Asked by: Lara Bird (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the bedroom tax and benefit cap through Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) in Scotland on the public purse.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
Since April 2017, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) have been fully devolved in Scotland, and the Scottish Government is responsible for the allocation and payment of funding to Scottish local authorities. Further information on the funding of DHPs in Scotland can be found for 2025/26 using this link: Official statistics: Applications, determinations, awards and award total value - Discretionary Housing Payments in Scotland: 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 - gov.scot
Any assessment of the costs or fiscal impact of these devolved arrangements is a matter for the Scottish Government.
Asked by: Lara Bird (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what comparative assessment his Department has made of child poverty trends in England and Wales compared to Scotland since the introduction of the Scottish Child Payment.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
No comparative assessment has been made of child poverty trends in England and Wales compared to Scotland since the introduction of the Scottish Child Payment.
Information on child poverty levels and percentage in England, Scotland and Wales from 1994/95 to 2024/25 can be found in tables 1.4a and 1.4b in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) summary results file. Country level estimates are presented as three-year averages as single year regional estimates are considered too volatile.
HBAI data from 2021/22 uses administrative data in place of survey responses for the major DWP and HMRC benefits. This means that data prior to 2021/22 (unlinked) is not directly comparable to data from 2021/22 onwards (administrative linked). Comparisons across unlinked and administrative linked data can be made using the methodology outlined in section 3.2 of the Background Information and Methodology report.
The UK Government welcomes action taken by devolved governments to tackle child poverty and continues to work constructively with the Scottish Government on areas of shared interest.
We have considered evidence from across the UK, including approaches taken by the devolved governments, throughout development of the Child Poverty Strategy. The Strategy sets out the UK Government's own approach to reducing child poverty through boosting incomes, reducing the cost of essentials and strengthening local support for families. The Government is committed to a sustainable, long-term approach to tackling child poverty and supporting low-income families and will continue to learn from evidence on what works.
Our focus is on addressing both the immediate pressures facing families and the structural drivers of poverty, with the measures announced through the Child Poverty Strategy expected to lift around 550,000 children out of relative poverty after housing costs in 2029-30.