6,455 Angus Children Backed by Scottish Child Payment

SNP Contrasts Record with Westminster

SNP candidate for Angus South, Lloyd Melville, has welcomed new figures showing that 6,455 children and young people in Angus are currently supported by the Scottish Child Payment.

Across Scotland, 321,375 children were actively benefiting from the payment at the end of December. Since its launch five years ago, the Scotland-only benefit has delivered over £1.4 billion directly to families to help with the cost of raising children.

The latest figures come as a report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation confirmed that child poverty rates in Scotland are now the lowest in the UK, with SNP policies such as the Scottish Child Payment identified as a key factor.

Provision in the Scottish Government’s 2026/27 budget will also see the payment increase to £40 per week for children under one year old.

“These figures show that political choices matter.

“While child poverty is rising elsewhere in the UK, thousands of families here in Angus are being supported because the Scottish Government chose to act.

“With 6,455 children benefiting locally, this is not an abstract policy. It is money helping parents in Arbroath, Carnoustie, Monifieth and Kirriemuir pay for food, clothes and heating at a time when household budgets are under real pressure.

“Other parties talk about tough choices. The SNP chose to invest in children. That is why child poverty is falling in Scotland while it rises across the rest of these islands.

“And we are going further. Increasing the payment to £40 per week for under-ones and expanding free Breakfast Clubs shows this government is not standing still.

“That is the difference a strong SNP Government makes, and why it matters that people back the SNP on 7th May.”

- Lloyd Melville, SNP candidate for Angus South

Notes:

Latest Scottish Child Payment statistics:

https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/publications/2026/02/scottish-child-payment-to-31-december-2025

Joseph Rowntree report:https://www.jrf.org.uk/social-security/this-isnt-what-change-feels-like