Analysis found deprivation was rising in the UK’s poorest communities.
Thousands of children across Scotland and the UK have been “cut adrift” by poverty, a new report warns.
Analysis for the End Child Poverty coalition revealed that child poverty levels continue to rise rapidly in some of the country’s most deprived communities, leaving growing numbers of families unequipped to deal with the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
The report highlighted how unequally child poverty affects the country, with children in some parts six times more likely to grow up in poverty than those in less deprived areas.
While child poverty is increasing across all areas of the country, those places starting off with a high rate were found to have many more additional children living in poverty.
The coalition is now calling on every level of government to redouble efforts as a steady four-year rise in child poverty – predominantly in working families – has pushed families to breaking point.
Members of the campaign group are calling on the Westminster government to commit to an ambitious UK wide strategy to end child poverty in the aftermath of coronavirus, and for Holyrood ministers to redouble efforts toward meeting Scotland’s statutory child poverty targets.
They fear the impacts of the pandemic will only have deepened child poverty and drawn more families below the poverty line and are urging both UK and Scottish governments to immediately increase the amount of money in families’ pockets.
John Dickie, a member or the End Child Poverty Coalition, and director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland said: “We may all be in this coronavirus storm together, but we really aren’t all in the same boat. This official data shows the extent to which too many children have been cut adrift over the past four years, and are already experiencing unacceptable hardship as a result of cuts and freezes to UK benefits. That’s why we are urging the chancellor to strengthen the social security system by immediately increasing household income for those least well-off.
“Here in Scotland, the Holyrood government must act to use all the powers at its disposal to make emergency financial payments to low income families. Scotland’s much welcomed child poverty strategy must be put at the heart of decision making on every aspect of the country’s recovery and renewal from the pandemic.”
