Scottish Budget: plans to offset two-child benefit limit

Measures announced in today’s Scottish Government Budget speech are a step in the right direction for struggling families according to The Salvation Army, which has welcomed the announcement of an additional £1b of funding for Scottish councils, £768m for housing, £4m for homelessness prevention and plans to mitigate the two-child benefit limit in Scotland. 

Andrew Connell, Policy Manager at The Salvation Army, said: 

“The Scottish Government has taken positive steps to address cost of living pressures facing families and individuals and plans outlined by the Cabinet Secretary to offset the two-child benefit limit are welcome, reflecting one of The Salvation Army’s key policy calls, for removal of this measure. We are also pleased to see additional funding for homelessness and frontline health services. Within this, we would like to see the Scottish Government, local authorities and Health and Social Care Partnerships work to ensure there is drug, alcohol and mental health support available at evenings and weekends in all local authority areas.

“Every day, The Salvation Army's officers are helping struggling families with practical support like food parcels, school uniform banks, debt advice and employment support. We see measures like the top-up benefit payments in Scotland are helpful and urgently needed. However, this will provide only short-term relief. 

“The Scottish Government has once again made a commitment to eradicate child poverty. We look forward to seeing more detailed information as the budget process continues on how these commitments will be funded(1). Councils must be able to plan commissioned services effectively over the longer term(2) and ensure that their efforts, along with those of The Salvation Army and other third sector organisations, are adequately supported.”