The Herald has joined forces with 23 of the country's leading charities to urge the Scottish Government to take "decisive action" on child poverty.
In a letter to First Minister John Swinney, they call for the Scottish Child Payment to be increased to £40 per week - from £27.15. It was revealed this week, as part of The Herald's Scotland's Forgotten Children: Poverty in Focus series, that at least 80,000 children are now living in "very deep poverty", while charities warned many families live in homes without essential items. Others have become dependent on food banks.
The Scottish Child Payment has been labelled a "gamechanger", however charities have warned it does not go far enough. Families in receipt of means tested benefits, including Universal Credit, receive £27.15 a week, per child. But independent research from the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) suggested increasing the rate to £40 per week would lift an additional 20,000 children out of poverty.
Modelling from the Fraser of Allander Institute separately estimated it could lead to a further 2.5 percentage point reduction in child poverty - putting the Scottish Government on track to meet its ambitious targets.
Catherine Salmond, editor of The Herald, said yesterday: "There is no greater power in a newsbrand than its voice. Today, The Herald is using its to speak up for those children living in poverty in Scotland. There are far too many and solutions are needed quickly.
"Equally as important, we have listened. This week, we have heard the human stories behind the statistics and from those charities fighting for a better quality of life for Scottish children. Together, we are now calling on the Scottish Government to increase the Scottish Child Payment to £40 to help them have a better life. This marks the start of our campaigning for change."
The Herald says the Scottish Government missed its legally binding interim targets to reduce the number of children living in relative poverty - 50% less than the average UK income - to 18% by 2023-24. The current rate sits at 22%, down from 26% in the previous year. While charities welcome that progress, they warn the Scottish Government is now at risk of failing to meet its ambitious 2030 targets of reducing relative child poverty to 10%.
In an exclusive interview with The Herald this week, the First Minister described the level of child poverty in the country as a "matter of shame". He also revealed the emotional toll tackling child poverty has had on him as his government looks to eradicate the issue in Scotland.
The Herald's child poverty investigation has heard directly from families on the scale of the issue. It has also recognised the importance of the Scottish Child Payment in lifting children out of poverty, with the policy credited in reducing the current rate to 22%.
The open letter to Mr Swinney states: "This increase to £40 to £27.15 would be life-changing for families. The Scottish Child Payment has already been a game-changer. Parents have told us this support is a lifeline, allowing them to buy essentials and even share small moments of joy with their children that would otherwise be out of reach. This policy is working - but it now needs to work harder and reach further if we are to protect all our children from poverty. First Minister, you have the power to make a profound and lasting difference to the lives of Scotland's children."
However, the letter also acknowledges the significant implications of UK Government policy on Scotland's child poverty rates. The charities who join The Herald for the campaign have said removing the two child benefit cap - which limits means-tested benefits to the first two children in the family - would lift an estimated 250,000 children in the UK out of poverty.
An open letter has also been sent to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urging him to lift the cap, which has been described as "one of the most significant drivers of child poverty".
The full list of charities and groups backing The Herald's call:
Aberlour, Action for Children, Amnesty International, Barnardo's Scotland, CELCIS (Centre for Excellence for Children's Care and Protection), Citizens Advice Scotland, Child Poverty Action Group, Children First (Nicola Killean the Children and Young People's Commissioner for Scotland), Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights, Families Outside, Fife Gingerbread, Includem, Independent Food Aid Network, One Parent Families Scotland, Oxfam Scotland, Parenting Across Scotland, Save the Children, Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC,) Scottish Women's Budget Group, Shelter Scotland, The Poverty Alliance and Trussell Trust.
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