Radical change needed to cut Scottish child poverty, says charity
A report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation warns that Scotland is failing to meet its legally-binding child poverty reduction targets. The charity calls for radical systemic changes to tax and public services to address the 21% poverty rate among children.
Why it matters
The failure to meet these targets underscores the ongoing struggle of devolved governments to address cost-of-living crises and systemic inequality.
Image source, Getty Images By James Cook Scotland editor Published 2 hours ago Scotland is on course to miss legally-binding targets to cut child poverty "by a wide margin", according to a report from a leading social reform charity.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) said one in five children was in poverty and "radical change" was needed to put the Scottish government's pledges back on track.
It urged ministers to craft a "much bolder and properly-funded plan to reduce poverty" by rewiring local government, public services and the tax system.
The Scottish government said it had made great strides, with its policies keeping 100,000 children out of poverty this year, but accepted there was more to do.
In 2017, MSPs passed a law requiring ministers to hit four targets , external , including pushing the share of children in relative poverty below 10% by 2030.
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