On a visit to BusyBees nursery in Livingston Village today, First
Minister heard first-hand about how
families are struggling with the costs crisis.
The 2025-26 budget announced a commitment to spend £3 million
over the next two financial years to develop the systems to
deliver the mitigation of the two-child cap, which will lift
15,000 children out of poverty.
The budget contains a range of other measures which will
contribute to the Scottish Government's mission to eradicate
child poverty, including uplifting the Scottish Child Payment and
support for access to affordable homes.
These measures build on existing policies which modelling
published in February estimated will keep 100,000 children out of
poverty this year.
Mr Swinney said:
“It's clear from speaking to families that the action we're
taking to lift the UK Government's child benefit cap will be
transformational.
“We have listened and taken action – that is the approach people
can expect from my government.
“I want to eradicate child poverty in Scotland –and it is clear
that the two-child cap is a key driver of poverty and hardship
across the UK.
“The UK Government should have lifted the cap. We can no longer
wait for them to do the right thing so we are taking the action
that families in Scotland need to see.
“But this will only happen if Parliament votes for the Budget –
and I am urging colleagues across parties to unite behind our
plans to end the two child cap.”
Background
Scottish Budget
2025-26
Analysis by the Child
Poverty Action Group stated that mitigating the two-child limit
in Scotland could lift around 15,000 children out of poverty.
