide range of partners, particularly those at the sharp end of the cost of living crisis and with direct experience of poverty, about what they believe needs to be done.

“Everything I heard confirmed that poverty and the cost of living crisis is the biggest challenge facing this country – one that has been exacerbated by some of the UK Government’s actions and inactions.

“We have already acted to tackle the pressure on those most in need – for example, our game-changing £25 per week per child Scottish Child Payment, Carer’s Allowance Supplement, and Winter Heating Payment.

“But we must do more. We must be bold in considering future tax decisions. Tough choices will need to be made about existing budgets, and we need to consider whether targeting help is the way forward when money is so tight.

“It’s not enough to wish poverty away. We have to be hard-headed and realistic about what can be done – and then we have to focus on making it happen. That means the debate must now be about tax, targeting and tough choices. We are listening and will not shy away from the decisions needed to reduce poverty.”

COSLA President Councillor Shona Morrison said: “The initiative from the Scottish Government is a good one and one which Local Government can get fully behind. Tackling poverty is a core objective for Local Government working in partnership with the Scottish Government, the third sector and public and private sector partners.

“The cost- of-living crisis we are living through at present is being tackled head-on by Councils the length and breadth of Scotland and partnership working is vital to achieving positive outcomes for individuals, families and our communities across Scotland.”

Commenting on reports around the expansion of universal free school meals in Scotland, Poverty Alliance director Peter Kelly said: “The First Minister has to recognise the injustice that leaves so many children in Scotland hungry and without food they need.

“With figures from the Trussell Trust showing record numbers of families accessing food banks, this is not the time to roll back on commitments relating to free school meals.

“We know that many low-income families just miss out on qualifying for means-tested free school meals, and many others don’t claim because of shame or stigma.

“The best way to tackle this problem is through universal free school meals that benefit all of our children and young people.”

Peter Kelly was speaking just after attending yesterday’s anti-poverty summit, chaired by the First Minister.

He said: “The First Minister’s poverty summit was a timely opportunity to refocus on tackling the injustice of poverty in Scotland. Across all those who took part, there was a clear sense of urgency on the need to deliver real change.

“There was no shortage of ideas for action. We can expand funded childcare, use public contracts as a lever to improve pay and conditions in key sectors, and remove barriers to work for those people most affected by poverty – women, disabled people, people from Black and ethnic minority communities.

“Now is the time for the Scottish Government to turn those ideas into concrete action. We look forward to a follow up summit in the coming year to check where progress has been made.”

Positive anti-poverty summit soured by possible roll-back on Free School Meals

THE sCOTTISH Trades Union Congress (STUC) and the STUC Women’s Committee have warned of massive resistance to any reversal on the SNP free school meals pledge and called for an acceleration, not a roll-back of the programme.

STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “We were enthusiastic participants in the summit today. Our key message is that better and fairer wages tied to redistributive taxation must lie at the heart of strategies to tackling poverty and inequality. Current levels of in-work poverty are totally unacceptable and place further pressure on our under-funded benefits system. We need to see real action coming out of this summit.

“Suggestions this morning that the Scottish Government might consider breaking pledges to extend free school meals is not what we are looking to hear. Investing in the health of all of our young people and removing stigma is a key priority and any roll-back will be fiercely resisted.”

Andrea Bradley, Chair of the STUC Women’s Committee and General Secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland said: “The STUC Women’s Committee would be deeply concerned if the First Minster’s comments around a potential reversal of the Scottish Government’s progressive policy on universal free school meals expansion as reported today, were to be put into action.

“1 in 4 children in Scotland were living in poverty before the onset of the cost-of-living crisis, which the previous First Minister declared a humanitarian emergency. Now, food inflation of 20%, together with exorbitant energy costs, and stagnant wages is making life even harder and more miserable for hundreds of thousands of parents in Scotland and their children – many already missing out on a decent meal at school because of the stigma or the bureaucracy of means-testing.

“Now is the time to accelerate the roll-out of universal free school meals – not to roll back on what were essential promises.”

Increasing childcare in disadvantaged communities

£4.5 million for after school and holiday clubs

Councils can now apply for their share of £4.5 million to support the provision of after school and holiday clubs for Scotland’s most disadvantaged areas.

The funding will help improve both indoor and outdoor spaces in the school estate, with schools also encouraged to consider wider community needs.

First Minister Humza Yousaf set out details of the funding as he convened a national anti-poverty summit in Edinburgh yesterday.

The First Minister said: “Tackling poverty must be a shared priority for us all and this summit offers the opportunity to listen to a wide range of views to help us take the right action to drive down inequality across Scotland.

“Helping families deal with cost of living pressures is one of our key priorities and providing further funding for affordable and accessible school age childcare will help deliver that.

“Funded school age childcare supports parents and carers into work and enables them to support their families, while also providing a nurturing environment for children to take part in a wide range of activities.

“Scotland already has the most generous childcare offer anywhere in the UK. All three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds are entitled to 1,140 hours a year of funded early learning and childcare. We are working with partners to make further progress, with plans to develop a funded early learning and childcare offer for one and two-year-olds by 2026, focusing on those who need it most.”

The Scottish Government will provide a £4.5m recurring Capital Fund, managed and administered by Scottish Futures Trust, to deliver improvements to the school estate that will support the provision of before and after school and holiday clubs within Scotland’s most disadvantaged communities.

The intention is that the fund will be limited to the school estate (both indoor and outdoor spaces) for year one, but schools will be encouraged to consider wider community needs and spaces where children want to be after school or during the holidays, particularly where links or partnerships already exist.

The £4.5m fund will be open to all Local Authorities who will be required to demonstrate how they have worked in partnership with school age childcare and activities providers, to be ambitious in their ideas, and to define projects which will deliver benefit for children and families, particularly those from low-income areas.

Funded school age childcare is targeted at families on the lowest incomes, specifically the six priority family types identified in the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan (lone parent families, minority ethnic families, families with a disabled adult or child, families with a younger mother [under 25], families with a child under one, and larger families.)