Calls for £100-a-month boost to Scottish Child Payment for struggling parents

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A coalition of campaigners is calling on the Scottish Government to give a £100-a-month benefit top-up to struggling young parents.The groups believe the boost to the Scottish Child Payment is necessary to combat “staggering” poverty levels.

Under-25s receive a lower level of Universal Credit as a result of UK Government rules – even if their circumstances are the same.It means young parents are about £100 worse off a month while single parents are penalised £65 a month.

Over 50 per cent of kids with a mum under 25 are estimated to be in relative poverty and 49 per cent are in absolute poverty.In a campaign launched today, 35 charities and civil society groups have urged the SNP/Green Government to wipe out the two-tier system by topping up the devolved SCP, which is a £25-a-week benefit paid to low income families.Satwat Rehman, chief executive of One Parent Families Scotland, which is leading the campaign, said: “The Scottish Government has identified young mothers as a priority group for tackling child poverty.

Now, it has a chance to turn those words into action by targeting support where it is most urgently needed.“The DWP’s decision to deny young parents the same level of social security as older parents penalises children and we won’t stop pushing for this to be changed.