CAS BUDGET RESPONSE:

Scrapping 2 child limit welcome but other measures to tackle cost of living fall short of what is needed 

Responding to the Budget, Citizens Advice Scotland’s Chief Executive Derek Mitchell said,

“As hundreds of thousands of people across Scotland face this winter desperately worried about how to afford the essentials we all need, it was imperative that this Budget delivered hope to those experiencing the most harm.  

“The two-child limit has been a cruel and pernicious policy that has forced families into poverty. Scrapping this will be transformational for around 20,000 children in Scotland, and will also enable the Scottish Government to further invest in measures to tackle child poverty – this is such welcome news.  

“The Citizens Advice network is a core part of Scotland’s anti-poverty infrastructure. Our network of CABs in over 300 locations deliver advice that changes lives, returning almost £170 million into people's pockets last year alone. Investing in advice is a key part of tackling poverty.  

“Our unique evidence clearly points to what is causing people the most harm; gaping holes in our social security system and broken energy markets. The failure to act on unfreezing the rate of Local Housing Allowance and to deliver a social tariff on energy bills mean that the extortionate levels of rent arrears and energy debt will continue to have devastating impacts on people's physical and mental health, further driving demand for advice.”