THE Scottish government is on course to miss its 2030 child poverty targets “by a considerable margin,” according to a damning report today.

Research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) found the relative child poverty in Scotland stood at 21 per cent between 2022-23 and 2024-25, lower than the 28 per cent figure for Britain as a whole.

The Scottish child payment benefit is projected by ministers to reduce child poverty by 110,000 in 2030–31.

But the latest IFS Scottish election briefing said that progress would bring the rate down to 18 per cent by 2030-31 – well short of the Scottish government target of 10 per cent.

Senior research economist at the IFS and co-author of the report, Tom Wernham, said: “Scotland’s devolved benefit system is reducing income inequality and child poverty.

“Further increases in devolved benefits are the most direct way to continue to reduce child poverty.

“But the scale of benefit increases needed to achieve the very stretching 10 per cent child relative poverty target would cost billions of pounds per year.

“If the next Scottish government also prioritises the living standards and life chances of children from lower-income families, a mix of benefit, labour market and public service policies will likely be needed.”

Scottish Labour social justice spokeswoman Claire Baker said: “John Swinney and the SNP have always been more interested in setting targets than meeting them, but it is particularly shameful on an issue as serious as child poverty.”

SNP candidate for Dunfermline, Shirley-Anne Somerville — who has served as social justice secretary since 2023 — said: “John Swinney has made eradicating child poverty his number one mission and we are making good progress, despite complete failure from the Labour Party to get a grip of the cost-of-living crisis.”