URGENT action is needed as Scotland’s targets to cut child poverty will be missed by a “wide margin,” a leading think tank warned today.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation Scotland warned that the target to cut child poverty to 18 per cent by 2024-25, set down in Holyrood statute back in 2017, had already been missed, and “the Scottish Parliament will miss its child poverty reduction target by a large margin” in 2030-31 when it is due to fall to 10 per cent.

While acknowledging that poverty rates had fallen in 27 out of 32 council areas, the report warned that poverty was deepening, with almost one in 10 now in very deep poverty — defined as having income below 40 per cent of the median — and nearly three-quarters of children living in poverty having a working parent. 

Joseph Rowntree Foundation associate director for Scotland, Chris Birt, said: “There is so much we can do to make things better, if our politicians have the courage to act boldly.

“With nearly a quarter of a million children still experiencing poverty, there is much to be done to ensure that every child in Scotland has the childhood they deserve.

“Our message to all political parties ahead of the Holyrood election is this: you might try to meet our poverty targets and fail, but it is unacceptable not to try at all.”

Responding to the report, First Minister John Swinney said his government had a commitment “to put more money in people’s pockets and deliver real savings to support families.”

“There are fewer children in poverty in Scotland than the rest of the UK because we have made bold policy choices backed by an unwavering resolve,” he said.

But warning it was time for all politicians to “wake up and smell the coffee,” STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: “We need humungous strides if we are to achieve the First Minister’s laudable aims of eliminating child poverty.

“That means introducing wealth taxes and embedding progressive taxation across our economy to redistribute resources to those most in need. 

“Child poverty is a scourge. We all want to see it end. 

“If you want to demand better for Scotland — for our public services, our communities and our futures — join the STUC and the Poverty Alliance in Edinburgh at our Scotland Demands Better demonstration on October 25.”