December 2024

Money Advice Scotland welcomes the Scottish Budget’s commitment to tackling poverty and improving financial wellbeing, including plans to mitigate the two-child benefit cap, restore Winter Heating Payments, and invest in affordable housing. We believe that these changes represent important steps towards addressing child poverty, housing insecurity, and financial hardship in Scotland.

The decision to scrap the two-child limit is a vital recognition of the policy’s devastating impact on families across Scotland (and the UK). This unjust cap has forced many families to make impossible choices between food and heating. We are encouraged by the Scottish Government’s leadership in taking steps to counter its effects.

However, we urge the government to recognise the critical role of the third sector in providing essential support and guidance to people experiencing debt and financial challenges. The lack of sustainable, multi-year funding is placing immense strain on organisations and their staff, which ultimately impacts the clients they serve.