Tackling child poverty delivery plan 2022-2026 - annex 5: impact of policies on child poverty

Best Start, Bright Futures Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2022-2026: Annex 5

Introduction

Each new or significantly refocused intervention featured as part of the second Child Poverty Delivery Plan is analysed here.

We show how each policy links to the targets, via the drivers of child poverty. We describe the type of impact anticipated, and the numbers of people or households impacted. We also indicate where policies are linked to particular outcomes for a priority group as well as showing how progress will be monitored and/or evaluated.

This analytical structure ensures consistency and transparency, and provides a clear explanation of how our assessment of the impact on child poverty has been arrived at.

While the Plan includes mention of many policies, we have only assessed for impact those policies that are either newly introduced or significantly amended. As such, each page of this document focuses on each of those policies. Furthermore, we are only including policies that directly link to one of the three drivers of poverty. That is, income from employment, cost of living or income from social security/benefits in-kind. In addition, however, there are some policies that aim to enhanced life chances for individuals or families, with the ultimate aim of impacting on one of the drivers of poverty. We have added an extra box to reflect this policy aim.

The list of policies included in this annex are:

Part A: Providing the opportunities and integrated support parents need to enter, sustain and progress in work

• Parental Work Offer
• Social Innovation Partnership
• Accessible Financial Advice
• Health Visitor Advice Commitment
• Early Learning and Childcare, School age childcare and holiday childcare
• Scottish Carer's Assistance
• Connecting Scotland
• Transport – (Affordability, Accessibility and Inclusiveness)

Part B: Maximising the support available for families to live dignified lives and meet their basic needs

• Whole Family Wellbeing Fund
• Scottish Child Payment
• Best Start Foods
• Best Start Grant
• Affordable Homes
• Gypsy/traveller Accommodation Fund
• Benefit Cap support through discretionary housing payments
• Tackling Fuel Poverty
• Low-income Winter Heating Assistance
• Child Winter Heating Assistance

Part C: Supporting the next generation to thrive

• Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC)
• Scottish Attainment Challenge
• Education Maintenance Allowance
• Scottish Welfare Fund