More than 8000 children are living in poverty across Renfrewshire and neighbouring East Renfrewshire, according to new statistics.
The figures published today by the End Child Poverty coalition show that almost 20 per cent (5,759) of children in Renfrewshire were living in poverty in 2020/21 and 12.8 per cent (2,453) of children in East Renfrewshire were also classed as living below the breadline.
And that is despite families benefiting from the temporary Covid-19-related increase to universal credit during that time.
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Heather Kay, STAR Project manager said that the figures were actually probably an underestimate, saying that the work of the charity has prevented countless families in Renfrewshire from dropping below the breadline and that their work is masking the true extent of poverty in Renfrewshire.
She said: “It’s getting worse and worse, the cost of living crisis will come at the cost of death for some of these kids.
“Families that were just about existing before have fallen to a very dangerously low level. During 2020, we had families come to us that hadn't eaten for in excess of four days.”
Sharon McCauley, STAR Project CEO had some hard words for our ministers in the UK Government, she said: “If Westminster spent more time trying to help us rather than carrying on the way they are, it would do a lot to ease this crisis, instead of name calling and trying to get each other in trouble.”
Campaigners from the End Child Poverty coalition, which includes: Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland; Save the Children; Trussell Trust; Poverty Alliance; Oxfam Scotland; Close the Gap; Aberlour; Children 1st; Home-Start Scotland; Children in Scotland; Parenting across Scotland; and One Parent Families Scotland, say the new data shows just how important additional investment in the new Scottish child payment will be to supporting families through the cost of living crisis and to drive forward efforts to meet Scotland’s child poverty targets.
The payment was introduced from February 2021 for children under six where families are in receipt of universal credit. Its value was doubled from £10 to £20 per week in April 2022 and it will increase to £25 per week when rolled out to all eligible Under-16s by the end of the year.
Bridging payments for school aged children were not doubled and the coalition is urging Scottish Ministers to “act now to double the bridging payments in advance of the full roll out of the Scottish child payment.”
They are calling on the UK Government to ensure UK benefits keep pace with inflation permanently.
Speaking on behalf of members of End Child Poverty, Ed Pybus, of the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, responded to the new figures: “The figures show just how big a difference investment in social security can make, and how important the Scottish government’s new Scottish child payment is and will continue to be if Scotland is to end the scandal of children living in poverty.
“Progress is being made but, as low-income families struggling to cope with spiralling prices know all too well, there is no room for complacency, and we need every level of government to do its bit if we are to meet Scotland’s child poverty targets. The UK government must now commit to ongoing increases in UK family benefits.”
He continued: “Here in Scotland we urge newly elected councillors to use every tool at their disposal to boost family incomes and reduce the costs families face. That means using local powers to deliver more cash support to families, support decent jobs - especially for women and those affected by disability, and improve access to high quality, free and accessible childcare.
“Finally, the Scottish government should act now to double bridging payments in advance of the full roll out of the Scottish child payment to ensure school aged children get the same support as the under sixes who are already benefitting from the payment.”
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