"The Scottish Government has brought forward a brand new benefit for eligible families of £10 a week for every child under 16. For children under 6 the benefit will start to be paid by early 2021 with the Scottish Child Payment. There are around 4 million children in the UK living in poverty. In Scotland there are approximately 230,000 children living in poverty. The Alston report made it clear that the appalling levels of poverty in the UK were the result of the austerity driven agenda brought in firstly by the LibDem/Conservative Coalition Government and then by successive Conservative Governments. A ‘Harsh & Uncaring’ UK – The Alston Report A string of welfare ‘reforms’ and the introduction of Universal Credit has made it extremely difficult for many people, including those with young families, just to get by on a daily basis. The Scottish Government has attempted to mitigate these policies and have introduced a series of payments to support people when they need it. The new payment for children will be fully delivered by the end of 2022. The payment will be monthly and linked to inflation."
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