THE doubling of the Scottish Child payment “can’t come soon enough” as figures reveal the Scottish Government paid out more than £45 million in eight months to support low income families, campaigners have said.
It is estimated that around 104,000 children are now in receipt of the £10 weekly payment in Scotland.
The payment is set to double in April and by the end of the year will be extended to all under 16s who are eligible. Currently the payment only applies to those with children aged under six.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson confronted by Ukrainian journalist in Warsaw
The benefit was launched on February 15 2021, with the statistics showing the amount paid out from that date to the end of December 2021 reached £45,197,150.
The Scottish Government made 893,555 individual payments to low income Scots over the same period.
Of the 144,315 applications received by the Government for the new fund, 138,805 were successfully processed.
John Dickie, director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), welcomed the figures and said the payment was having a real impact.
He said: “It is fantastic that so many children and families are already benefiting from the Scottish child payment.
“This extra cash support provides much needed relief for struggling families across Scotland. It’s helping parents pay the bills, put food on the table and make sure their children can participate in the day to day activities that make childhood so precious.
“The doubling of the payment in April and the roll out to all eligible under 16’s by the end of the year really can’t come soon enough.
READ MORE: MPs at Westminster to be handed pay rise of more than £2000 per year
“It’s vital that every eligible child benefits from this extra support. If you have a child under six and are in receipt of universal credit or equivalent benefits, make sure you apply.”
More than 400,000 children under 16 are expected to be eligible for the Scottish Child Payment when it is extended, with an anticipated take-up of more than 330,000, according to the Scottish Fiscal Commission.
The latest figures also show the amount of payments made in each local authority. A whopping £7,432,060 was paid out to low income families in Glasgow, the highest amount of any other local authority.
North Lanarkshire families received £3,584,150, while in Fife payments were made totalling £3,470,820 and in Edinburgh £2,942,110 was spent helping children living in poverty.
Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, Na h-Eileanan Siar, East Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire were the areas with the lowest amounts paid out.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government’s Scottish Child Payment is a crucial tool in our national mission to tackle child poverty.
"The payment is the most ambitious step of its kind being undertaken anywhere in the UK to put money in the pockets of families who need it most.
“We are pleased that more than £45 million has been paid to families since Scottish Child Payment launched in February 2021 and a further 145,000 children and young people are getting the same amount through bridging payments.
“The families who are now being supported will receive critical extra help when the payment is doubled to £20 a week in April, at a time when the cost of living crisis is putting finances under added pressure. Over 400,000 will be eligible when we extend to under 16s by the end of the year.
“We take every effort to ensure eligible families get the financial support they are entitled to as highlighted in our benefit take up strategy.”
For more information about the Scottish Child Payment, see here.
Full list of Scottish Child Payments made by Local Authority area
(Highest to lowest)
Glasgow City £7,432,060
North Lanarkshire £3,584,150
Fife £3,470,820
Edinburgh, City of £2,942,110
South Lanarkshire £2,715,770
West Lothian £1,641,740
Highland £1,585,380
Dundee City £1,545,560
North Ayrshire £1,475,420
Renfrewshire £1,464,770
Aberdeen City £1,461,100
Falkirk £1,367,350
East Ayrshire £1,354,460
Aberdeenshire £1,261,070
Dumfries and Galloway £1,227,740
West Dunbartonshire £1,026,320
Perth and Kinross £975,920
Angus £935,120
South Ayrshire £888,860
Midlothian £864,270
Scottish Borders £815,690
East Lothian £771,620
Inverclyde £713,320
Moray £640,530
Argyll and Bute £565,610
Stirling £523,760
Clackmannanshire £498,180
East Dunbartonshire £478,310
East Renfrewshire £434,060
Na h-Eileanan Siar £135,200
Orkney Islands £95,060
Shetland Islands £95,030
_________________________________
Unknown - Scottish Address £109,080
Non-Scottish postcode £93,160
No address £8,550
Figures are rounded for disclosure control by the Scottish Government and may not sum.
In some cases Scottish residency is confirmed without a postcode needed.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here