Evaluating efforts to tackle poverty

4th September 2025

Scottish benefits are easing the cost-of-living burden for families according to a new evaluation.

The Scottish Centre for Social Research surveyed people in receipt of any of the Five Family Payments, a group of benefits designed to tackle poverty and to improve household finances.

Findings show the payments have a positive impact on recipients' overall finances and have helped to reduce material deprivation and food insecurity for low-income families. The majority of Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Foods recipients agreed the payments meant they did not need foodbanks.

Feedback also shows the majority of Best Start Foods recipients, who receive a pre-paid card to purchase healthy food, reported that the card enabled their families to have healthy meals more frequently.

Other impacts include a reduction to household debt and borrowing and more children being able to undertake extra-curricular activities, like sport, music or drama.

Recipients also commented that the automatic payment system reduces worry and stress.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville met some impacted families at Brunstane Primary School in Edinburgh.

Ms Somerville said:

"We want every child to have the best start in life, but we recognise that the cost of living continues to have a negative impact on families across the country.

“It is a moral imperative to offer the best support we can, and I’m pleased that this work found an array of positive, meaningful impacts.

“But we are not letting up. We know there is more to do, which is why, as an example, we are launching the new Two Child Limit Payment in March, which will benefit the families of 43,000 children next year.

“And in the face of challenging economic headwinds and cuts to the UK welfare system, I want to reassure families that our support will continue. No child, nor family, will be left behind by the Scottish Government."

One parent, Emma Hunter from Magdalene, said, "We are so grateful for the support we received with the healthy start vouchers, school uniforms and child payment. It has been such a huge help in easing the financial burden of starting a family and it has made a real difference to our lives."