SNP Government names date for abolition of two child benefit cap in Scotland
EXCLUSIVE: Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville provided more details of a policy that was the centrepiece of the SNP Government's Budget.
SNP Ministers will scrap the two child benefit cap weeks before the beginning of the Holyrood election.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville told the Record the curb on social security payments will be lifted from March 2nd next year.
The limit was introduced by the previous Tory Government and restricts access to some means-tested benefits to two kids.
After Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer refused to axe the cap, First Minister John Swinney used his budget to promise his devolved government would step in.
Under the SNP Government mitigation scheme, payments could work out at nearly £3,500 for affected children.
Somerville, who will visit a nursery in Edinburgh today, said the policy will mean 20,000 fewer children will live in relative poverty next year.
She said: 'The Scottish Government has consistently called on the UK Government to end the two-child cap. Reports suggest that they are looking at the impact it is having. But the evidence is clear and families and Scotland can't wait any longer for the UK Government to make up its mind to do the right thing and scrap the cap once and for all.
'The Two Child Limit Payment will begin accepting applications in March next year. At less than 15 months from when we announced this in the Scottish budget, this will be the fastest that a Scottish social security benefit has been delivered.
'This builds upon the considerable action we have taken in Scotland, including delivering unparalleled financial support through our Scottish Child Payment, investing to clear school meal debts, and continuing to support almost 10,000 children by mitigating the UK Government's Benefit Cap as fully as possible.
'However, austerity decisions taken by the UK Government are holding back Scotland' s progress. Modelling published in March makes clear that if the UK Government act decisively on child poverty, they could help to take an estimated 100,000 children out of poverty this year.'
Recent reports have suggested Starmer could axe the cap across the UK as part of the Government's eagerly-anticipated child poverty strategy.
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