News from the Scottish Government
Two-child limit mitigation funding for 2025-26 reinvested to tackle child poverty. More support will be available to families and households to help cover the cost of life’s essentials and to deal with emergencies. First Minister John Swinney has confirmed that £10 million originally earmarked in 2025-26 to support the two-child limit mitigation payment in Scotland […]
£10m emergency support for families Read More »
Edinburgh, 16 December 2025 — The Scottish Government has confirmed it will not proceed with the planned Two-Child Limit Payment (Scotland) Regulations 2026, following the UK Government’s decision to abolish the two-child limit on Universal Credit from April 2026. In a letter dated 3 December 2025, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville stated that
Social Security Scotland has reaffirmed its commitment to fairness, dignity, and respect in response to the Scottish Commission on Social Security’s (SCoSS) scrutiny report on how the agency meets the expectations of Our Charter for people with communication needs. Key Findings from SCoSS The Commission found that clients with communication needs generally have better experiences
Building an Inclusive Social Security System: Responding to Communication Needs Read More »
Published14 November 2025 Social Justice Secretary urges Chancellor to remove two-child limit and benefit cap. Ahead of a series of meetings in London today with child poverty charities, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has urged the UK Government to take action to tackle child poverty in its forthcoming Budget, including immediately scrapping the two-child limit
UK Government must scrap punitive welfare policies Read More »
Published 27 October 2025 New funding to prevent homelessness and expand emergency grants. Efforts to tackle homelessness, reduce poverty and support women who have experienced domestic abuse are being bolstered by an additional £1.6 million this year. This includes: · A further £1 million investment in Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) for local authorities to help people
Boosting crisis support Read More »
Consultation This consultation paper sets out a range of options for how the council tax system in Scotland could be updated and improved. It is aimed at individuals, households, communities, and organisations across the country who have an interest in how local services are funded and how council tax affects them. Council tax has not
Publication – Consultation paper Future of council tax in Scotland: Read More »
Almost 45,000 disabled children and young people to be supported this year. Families of almost 45,000 disabled children and young people are set to receive winter heating support, as Scotland’s unique benefit marks its fifth anniversary. Child Winter Heating Payments will be issued from next week to families caring for children with the highest
Scotland’s Child Winter Heating Payment reaches fifth year Read More »
Almost 45,000 disabled children and young people to be supported this year. Families of almost 45,000 disabled children and young people are set to receive winter heating support, as Scotland’s unique benefit marks its fifth anniversary. Child Winter Heating Payments will be issued from next week to families caring for children with the highest
Scotland’s Child Winter Heating Payment reaches fifth year Read More »
Published 07 October 2025 Increased support for local initiatives. Projects aimed at tackling child poverty across the country will receive increased, multi-year funding thanks to a boost from the Scottish Government. Successful applicants to the third round of the Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund, now worth more than £1.8 million, will receive grants of up to
More funding to tackle child poverty Read More »
