Scottish Labour’s plan to increase child benefit by £260 a year would help more than 17,000 children in Lanark and Hamilton East.
According to the most recent figures, 17,175 children in Lanark and Hamilton East qualify for child benefit, making up over 10,000 families.
Labour backs the ‘Give me 5’ campaign made up of children’s charities and faith organisations.
Previous research from the Child Poverty Action Group suggested that the top up could lift as many of 30,000 children out of poverty across Scotland.
Labour, who released the figures as it focused on income inequality and the cost of living, said the move would put money back into the pockets of working class families.
Andrew Hilland, Labour candidate for Lanark and Hamilton East
Labour’s candidate for Lanark and Hamilton East Andrew Hilland said:
The SNP government should adopt Scottish Labour’s policy of raising child benefit by £5 a week – rather than continuing to vote with the Tories to block it.
An additional £5 per week could make a huge difference to families. It could cover seven nutritious breakfasts of cereal, milk, fruit juice and a banana; or over two months, a good quality winter coat; or it could enable children to take part in a school trip or activity each week.
Years of Tory austerity and cuts to social security have left 4,400 children in Lanark and Hamilton East in poverty – a shameful figure that’s projected to rise to 5,900 by 2022. Yet under the SNP, the Scottish government has failed to tackle the long term structural weakness of the economy and done nothing to tackle poverty and inequality.
Only Labour will ensure the eradication of poverty is at the heart of everything government does.
