4,330 CHILDREN IN MIDLOTHIAN AND EAST LOTHIAN BENEFITTING FROM ‘GAME CHANGING’ SCOTTISH CHILD PAYMENT

SNP MSP, Colin Beattie, has welcomed statistics out today which show that approximately 2,255 children in Midlothian and 2,075 children in East Lothian are in receipt of the Scottish Government’s Scottish Child Payment, set to double to £20 per child per week in April.
 
The payment was introduced in 2021 to support low-income families with children aged under six by providing regular, additional financial support for families already in receipt of qualifying benefits to assist with the costs of caring for a child. 
 
As of 31 December 2021, it is estimated that 104,000 children across Scotland were in receipt of Scottish Child Payment – equating to £45.2 million worth of payments by the Scottish Government – and that is expected to rise to over 400,000 eligible children by the end 2022 which is when the benefit will be extended to children under the age of 16.
 
Commenting SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Colin Beattie said:
 
“I am delighted that 4,330 children across Midlothian and East Lothian are benefitting from the Scottish Child Payment which will double in just a month’s time. 
 
“Come April, this means that 4,330 children and families across Midlothian and East Lothian receive £20 per child per week - four times the amount originally demanded by campaigners and illustrating just how focussed the Scottish Government is on meeting Scotland’s Child Poverty targets.
 
“Once again though, the tale of two governments is striking. While the SNP is doubling the Scottish Child Payment to lift thousands of children out of poverty, this game changing action is being undone by the Tories at Westminster who have cut £20 per week from many of the same families – knowingly pushing thousands of families into poverty. 
 
“The people in Midlothian and East Lothian deserve the chance to escape the damaging policies we get under Westminster control and choose a better path, one with the full powers that an independent Scotland would bring and allow us to build a fairer society.”