340 children in the Western Isles have been supported by the Scottish Child Payment since its introduction by the Scottish Government in February 2021. £175,700 in support has gone to families in the Western Isles since the payment launched last year.

In April, the Scottish Government doubled the Scottish Child Payment to £20 per week per child, and this will increase further to £25 by the end of the year.

Commenting, SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, said:

“During the growing cost of living crisis, the Scottish Government’s Scottish Child Payment has been instrumental in supporting families on the lowest incomes in the Western Isles and throughout the whole of Scotland.

“The Scottish Child Payment is just one of a raft of support payments that have been introduced in Scotland to build a social security system that is built on dignity, fairness and respect.

“Despite many key levers of power still being reserved to Westminster, the Scottish Government is doing all it can to support households and mitigate the impact of the UK Government’s heartless decisions, such as its failure to maintain the Universal Credit uplift in October – a move that plunged thousands more families into poverty. It is only with the full raft of powers that independence would bring that we can start to build a fairer, more equal Scotland.”