While Oxfam Scotland welcomes the reduction, too many children are still growing up in poverty and, despite the positive progress made, Scotland remains well off track to meet its legally binding targets. With rising prices driven by global instability making life even harder for families on low incomes, Oxfam Scotland says significantly more investment is needed to deliver on Scotland’s child poverty promises – which were backed by all political parties.
With competing pressures on public finances and warnings of a looming financial deficit even to fund existing spending plans, campaigners say urgent action is needed to fairly raise additional revenues to invest in tackling all forms of poverty.
The latest child poverty statistics, which include some methodological changes and therefore are subject to revision, suggest that 21% of children (210,000) are still living in poverty after housing costs, well above the interim legal target of fewer than 18%, which was missed last year. With the 2030 target of fewer than 1 in 10 children in poverty looming, progress is simply too slow with children paying the price.
Equally alarming is the indication that the number of children living in absolute poverty - which means their families don’t earn enough to afford the basics like food, heating and clothes after housing costs are considered - has risen, up to 23% in 2024-2025 and hugely above the target of 5% by 2030.
The figures come just weeks after the Scottish Government latest Child Poverty Delivery Plan set out a range of actions. However, the Plan’s impact assessment concludes that while Scottish Government policies keep around 100,000 children out of relative poverty, the Plan will only cut relative child poverty to 18% and absolute child poverty to 15% by 2030 – well above the legal targets.
Oxfam Scotland says this strongly reinforces that while policies like the Scottish Child Payment and funded childcare are making a difference, they are not yet backed by the transformative level of investment required to meet Scotland’s goals. The 2030 target is still achievable, but only with sustained, significant investment and bold action from both the Scottish and UK Governments, backed by fairer taxes on those most able to pay.
Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “It’s welcome that child poverty has edged down in Scotland, but progress remains too little and too slow with the number of children still left in poverty remaining a damning political failure. And with rising bills once again hitting families hard, it’s clear that if we’re serious about ending child poverty, we need to be just as serious about how we pay for it. That means all parties committing to fairer taxes to enable significant new investment, not more half-measures and handwringing.”
While around 1 in 6 people (17%) living in poverty after housing costs across Scotland (2022-25), a small fall, poverty continues to hit some groups hardest.
- The 5-year average rates of poverty (2020-25) remain highest among black or mixed race people (47%) and Asian people (41%).
- The 3-year average rates of poverty (2022-25) are also markedly higher for single parent households (30%) and other groups already facing barriers – including households where someone is disabled (19%).
Jamie Livingstone added: “Poverty isn’t random; year after year rates are markedly higher for people from certain groups due to systemic and entrenched inequalities related to race, gender and disability. Ahead of the election, all parties should ask themselves how they’ll end this injustice, and where the money will come from to do it.”
/ENDS
For more information and interviews, please contact: Rebecca Lozza, Oxfam Scotland Media and Communications Adviser: rlozza1@oxfam.org.uk / 07917738450
