Help single parents in the budget, Scottish Government is urged

The Scottish Child Payment should be increased to £40 in the budget, an anti-poverty charity has said.

One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS) wants the government to raise the benefit when it announces its budget tomorrow.

The charity has said the tax and spend plan is a chance to “accelerate progress on tackling child poverty”, something John Swinney made a top priority after becoming first minister.

It also wants the extension of free school meals to all primary school pupils and support for parents using the Child Maintenance Service.

Charis Chittick, head of policy, strategy and communications at OPFS, said: “We know poverty hits hardest when families are already under pressure. At OPFS we have seen the positive impact of the Scottish Child Payment for the families we support. It has shown that putting money directly into people’s pockets can make a real difference for our children, enabling families to pay for life’s essentials. The Scottish Budget must build on what is already working by increasing the Scottish Child Payment and further strengthening family incomes.
 
“But income support alone is not enough. Too many of us are still struggling to navigate systems that are not fit for purpose, including the Child Maintenance Service. Modelling by IPPR Scotland shows that 20,000 Scottish children could be lifted out of poverty if families were properly supported to navigate this complex system and access the money they are owed. When child maintenance is not paid, our children lose out — but with the right support, that money could reach thousands of children across Scotland and help cover essentials like food, heating and clothing.”

Finance secretary Shona Robison has said the budget will bring “drive progress on the issues people in Scotland care about the most”, including measures to address the cost of living.

She said: “We will use this budget to continue the progress we are delivering in Scotland – bringing down NHS waiting lists, supporting families, reducing child poverty and growing the economy.”