Parties must be clear in the election on how they will reduce child poverty

In an article for the Record, IPPR Scotland Director Stephen Boyd says benefits play a huge role in tackling poverty.

Next week, new statistics will reveal how much progress the Scottish government has made towards achieving its legally binding target to reduce the rate of child poverty to 10% by 2030.

The statistics will almost certainly confirm that child poverty is trending lower in Scotland than the rest of the UK. This is largely because of actions taken by the Scottish government. Devolution is working to reduce child poverty.

However, the Scottish government’s own modelling shows that, on the basis of current policies, the 2030 target will be missed by some distance. The First Minister’s often-stated ambition to ‘eradicate’ child poverty looks even more remote. The new statistics are likely to confirm this grim reality.

Reducing child poverty isn’t easy but we have a very good understanding of what works. It is possible to make more paid progress. Measures to lower housing costs and provide direct financial support to families are highly effective. Investment in social housing is key to any strategy to reduce child poverty.

The Scottish Child Payment, and other benefits provided directly to families with children, have a very significant impact – indeed, lower housing costs and the SCP largely explain the lower rate of child poverty in Scotland.

But these measures don’t come free and, given the intensifying pressures on the Scottish budget, there are legitimate concerns that the next government might struggle to maintain – let alone increase – investment in these areas.

Whoever takes the reins after May’s election must recognise that there is no viable path to eradicating child poverty that doesn’t involve increasing the Scottish Child Payment and/or other benefits.

Put simply, to reduce child poverty society needs to redistribute resources to those who need them most through the tax and benefit system. If we want to live in a country with much lower rates of child poverty, then we will all have to contribute to achieving it.

Such a country is possible. Recent IPPR Scotland research shows that other countries with significantly lower rates of child poverty are also home to more productive, innovative and dynamic economies. They manage to sustain a virtuous cycle in which better economic performance enables higher social investment which supports further economic development.

At the coming election, politicians need to be clear about their strategy for reducing child poverty. Pretending it can be eradicated with current levels of tax and benefits isn’t serious.