2 days ago
Thousands of children still living in poverty in Renfrewshire despite fall from previous year
A total of 4,613 children were living in a relative low income household, before housing costs, in 2023/24.
Thousands of children are still living in poverty in Renfrewshire, despite the latest statistics showing the number has fallen from the previous year.
A total of 4,613 children were said to be living in a relative low income household, before housing costs, in 2023/24 – a rate of 15.2 per cent. But the figure is a decrease of 330 when compared to the previous year and also below the Scottish average of 16.3 per cent.
The data was included in Renfrewshire Council's local child poverty action report, which was approved at a meeting of the leadership board yesterday.
Councillor Graeme Clark, Labour representative for Paisley Northeast and Ralston, said at the meeting: "While I'm slightly encouraged to see the child poverty rate in Renfrewshire fall and that there are 330 fewer children in poverty than last year – 330 children who have got a greater possibility to thrive – I'm still deeply challenge by the 4,613 children who remain in poverty.
"I would, therefore, encourage this board to continue to commit to Fairer Renfrewshire's sub-group in its three-fold strategy, which is supporting parents into work, maximising household incomes and using lived experience to shape council initiatives."
The local authority has invested in tackling poverty through various measures such as free school breakfasts in areas with high levels of child poverty and funding for its mobile children's library.
Meanwhile, council-funded advice services have helped residents secure almost £17 million in additional income and manage up to £22m in debt.
The Winter Connections and Summer of Fun programmes have also been highlighted as success stories by the council as it tries to maximise the support available to families.
However, a report to the board confirmed there continues to be "particularly high proportions" of children in low-income households in specific areas of Renfrewshire.
It explained: "The most recently published figures on child poverty show that in Renfrewshire the rate of child poverty before housing costs is 15.2 per cent, representing 4,613 children – a decrease of 330 children compared to the previous year when the rate was 16.6 per cent.
"This figure is less than the Scottish average of 16.3 per cent. Not all wards in Renfrewshire saw a reduction in the proportion of children in low-income families, with three of our wards seeing a slight increase in rate.
"There continues to be particularly high proportions of children in low-income families in both the Paisley Northwest and Renfrew South and Gallowhill wards."
Depute council leader Jacqueline Cameron, an SNP representative for Johnstone South and Elderslie, added at the meeting: "It's a really good report and [it] highlights all the really positive work that's been undertaken ... but it's absolutely true that our work isn't done until we can eradicate child poverty.
"In a country like Scotland it's a scandal really that we have any children in poverty and nationally our work isn't done either, so I was delighted to see that the Scottish Government are scrapping the two-child limit as of March 2026.
"Again, that will be a game changer in terms of child poverty and I think that's something really, really positive."
