Latest news with #ScottishChildPayment
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Over 61,000 families in NHS Lothian area have received baby boxes since scheme launch
They contain items such as clothing, books, and a digital thermometer New figures have revealed that over 60,000 baby boxes have been delivered to families across the NHS Lothian area since the launch of the scheme. Almond Valley MSP Angela Constance welcomed the stats that show that 61,390 families in the health board area have taken up the offer since 2017 of the boxes filled with essential items needed for newborns. The Baby Box is offered to every newborn in Scotland and contains a range of items such as clothing, books, and a digital thermometer – all aimed at giving children the best possible start in life. The box can also be used as a safe sleeping place, if necessary. The boxes and items contained within also promote equal opportunity by ensuring every baby, no matter their background, receives the same strong beginning. Across Scotland, over 346,000 Baby Boxes have now been delivered to parents since the programme began. The scheme continues to receive high levels of satisfaction in feedback from parents, with many reporting that it helps them feel supported and better prepared for the arrival of their baby. Angela Constance MSP said: 'It's heartening to see that over 61,000 families across Lothian have benefitted from the Baby Box – it's a clear sign of the Scottish Government's commitment to supporting new parents and giving every child the best possible start. 'The Baby Box is just one of a number of important initiatives – alongside 1,140 hours of free early learning and childcare, and the Scottish Child Payment – that are helping to reduce inequalities and support families through those early and important years. 'In Almond Valley and across Scotland, this scheme is making a real, positive difference. I'm proud that Scotland is leading the way when it comes to supporting families.'
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Wishaw MSP welcomes new Baby Box figures for North Lanarkshire
Almost 40,000 Baby Boxes have been delivered across NHS Lanarkshire since the scheme was introduced in 2017. Motherwell and Wishaw MSP Clare Adamson has welcomed new figures that show 39,619 Baby Boxes have been delivered across NHS Lanarkshire since the scheme was introduced in 2017. In Scotland, every newborn is entitled to a box containing essential items intended to make sure that every child has the best possible start in life. In total, 346,959 boxes have now been distributed to parents across Scotland since the project's inception. Ms Adamson said: 'It's remarkable that nearly 40,000 Baby Boxes have been delivered to families across NHS Lanarkshire since the SNP government launched the initiative in 2017. 'The Baby Box is just one element of the SNP's broader commitment to supporting families from the very beginning. This includes providing 1,140 hours of free early learning and childcare for all three and four-year-olds, as well as eligible two-year-olds, and giving families greater financial security through the abolition of the two-child benefit cap and the introduction of the Scottish Child Payment. Thanks to SNP policies like these, Scotland stands out as the best place in the UK to start and raise a family.
Daily Record
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Scots are 'tired and angry' as politicians called on to listen to public concerns about the future
EXCLUSIVE: All Scots MSPs and MPs will be invited to attend a major anti-poverty rally in Edinburgh to hear first hand about the pressures facing households. Politicians have been urged on World Listening Day to stand back and hear the plight of everyday Scots who are struggling with the cost of living and crumbling public services. More than 140 organisations - including trade unions, churches and charities - are calling for all political parties to listen more to what the public wants ahead of next year's Holyrood election. It comes ahead of the Scotland Demands Better rally which will take place in Edinburgh later this year. Peter Kelly, chief executive of the Poverty Alliance, has been leading the coordination of the campaign and said the simple aim was to demand change. "The reason we are raising awareness on July 18 is because this is World Listening Day," he told the Record. "We will be contacting politicians to invite them to attend the Scotland Demands Better rally in Edinburgh on October 25. They will be invited to come along and listen. "We want them to hear the strength of feeling in communities across Scotland about the need to tackle poverty. We believe people want to see change. "The people many of these organisations work with are cut-off from life's essentials. They are frightened about what the future might bring for their families and communities. And we want politicians to hear that. We know they hear it from their constituencies, and in their mail bags, but we want them to physically be there and listen to what's being said. "We are very concerned about the decline in trust in politics. That's why we want politicians to be there, to show they're listening, as people are becoming increasingly disenchanted. "If we want to see change, and our democracy secured, then politicians really need to engage in a different way with communities who have been negatively impacted over the last 15 years. People are tired and they're angry. They need a sense of belief that when politicians commit to things, they actually deliver them."The key demands of Scotland Demands Better include improved jobs for everyone who needs one and greater investment in what they call "life's essentials" - such as affordable housing and public transport. There is also a focus on boosting the welfare system to ensure it offers everyone a foundation to build on for the future. The campaign wants to see the Scottish Child Payment increase for eligible families as well as a commitment from the UK Government to scrap the two-child cap on benefits. Peter accepts the demands are ambitious but insists they can be delivered despite huge pressure on public finances. "I think taxation has to be part of the answer," he added. "I do recognise we need to raise resources. But it's also about using some of our resources more effectively. "Council tax is in dire need of reform and could fund investment in public services. But it's not just about what the Scottish Parliament can do, we know we need to get action from the UK Government as well. Both Governments should be exploring options for wealth taxes "Some relatively modest changes around wealth taxation could generate an enormous amount of resources to tackle poverty."
The National
15-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- The National
Is it right that spending quality time with family is now a privilege?
