Children First statement on the UK budget

Mary Glasgow, chief executive of Children First, said: “Children First recently declared a childhood emergency, after 2/3 of adults in Scotland told us growing up here is worse than ever. 

“With less money available we need to do things differently, to avoid more costly interventions down the line. Removing the two-child benefit cap would have been one of the quickest and most effective ways to make an immediate difference to families.  
 
“The Scottish government has made lifting children out of poverty their top priority. We’d urge them to use the increase in the block grant to invest in this.”

“Poverty ruins lives. It is an unacceptable and avoidable tragedy that one in four children continue to live in poverty.   

“Our teams across Scotland are supporting families who are struggling to afford the basics. The number of families coming to us for support with their finances almost doubled last year. 

“Families who are feeling anxious or stressed about their financial situation can contact Children First support line for advice and support on 08000 28 22 23 or visit  https://childrenfirst.org.uk/”.