Policy Briefing: What difference does the Scottish Child Payment make?
Published on 17th June 2026 by Kate Andersen, Suzanna Nesom, Ruth Patrick, Ilona Pinter, Kitty Stewart and Emma Tominey
Findings from the Family Finances study
The Westminster and Scottish Governments have pledged to reduce child poverty. In Scotland, this commitment is supported by statutory targets under the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 and successive Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plans. The most significant policy introduced as part of this approach is the Scottish Child Payment, a regular cash payment for low-income families.
This policy briefing draws on evidence from Family Finances, a mixed-methods comparative study combining quantitative analysis with interviews and expenditure diaries from families in Scotland and England.
The briefing examines three central questions:
- What difference does the Scottish Child Payment make to family finances?
- Does the Scottish Child Payment affect incentives to work?
- What lessons does its introduction offer for policies aimed at reducing child poverty?
The findings show that the payment has improved children’s living standards, reduced financial insecurity and helped families meet essential costs, without reducing employment or working hours.