A coalition of campaigners is calling on the Scottish Government to give a £100-a-month benefit top-up to struggling young parents.
The groups believe the boost to the Scottish Child Payment is necessary to combat “staggering” poverty levels.
Under-25s receive a lower level of Universal Credit as a result of UK Government rules – even if their circumstances are the same.
It means young parents are about £100 worse off a month while single parents are penalised £65 a month. Over 50 per cent of kids with a mum under 25 are estimated to be in relative poverty and 49 per cent are in absolute poverty.
In a campaign launched today, 35 charities and civil society groups have urged the SNP/Green Government to wipe out the two-tier system by topping up the devolved SCP, which is a £25-a-week benefit paid to low income families.
Satwat Rehman, chief executive of One Parent Families Scotland, which is leading the campaign, said: “The Scottish Government has identified young mothers as a priority group for tackling child poverty. Now, it has a chance to turn those words into action by targeting support where it is most urgently needed.
“The DWP’s decision to deny young parents the same level of social security as older parents penalises children and we won’t stop pushing for this to be changed. But Scotland’s children can’t afford to wait for Westminster to reverse this discriminatory policy. In our local services, we see young families being pushed to the brink by poverty.
"We also know that supporting these families when they need it most can have a lifelong impact. This is why we’re asking the Scottish Government to provide a top-up to the Scottish Child Payment to make up the shortfall in benefits received by young parents.”
Feminist charity Engender’s policy manager Jill Wood said: “The ‘young parent penalty’ within Universal Credit is deeply gendered and acts as a barrier to equality for young women. They are the majority of those affected, with disabled women, BME women, and other marginalised groups at greater risk of harm.”
Lauren, 22, a single parent from Glasgow who lives with her three-year-old daughter, said: “I’m £800 in debt with gas. I only put heating on when my daughter is in bed and the washing machine goes on at night.”
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “With a fixed budget and limited powers, we are doing all we can to tackle poverty in Scotland and protect people from the worst of Westminster’s policies that hurt the most vulnerable in society. But only with the full powers of independence can we fully support low-income families.”
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