The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 established statutory targets for child poverty rates, with interim goals set for 2023/24 and an overall target for 2030/31.
These targets included reducing relative poverty to less than 18%, cutting absolute poverty to below 14%, limiting low income and material deprivation to under 8% and lower persistent poverty to less than 8%. In 2030/31, these figures are meant to drop even further, with all four categories aimed to be below 5%.
Newly released data found that in 2023/24:
- The relative poverty rate was at 22%.
- The absolute poverty rate was at 17%.
- The persistent poverty rate was at 23%.
- The most recent estimate for combined low income and material deprivation in 2023-24 cannot be compared to earlier years because the material deprivation questions have been changed.
These figures paint a worrying picture of poverty rates in Scotland; it's evident that urgent measures are necessary if the Scottish Government wishes to steer progress towards the sub-5% targets set for 2030/31.
RCPCH Officer for Scotland, Mairi Stark, said:
Reducing poverty in Scotland is undoubtedly a pressing priority. While there has been some progress in lowering poverty rates, and the positive impact of the Scottish Child Payment is evident, these targets remain unmet.
Poverty is a key driver of poor child health outcomes. The effects of poverty are detrimental and far reaching, and as a paediatrician I know that the health impacts of growing up in poverty are significant and follow children throughout their life. Children living in poverty are more likely to have low birth weight, poor physical health and mental health problems.
The Scottish Government must increase funding and expand initiatives to reduce child poverty, support families, improve access to essential services, and provide equitable community-based resources.
No child should experience living in poverty and that is why we are urging the Scottish Government to embrace a 'child health in all policies' strategy and acknowledge the critical link between poverty and health inequalities. Child poverty must remain a national priority.