The Scottish Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, is set to unveil a groundbreaking commitment to eradicate child poverty in Scotland. Speaking in the Scottish Parliament later on Tuesday, Ms Somerville will outline how the 2025-26 Budget will target child poverty through initiatives such as providing warm, safe homes, promoting sustainable employment, and enhancing benefits.
Unprecedented investment in social security
Ms Somerville will announce that the Scottish Government is committing over £6.9 billion to benefits expenditure – an increase of nearly £1.3 billion compared to the funding received from the UK Government for social security. This significant financial injection is aimed at driving progress in the mission to eliminate child poverty.
A key part of the announcement will include a pledge of £3 million to develop systems required to mitigate the controversial two-child benefits cap by 2026. This measure has long been criticised by poverty campaigners for penalising larger families.
Supporting employability and fairer future partnerships
The Budget will also focus on ensuring that Scots can access sustainable employment opportunities. Ms Somerville will pledge £90 million to employability services, offering tailored support to help individuals find and maintain meaningful jobs.
Fairer Future Partnerships, designed to foster collaboration between local authorities, businesses, and communities to reduce inequality, will see their funding doubled to £6 million. This boost aims to ensure that these partnerships can deliver even more impactful initiatives in the coming years.
Expanding free school meals and breakfast clubs
Recognising the importance of education and nutrition in tackling poverty, Ms Somerville will also announce an additional £3 million to expand access to free school meals and breakfast clubs. Thousands more children across Scotland will benefit from these initiatives, ensuring they start their day with a nutritious meal and reducing financial strain on families.
Bold commitment to tackle poverty
The Social Justice Secretary will highlight the Scottish Government’s ongoing annual commitment of over £3 billion to measures aimed at reducing poverty and supporting households with the cost of living. Central to these efforts is the Scottish Child Payment, which provides direct financial support to low-income families.
Speaking to MSPs, Ms Somerville is expected to say:
“Through this Budget, the Scottish Government is continuing to commit more than £3 billion a year to measures which tackle poverty and support households with the cost of living, including the Scottish Child Payment, which is putting more money directly into the pockets of low-income families.
“This builds upon the actions we have taken to date, which modelling published in February 2024 estimates will keep 100,000 children out of relative poverty this year.”
A call for unity
Ms Somerville will frame the Budget as a transformative step towards a fairer Scotland, urging MSPs to support the proposals.
“This Budget is unashamedly optimistic in bringing forward investment that will help to put Scotland on a more prosperous, sustainable footing that is fairer for all,” she will say.
“I appeal to members to embrace that positive vision and support this Budget – so that we can continue to build the thriving Scotland that we across this chamber all want to see.”
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Reactions and challenges ahead
The announcement is expected to garner support from anti-poverty organisations and charities, which have long campaigned for more robust measures to tackle child poverty. However, opposition parties may scrutinise the Government’s ability to deliver on its ambitious promises, particularly amidst ongoing economic pressures and demands for public spending in other areas.
Critics have also raised concerns about whether the mitigations for the two-child cap can be implemented effectively by 2026 and whether the funding for employability services will sufficiently address long-term unemployment challenges.
Building a fairer scotland
Ms Somerville’s announcement reflects the Scottish Government’s broader commitment to social justice, aligning with its ambition to create a more equitable society. By focusing on key areas such as housing, employment, and social security, the Budget aims to make a tangible difference in the lives of children and families across Scotland.
If successfully implemented, these measures could set a precedent for tackling child poverty not only in Scotland but across the UK. For now, the attention shifts to Parliament, where the debate will determine the fate of this ambitious plan.