But for a lot of families, especially over the summer holidays, it can bring dread. I know many people who are really struggling right now because the costs of just getting through the day are so high. Summer holidays mean extra meals, outings, childcare, the clothes that don't fit any more – the swimming gear and shorts are too small and tight. Replacing it all adds up quickly. Even when you try to do things on the cheap, sun cream, snacks, shoes, ice creams, and bus fares all take planning and money. Some people have the flexibility to take time off in the summer. Others don't, especially single parents. If you can't find childcare, you can't work. If you don't work, the bills stack up. Even in homes where both adults are working, I know people who are on Universal Credit just to keep things going. That's the reality for many families now. Summer compounds the issue. READ MORE: Meet the Scot who who suggested schoolchildren be given free milk And it's not just about money. There's a lot of pressure on parents to make things 'fun' over the summer. To give their kids memories. But that can be hard when you're running on empty both financially and emotionally. I know what it's like to be in a busy household where you're juggling the washing, the cleaning, the feeding, the tidying. Especially if you have children with additional needs, it can feel like you never stop. But at some point, we need to stop. We need to have space to enjoy being with our children, not just managing them. Is it right that having fun, spending quality time with friends and family, is now a privilege? Summer should be about connection, not just routine. Families and friends need time together. Children need play and laughter, not just boundaries and structure. Parents need to be able to breathe. That's why I think it's important we talk about holidays – and I don't just mean fancy flights or theme parks. READ MORE: Shona Craven: I spent the weekend beach-cleaning and it really is a race against time I mean having time away from the everyday stress. Being able to slow down. To enjoy a picnic, or a walk, or a day at the beach without panicking about every pound spent. These things shouldn't be a luxury. They should be part of what we consider a good life. To be fair, the Scottish Government has brought in support that does help families, such as the Scottish Child Payment, the Best Start Grant, school clothing grants, and the Carer's Allowance Supplement. These don't solve everything but they're helping families stay afloat, and in some cases giving a bit of breathing room during tough times. It's a different approach and one that recognises that poverty isn't a personal failure but something we can tackle together through good policy and compassion. I'm glad to live in a country that is choosing to build something better. That sees social security as a safety net, not a punishment. That is willing to say that kids deserve a joyful summer. Parents deserve rest. And that wellbeing isn't soft, it's essential. All of this is part of a bigger picture. The idea that people's need for happiness and family life should come before short-term profits. That's what a wellbeing economy means to me. It doesn't mean we don't care about business, but we recognise that thriving people are the foundation of a thriving economy. Having something to look forward to, some time out, joy, a break from stress, matters more than we often admit. It's what keeps us going. I do think there's a wider conversation to be had, because even with all the good intentions and strong policies, Scotland is still operating with limited powers. We don't control the minimum wage. We don't set the rules for Universal Credit. We can't make sure that every family in Scotland gets the consistent support it needs throughout the year. So much of what we do is about mitigating the effects of decisions made elsewhere. But imagine if we didn't have to do so much patching up. Imagine if we could build the kind of country we know we're capable of without tied hands. That's what independence is really about for me. It's about having the tools to create a country where no child dreads the summer holidays. Where no parent has to choose between earning and caring. Where wellbeing isn't wishful thinking it's built into everything we do. So yes, the sun is shining and Scotland is looking glorious. But let's not forget the families behind closed doors who are just trying to make it to bedtime. Scotland is already showing what's possible when we put people first. With full powers over welfare, employment and tax, we could stop just softening the blows and start creating real, lasting change. We build a stronger nation by putting people first, starting now. Choosing a different path from Westminster and delivering it here in Scotland, valuing the whole person, not just statistics.
Daily Record
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Zonal pricing would have cut energy bills in Scotland but Labour ruled it out
Whether it's your mortgage or rent, the cost of the messages or filling up the car, I know it feels like costs keep going up and there is not a lot left over at the end of the month. The SNP is doing what we can to support people – getting rid of peak rail fares, protecting free bus travel and supporting families with the Scottish Child Payment. But few costs are worrying people like energy bills. In an energy rich nation like Scotland nobody should be struggling to pay their bill. Yet not only are many people struggling, hundreds of thousands of families are living in fuel poverty. It is just unacceptable. Last week, the UK Labour Government ruled out a move which could have cut bills in Scotland. They have been very quick to tell us what they won't do – they now need to tell us what they will do to bring people's bills down. Labour promised to reduce your bills by £300 – but they're now around £150 higher than when Keir Starmer became Prime Minister. So we need to see clear, concrete action from the UK Government setting out how they will reduce people's bills by at least £450 if they are to fulfil that promise. They cannot stick their head in the sand and hope the problem goes away. High energy bills are one of the biggest issues people are facing and are only going to get worse when we get into winter. Labour have used their time in office to try to balance the books on the backs of the vulnerable – whether pensioners, children or disabled people. And they have done nothing to fulfil their promises on energy bills. There are two lessons we can take from that. That you simply cannot trust promises Labour make before an election. And that if people want to know what a Labour Government in Scotland might be like, just look at the shambles of Labour in government in Westminster. Gaza Last week, I met with UNICEF to discuss their work responding to the horrors being inflicted on the people of Gaza by the government of Israel. It was heartbreaking and incredibly difficult to listen to. But it only strengthened my resolve that the international community needs to act now to bring this suffering to an end and ensure peace for Israelis and Palestinians. One of the things UNICEF stressed to me was the issue of medical evacuations. That is the number of children – some of them babies – who need urgent medical care that they now just cannot receive in Gaza. Many of them will literally die without it. I do not think Scotland can stand on the sidelines while innocent children are killed. So I have been clear that we stand ready to offer live-saving treatment in our world-class NHS. We cannot however do this alone – the powers to bring the children to Scotland sit with the UK Government. That is why I have asked the Prime Minister to support us in this work and I hope he will accept. This conflict needs to end now – but until it does, Scotland stands ready to play our part in protecting innocent children who have already suffered too much. Holiday Last week, I enjoyed a few days away in Tiree with my wife Elizabeth and my son Matthew. Tiree is one of my favourite islands in Scotland and we had a fabulous couple of days at the stunning Tiree Music Festival. It has helped me to recharge the batteries before getting stuck back into things.
