As the cost-of-living continues to rise and many are scrambling to save some money in preparation for the winter, there have been some concerns being raised about the number of children already in poverty and those that are at risk of being pushed over the edge into poverty and how they will cope.
There are concerns that those that are already living on the breadline, could be pushed into total poverty when there is an introduction of an energy price cap.
Families in Renfrewshire with disabled children, may also see their energy bills rise incredibly when using life-saving electrical equipment.
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Sharon McAulay, chief executive of Star Project, said: “Many more families will sadly fall into poverty due to the rising costs of living. Those with disabled or seriously unwell children who may require electrical equipment to aid them are looking at even larger increases in their energy costs.
“These families have enough to worry about without this level of increased anxiety.”
One in four children in Scotland are officially recognised as living in poverty according to Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG).
The effects of poverty should never be underestimated. Those in lower income families are less likely to perform well at school, according to CPAG.
Children in poverty can also see a negative impact on the standard of living in comparison to children that are from higher income families.
The cost-of-living is hitting families hard, even for those that do work, as CPAG estimates that over 60 per cent of youngsters in Scotland are classed as living below the breadline.
According to NHS Scotland, there are also some health inequalities for youngsters living in poverty and that includes higher rates of tooth decay, higher chances of being overweight or obese and poorer mental health.
The Scottish Government introduced The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act in 2017 and is looking to have less than 18 per cent of children living in poverty by 2023/2024. However, Sharon feels that more should be done.
She added: “It’s bordering on criminal that this is being allowed to happen and we’ll continue to shout loudly about it and protest until something changes.”
Those that are struggling to pay their bills or are worried about falling under the breadline, should speak to Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) for free, impartial advice.
Visit their site on: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/
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