Scotland Fails to Meet Child Poverty Reduction Targets Amid Growing Concerns

The Scottish government has failed to meet its legal targets for reducing child poverty, with the relative poverty rate standing at 22% and the absolute poverty rate at 17% for 2023 to 2024. Although these figures represent a decrease from the previous year, they fall short of the interim targets of below 18% for relative poverty and below 14% for absolute poverty. First Minister John Swinney is prioritizing the elimination of child poverty, yet warns that the UK government’s austerity policies jeopardize progress. Statistics indicate that approximately 220,000 children in Scotland were living in relative poverty during the 2021 to 2024 period, with absolute poverty affecting many as well. The Scottish Parliament set legally binding targets to reduce relative poverty to below 10% by 2030, but government officials admit there is no enforcement mechanism in place for unmet targets.

Charities have expressed concerns over the likelihood of meeting these interim goals. While Swinney believes that the 2030 target can still be achieved with proper policies, the impacts of the two-child benefit cap will only begin to be alleviated in 2026. Further data revealed that 9% of children faced low income and material deprivation, while persistent poverty rose to 23%. Additionally, the rates of relative poverty among working-age adults and pensioners were reported at 20% and 15%, respectively, with minority ethnic households being disproportionately affected.

Charity representatives like Fiona King from Save The Children Scotland acknowledged the positive impact of government initiatives like the Scottish Child Payment, although they stressed that more robust actions are required. Experts are predicting that without a clear and financially backed strategy, Scotland is likely to miss its legally binding 2030 targets. Political opposition has criticized the Scottish National Party (SNP) for not meeting its targets and for escalating benefit expenditures without effectively addressing employment issues. Although today’s figures showed some improvement compared to UK-wide poverty rates, concerns persist over how the Scottish government will ensure a sustained decrease in poverty levels in upcoming years.