Scotland leads the way on child poverty reduction while rest of UK risks record levels, say SNP
The SNP has challenged the Labour Government to follow Scotland’s lead in tackling child poverty, claiming that nearly two million families across the UK could be lifted out of hardship if Westminster matched Holyrood’s “bold” welfare policies.
Ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ crucial spending review on Wednesday, the SNP released analysis commissioned from the House of Commons Library which suggests that adopting three key Scottish Government policies across the UK would have a transformative impact on poverty levels.
The report revealed that 1.83 million families—many with young children—could be lifted out of poverty if the UK Government were to abolish the two-child benefit cap, scrap the bedroom tax, and raise the child element of Universal Credit to the level of Scotland’s £27.15 weekly child payment.
Kirsty Blackman MP, the SNP’s Work and Pensions spokeswoman, said the figures underscored Labour’s failure to act decisively. “The evidence shows Keir Starmer’s Labour Government is keeping almost two million families in poverty by refusing to replicate what we’ve achieved in Scotland,” she said. “It’s shameful that child poverty is on the rise across the UK under Labour while Scotland continues to reverse that trend.”
The SNP pointed out that child poverty in the UK has been steadily increasing over the last decade, with the number of children living in poverty rising from 3.7 million (27%) in 2013/14 to 4.5 million (31%) in 2023/24. Projections now suggest this number could soar to a record 4.6 million—one in three children—by 2029/30 unless urgent action is taken.
In contrast, Scotland is the only part of the UK where child poverty is falling, thanks to a suite of policies introduced by the Scottish Government. Chief among these is the Scottish Child Payment, which provides an additional £27.15 per child per week on top of existing benefits.
According to the new analysis, raising the child element of Universal Credit to match this amount would lift 732,000 families across the UK out of poverty—including an extra 38,000 in Scotland. Scrapping the bedroom tax and the two-child cap would benefit another 609,000 families, with the total combined impact affecting 1.83 million households.
Ms Blackman urged Sir Keir Starmer to reverse Labour’s previous stance on welfare reform. Last year, Labour MPs voted against an SNP motion to abolish the two-child limit. Meanwhile, the Chancellor has thus far rejected calls to scrap the bedroom tax—a policy introduced during the coalition years and widely condemned by anti-poverty campaigners.
“Families are being punished for policies that do nothing but deepen hardship,” Ms Blackman said. “The Labour Government must use this week’s spending review to finally do the right thing. That means abolishing austerity-era policies that have no place in a modern, compassionate welfare state.”
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The SNP also hit out at proposed cuts to disability benefits, warning that they could push a further 250,000 people—including 50,000 children—into poverty. On average, families affected would lose £4,500 a year.
In response, a UK Government spokesperson said: “We are determined to bring down child poverty and have already taken steps including expanding free breakfast clubs, increasing the national minimum wage, and uprating benefits. We’ve also supported 700,000 of the poorest families through a fairer approach to Universal Credit deductions.”
The spokesperson added: “Later this year, we will publish an ambitious child poverty strategy to deliver fully funded measures aimed at addressing the root causes of poverty across the country.”
However, Ms Blackman insisted the time for strategies and delays had passed. “Scotland has shown what works,” she said. “Westminster must act now—or risk leaving millions of children to suffer needlessly in poverty.”
