Charity warns Scotland will miss child-poverty target without sweeping reforms

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s "Poverty in Scotland 2026" report warns that Scotland is likely to miss its legally binding child-poverty target by a wide margin, with 21% of children still living in poverty. The charity says the government’s plan to review targets could delay action and lower ambitions, and calls for a new, better-funded strategy focused on housing, work and social security. It also points to persistent poverty among 17% of the population, including 11% in deep poverty, and notes that local councils are perceived as under-funded.

The report recommends overhauling local-government finance to prioritize services where they are most needed and to involve people with lived experience in decision-making. Scottish officials, including Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville, responded by highlighting existing investments such as the £20 million Whole Family Support fund and the Scottish Child Payment, which now supports over 320,000 children.