Child payment scheme hailed

Now available to eligible children under 16, 3,730 children in the Borders have benefited from the scheme since its inception in February 2021, totalling £2,739,955.

The full roll-out has been described as a “watershed moment” in tackling poverty in Scotland.

Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale MSP, Christine Grahame said: “I am delighted that these new figures show a significant uptake in Borders families being supported by the Scottish Child Payment with almost 4,000 children benefiting since its inception.

“The Scottish Child Payment, which is now £25 a week – a 150% increase – is a momentous achievement of this SNP Government and is the most ambitious poverty reduction measure in the UK and has put close to £3m into the pockets of Borders families.

“This flagship payment underlines the SNP Scottish Government’s unwavering commitment to tackling child poverty, particularly as the Tory cost of living crisis deepens.”

The Scottish Child Payment is unique to Scotland and is projected to lift around 50,000 children out of poverty in 2023/24.

It has been hailed as a “game-changer” by anti-poverty charities and is backed up with £442million of funding from the Scottish Government in the next financial year.