Child poverty in the UK and Scotland

Conclusions

This report provides an evidence-based baseline to understand key contributions of Scottish and wider UK Government policies to tackle child poverty since 2010. It has taken a three-strand approach, consisting of trends analysis, a strategy overview and a rapid evidence review, to explore child poverty reduction measures, with a focus on providing learnings as we move forward.

The UK is not homogenous, as strategic direction, policy approaches and socio-economic contexts vary across nations. Therefore, examining the policy actions undertaken across the UK to tackling child poverty provides valuable insights as to how different policy levers interact, where progress has been made, and where further policy action may be required.

What are the trends in child poverty over time between Scotland and the UK as a whole? Where and how do these trends differ?

Scotland consistently records lower levels of child poverty than the UK as a whole across most headline measures.

Lower housing costs and devolved policy interventions are likely to contribute to these differences. However, due to changes in data methodology and data linkage, further years of data are required to assess whether these differences are being maintained over time.

What strategic approaches have been taken by governments across the UK since 2010 to tackle child poverty? How do these approaches differ in scope?

Approaches to tackling child poverty have diverged across the UK and devolved nations. This is reflected in differences across priorities, socio-economic contexts, and the powers available to each government. These factors have shaped the scope, focus and delivery of child poverty strategies making direct comparisons challenging.

Evidence suggests that long-term strategic commitment and sustained action have been important features of effective child poverty strategies. In Scotland, this is reflected in an increasingly holistic approach to supporting children and families, combining income-based measures with wider actions to improve wellbeing and family support.

The most recent UK Government Child Poverty Strategy is intended to complement activity across the four UK nations. It includes a clear commitment to reducing child poverty alongside improving wider outcomes for children and families. Critical for success is sustained, context-specific action within each nation, supported by effective coordination across governments and clear accountability mechanisms.

To what extent can changes in child poverty outcomes in Scotland be attributed to UK Government policy action? Which policies have made significant contributions?

The rapid evidence review identified policies which have contributed to efforts to tackle child poverty across the UK.

Household income, driven by secure, well-paid work, is central to efforts to reduce child poverty, but Scotland’s ability to influence this is limited. This means employment related outcomes are heavily shaped by UK labour market policies. Devolution has enabled Scotland to mitigate some UK policy impacts, although key areas such as benefit levels and welfare rules remain reserved. This highlights the potential of the new UK Government strategy in areas where Scotland has seen less divergence.

Persistent high costs and wider economic pressures highlight the need for sustained support for families living in low-income households. Across the UK, early intervention through integrated and locally delivered support is critical for families, with examples evident in childcare provision.

Assessing the specific contribution of UK Government policy action to changes in child poverty outcomes is challenging, due to the interaction of devolved and reserved responsibilities, overlapping strategic directions and policy actions, and wider economic and demographic factors. To strengthen understanding of policy impact going forwards, Scottish Government will continue working with the UK Government to inform Scotland specific considerations and joint evaluation approaches.