THE Scottish government’s Budget won’t alleviate child poverty and promises to scrap the two-child benefit cap in 2026 are merely “jam tomorrow,” according to one children’s charity.

Launching her draft budget plans in Holyrood on Wednesday, Finance Secretary Shona Robison told MSPs that plans would be drawn up over the coming year to effectively scrap the cap in Scotland and called for their backing to “lift over 15,000 Scottish children out of poverty.”

The measure is estimated to cost around £150 million in 2026/27.

But with no money allocated to the task in the coming year, Children First chief executive Mary Glasgow said: “The cabinet secretary says this Budget will lift children out of poverty but given that Scotland faces a childhood emergency it is difficult to see how. 

“The promise of jam tomorrow, in the form of mitigating the UK two-child cap does nothing to alleviate the plight of thousands of children and families across Scotland who are going hungry today. 

“We called on the Scottish government to invest in early help and support for families and to increase the Scottish child payment.  

“It is disappointing that they have chosen to delay investing in children rather than taking immediate action.

“Children can’t wait.” 

End Child Poverty Coalition chairman Joseph Howes, however, said the “announcement demonstrates that with political will, change for the poorest families is possible.”

He added: “This is a policy which is responsible for pushing families into poverty. And once gone, thousands of children will benefit. 

“However, children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland shouldn’t be subjected to this policy.

“We call on the UK government to scrap this cruel policy, for all families, immediately.”

The Scottish government and the DWP were contacted for comment.