Child Poverty Bill for Scotland

Date: 10th August 2016
Category: Child poverty

The consultation seeks views on the Scottish Government's proposals for a Child Poverty Bill. The Bill will provide a framework for action and ways to hold the Government to account for their efforts in tackling poverty.

The legislation, due to be introduced next year, aims to build on existing work, and form part of the government's overall approach to tackling poverty and inequality in Scotland. Ministers want to hear from local government, businesses, the third sector and those on low incomes about what they think can be done to end the cycle of poverty.

The proposals include:

- Enshrining child poverty eradication into legislation;

- Reinstating statutory income-bases targets to reduce the number of children living in poverty;

- Placing a duty on Scottish Ministers to develop a Child Poverty Delivery Plan, and to report on annually on their progress towards delivering that plan.