Scottish Child Payment expansion a major step for tackling poverty in Scotland
The increase and expansion of the Scottish Child Payment is a major step for tackling poverty in Scotland, according to the Scottish Greens.
This comes on the day that the Scottish Child Payment has been expanded to £25 a week and extended to include eligible children and young people up to age 16.
The Scottish Greens social security spokesperson, Maggie Chapman MSP, said:
“The Scottish Child Payment is one of the most positive and progressive changes that we have seen since devolution. Its expansion is a major step for tackling poverty in Scotland.
“It is putting money into the pockets of families and making a difference to parents and children all over Scotland. Whether it is extra money for essentials like food and nappies or allowing them to go for days out that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to, this payment is an important part of our work to support families in Scotland.
“It stands in stark contrast to the cruel approach we have seen from the Tory government in Westminster, which cut Universal Credit during a pandemic and has inflicted the worst cost crisis for a generation.
“The system that we are building in Scotland is much fairer and more humane than the brutal austerity of Westminster.
“We have also mitigated the cruel benefit cap, scrapped the requirement for demeaning benefits assessments in the Adult Disability Payment, which replaces the callous and dehumanising Personal Independence Payment, and ensured that the benefits we control are in line with inflation.
“With Greens in government we are building a fairer recovery. As well as these vital changes we have delivered free bus travel for everyone under 22 while extending free school meals and ensuring that government contracts pay at least the real living wage.
“With rising inflation and energy costs, the action that we are taking to challenge poverty could not be more urgent.”