Families Know What Works: The Time for Action is Now

Last week we submitted our response to the Scottish Government’s call for views on the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2026 – 2030.  

The delivery plan marks a crucial moment – the halfway point towards the statutory targets set by the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017.  

Targets that, so far, the Scottish Government have not met.  

The goal for 2030 is clear: no child in Scotland should be living in poverty.  

As members of the End Child Poverty Coalition in Scotland we have long called for more ambitious and more urgent action to reach this goal. 

We have a lot to be proud of in Scotland: The Scottish Child Payment, Social Security Scotland which at its core is a system built on respect, dignity and human rights delivering seven new benefit payments. All of this has been recognised in a UK-wide report for being the only nation where child poverty rates are currently declining.  

But progress is not enough if it’s not fast or far-reaching enough. 

There are areas where change has continually been promised but yet failed to be delivered on. Investment in what we know works has often been delayed, or deprioritised.  

Responding to this call for views came at an important time for includem. Following the launch of our Beyond the Budget report. Our report amplifies the voices and experiences of young people and families we work with across Scotland as they navigate the rising cost-of-living.  

Our findings were stark: 

• 69% reported struggling to pay for food. 

• 76% struggled to pay their energy bill. 

• 63% struggled to pay their bills. 

• 78% told us in the past year, their family’s mental health had got worse. 

These numbers, however, aren’t just statistics – they reflect real families, many of whom are doing everything they can and still falling short. We know resources are finite, but investing now will save money – and lives – in the long term.  

In our submission we called for:  

• Further investment in social security for families in poverty, because we know this will have the biggest impact on child poverty. Specifically, we want to see the Scottish Child Payment increased to £50, and the end of the two-child benefit cap. 

• Investment in ensuring work is flexible, pays well, and that the childcare offer does not leave families worse off. Supporting parents to enter work is not enough as we know that three quarters of children in poverty live in working households.  

• Sustained investment in the third sector and whole family support. We know from the work we deliver across Scotland how vital relationship-based support is in transforming the lives of children, young people and families.  

We know what works. Now is the time to scale it.  

This delivery plan is a real opportunity. With the right investment in people and communities, we can achieve sustainable change and transform the lives of thousands of children across Scotland.  

You can read our response to the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2026 -2030 here.