Scottish Child Payment and other Scots benefits set to increase
On Thursday, the Social Justice Secretary is set to announce at Holyrood that all of Scotland's devolved benefits will increase by 1.7% next month, including the Scottish Child payment benefit.
This is being done in line with the First Minister's mission to end child poverty, which can't be done if benefit payments stay the same while inflation continues to rise.
Shirley-Anne Somerville will appear before the Social Justice and Social Security Committee at Holyrood to make the announcement on March 6. This move is, along with other benefits, will see the flagship Scottish Child Payment rise from £26.70 per week to £27.15.
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This annual increase is linked to the consumer price index (CPI) rate of inflation from the previous September, and according to the Scottish Fiscal Commission, the increase will cost £111million, with 85 per cent of this being covered by funding from Westminster.
Payments such as the Best Start Foods and the Best Start Grants, which both help cover the costs of being pregnant or looking after a child, are also expected to see an increase
While appearing in front of the committee, the Social Justice Secretary is expected to say: “The Scottish Government has made a conscious decision to invest in social security for the people of Scotland, with the Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasting social security benefit expenditure of more than £6.9 billion in 2025-26 – around £1.3 billion more than will be received in Block Grant Adjustments from the UK Government.
"We recognise the importance of maintaining the real value of all social security payments. Payments such as the Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Foods and the Best Start Grants are integral to the First Minister’s mission of ending child poverty.
"That is why, this year, we amended the 2018 Act to ensure that all payments delivered under this Act will be required to be increased in line with inflation every year.
"This is a significant divergence from the approach taken by the UK Government, where in addition to pensions, only disability, carers and industrial injuries benefits are required to be up-rated each year."
