Hope for the future? What hope for families now?

Listening to Shona Robison deliver the Scottish budget sounded good, a budget that focuses on eradicating child poverty as a priority. And Robison outlined it with a vow that it ‘offers hope for the future’ with investment in public services, tackling child poverty, the climate, jobs and economic growth.

The biggest announcement was that the Scottish Government would ‘end the two-child cap and in doing so lift over 15,000 Scottish children out of poverty.’ Scrapping this vile policy is important. And there has been a huge demand for Scottish Government to mitigate this from charities and third sector organizations helping affected families for a long time. Doing so throws down the gauntlet to the UK Government, showing them it can be done.

But can the Scottish Government scrap a cap that needs abolishing at Westminster level? When she delivered the budget, Shona Robison said her challenge to UK Government was to work with her to end the cap in Scotland, providing the information needed. But I wonder why money should have to be spent mitigating cruel UK Government policies that could be scrapped altogether, how it could be scrapped in Scotland, and what exactly this will cost?

In the meantime, 'abolished' makes for a good headline but it won't happen until it's voted for by MSP's in February 2025. If this happens, then it still won’t come into force until 2026! That doesn't help anyone today.

Right now there is no immediate help for those affected by the cap. We know an above-inflation increase in Scottish Child Payment puts direct cash into the pockets of families affected and is the most efficient and effective way of protecting children from all the issues associated with deprivation and poverty.

The budget also saw no extension of Free School Meals, but some extra money for breakfast clubs. Universal Free School Meals for primary schools has been on the table a long time - why not extend to include primary 6&7 classes?

Overall, I think Shona Robinson has definitely delivered significant improvement in this budget, I believe they've got their priorities right and they will turn words into action. I'm glad I live here, we are better off than in England.

But, in the meantime, Westminster will carry on as they have been and families can't wait until 2026. What helps people in crisis right now?