Now Reading: Evaluating efforts to tackle poverty
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Evaluating efforts to tackle poverty
New report highlights the impacts of Scottish policies.
Scottish benefits are easing the cost-of-living burden for families according to a new evaluation.
The Scottish Centre for Social Research surveyed people in receipt of any of the Five Family Payments, a group of benefits designed to tackle poverty and to improve household finances.
Findings show the payments have a positive impact on recipients’ overall finances and have helped to reduce material deprivation and food insecurity for low-income families. The majority of Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Foods recipients agreed the payments meant they did not need foodbanks.
Feedback also shows the majority of Best Start Foods recipients, who receive a pre-paid card to purchase healthy food, reported that the card enabled their families to have healthy meals more frequently.
We want every child to have the best start in life, but we recognise that the cost of living continues to have a negative impact on families across the country.
MS SOMERVILLE
It is a moral imperative to offer the best support we can, and I’m pleased that this work found an array of positive, meaningful impacts.
But we are not letting up. We know there is more to do, which is why, as an example, we are launching the new Two Child Limit Payment in March, which will benefit the families of 43,000 children next year.
And in the face of challenging economic headwinds and cuts to the UK welfare system, I want to reassure families that our support will continue. No child, nor family, will be left behind by the Scottish Government.
Other impacts include a reduction to household debt and borrowing and more children being able to undertake extra-curricular activities, like sport, music or drama.
Recipients also commented that the automatic payment system reduces worry and stress.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville met some impacted families at Brunstane Primary School in Edinburgh.
We are so grateful for the support we received with the healthy start vouchers, school uniforms and child payment. It has been such a huge help in easing the financial burden of starting a family and it has made a real difference to our lives.
ONE PARENT, EMMA HUNTER, FROM MAGDALENE
Background
The Five Family Payments include:
- the Scottish Child Payment, which is a weekly payment of £27.15 for each eligible child under 16 years of age.
- the Best Start Grant includes three payments designed to support families at different stages, including during pregnancy and when a child starts school, including:
– the Pregnancy and Baby Payment, which is a payment of £767.50 on the birth of the first child and £383.75 on the birth of any subsequent children
– the Early Learning Payment, which is a payment of £319.80 per child for children between 2 and 3.5 years old to support child development
– the School Age Payment, which is a payment of £319.80 per child to help with the costs of preparing for school
- Best Start Foods, which is a prepaid card to buy healthy foods for pregnant people and children under the age of three, with a minimum payment of £5.40 a week.
