THE Scottish Government’s mitigation of the two-child benefit cap could be introduced ahead of the 2026 financial year if work progresses well, the Finance Secretary has indicated.
Shona Robison insisted the scheme is going ahead, saying the Government could implement it before April 2026.
She set out the SNP Government’s intention to effectively scrap the two-child cap during her Budget proposals for 2025 earlier this week.
But she said it would require co-operation with the UK Government and the full sum to do so is not expected to be set out until the following year’s Budget.
Speaking to the BBC’s Sunday Show, Robison said the Scottish Government currently expects the scheme to cost between £100 million and £150m.
Social Security Scotland would need a lead-in time of around a year in order to reduce the benefit mitigation, she said, noting there had been good “mood music” about the required data sharing from the Department for Work and Pensions.
The Finance Secretary said: “If we’re able to make payments earlier in 2026, before the start of the new financial year, then we will look to do that and make the provision for that.
“But it will depend on getting this data.”
It was put to Robison that her timeline was about “politics” given the next Scottish Parliament election is in May 2026.
She said: “This is about tackling child poverty – I came into politics to tackle child poverty.
“It’s what drives me, gets me up in the morning. I know the First Minister is absolutely focused on it.”
She said the Scottish Parliament as a whole had agreed on statutory child poverty targets.
MSPs are due to vote on the Scottish Budget in February following a period of negotiation between parties at Holyrood.
