UK figures released last week show that child poverty rates are now 35% higher in England than in Scotland.

Annual statistics show compared with the previous year’s statistics, relative child poverty in 2023-24 reduced from 26% to 22% in Scotland while absolute child poverty fell from 23% to 17%. UK Poverty statistics show compared with the previous year’s statistics, levels of relative child poverty at 31% and absolute child poverty at 26%.

Believe in Scotland founder Gordon Macintyre-Kemp said: “It’s abundantly clear that the Scottish Government is trying to address child poverty, whilst the UK Government is hell bent on policies that create child poverty. In so many ways, being a part of the UK is making reducing child poverty in Scotland harder. Take energy - which was privatised by governments Scotland didn’t vote for. Scotland’s energy poverty rates are 31%.

“It is not possible for Scotland to truly tackle child poverty without the full powers of independence. As an independent country, Scotland could focus on creating a well-being economy and ending the systemic poverty which still affects far too many children in Scotland.”