MSP Tom Arthur has slammed the Tory leadership candidates for their ‘silence’ on child poverty as a new report highlights the scale of the cost of living with Westminster.
A new report from Citizens Advice Scotland on Universal Credit underlines the struggles households across Scotland are facing - revealing that the need for food banks has grown by almost a third (31%) since September 2021.
The report calls for Westminster to immediately uprate Universal Credit and all legacy benefits, a suspension of sanctions, scrapping the benefit cap and the two-child limit, pausing the collection of all DWP and HMRC debts, and converting all Advance Payments at the beginning of UC claims into non-repayable assessment period grants.
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While recent research has shown that the efforts of the SNP Scottish Government is making a real difference to those struggling, through actions such as uprating devolved benefits and introducing the ‘game changing’ Scottish Child Payment, Tom Arthur has said ‘progress is being undermined by decades of Westminster austerity policies and a Tory leadership contest ignoring the cost of living crisis.’
Mr Arthur, SNP MSP for Renfrewshire South, said: “It is utterly shameful to see such an increase in foodbank use in a place as wealthy as the UK. Yet, sadly, it’s not surprising that families in Renfrewshire South are struggling to get by as prices continue to rise but Westminster fails to take any meaningful action to help and every single Tory leadership candidate is silent on the matter of child poverty and the cost of living crisis.
“Research shows the actions of the SNP Scottish Government are making a real difference to those in Renfrewshire South struggling as it is doing all it can with the powers at its disposal to support households through these tough times, but these efforts are constantly fighting against cruel Westminster policies.
“The Tories silence on poverty has been deafening and it’s clear that the last thing people in Renfrewshire South needs is a different Prime Minister - we need a different future with independence and the full welfare powers it gives Scotland to build a fairer, wealthier and happier country.”
According to the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), the number of UK children affected by the two-child limit in social security has reached 1.3 million or one in 12 children.
The cost of living crisis has left some parents fearful of whether they will cope with ongoing price rises. Some parents are unable to afford necessities such as shoes and beds that have been broken.
Alison Garnham, Chief Executive of Child Poverty Action Group, said: “The two-child limit is piling on the pain for affected families. It forces families to survive on less than they need, pushes them deeper and deeper into poverty as costs rise - and today’s emergency cost-of-living payment does nowhere near enough to pull them back.
“One in twelve children are taking the consequences of this brutal policy – their health, development and well-being are being jeopardised. If every child matters– not just some – the policy must be abolished.”
The first instalment of the £650 cost-of-living emergency payment – which families received yesterday – will bring limited comfort to those affected by the two-child limit since the flat-rate payment takes no account of children in a household and therefore, like the limit, bears no relation to families’ needs.
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