Struggling parents and students amongst those seeking Budget boost from Robison

Finance Secretary Shona Robison is facing a series of calls for help ahead of Wednesday’s Scottish Budget – with students and struggling families amongst those looking for some additional assistance.

Low-income families who say they are “struggling to get by” have sent an open letter to Ms Robison, urging her to use the Budget to “invest for all children”.

They want her to increase the Scottish child payment – a weekly benefit to low-income families with children – saying this would make a “meaningful difference” to those whose “life remains incredibly tough”.

Even basic things right now add significant pressure, such as making sure children are warm and fed and have warm coats and jackets

They highlighted that the “cost of raising children is increasing”, adding “even basic things right now add significant pressure, such as making sure children are warm and fed and have warm coats and jackets”.

The letter, from families involved in the Changing Realities project, which includes parents and carers along with the Child Poverty Action Group and the University of York, also urges the Scottish Government to provide free school meals for all youngsters.

The SNP has pledged to introduce free school meals for all primary school children but this is yet to be achieved, with only those in the first five years of primary entitled to lunches at no cost.

The parents told Ms Robison: “Providing a hot meal to children every day, regardless of their families’ financial circumstances, makes a big difference.

“Losing free school meals is a huge worry for parents whose children are above primary five, especially if they are already struggling with costs.

“We would like to see funding in the next financial year to expand free school meals for all children regardless of age.”

They also called for more investment in mental health, noting “when families do not have enough money, this can have a knock-on effect on children’s mental health”, and stressed assistance should be given to asylum seekers and refugees, saying it “isn’t fair that asylum seeking families should struggle to provide a dignified life for their children”.

Meanwhile, the National Union of Students (NUS) Scotland has urged the Finance Secretary to “set us on a path to a healthier education system and a fairer society”.

NUS is calling for an increase in spending on colleges and universities in the Budget for 2025-26, saying a £100 million cash cut in 2023-23 needs to be reversed.

The group also wants peak time rail fares to be abolished, branding higher charges at busier times an “unfair levy on students and workers”.

It also insists there should be a real-terms increase in financial support for students and apprentices, to ensure no-one goes cold or hungry while they are in education.

Noting that students can be “struggling with the immense hidden costs of education”, such as “overpriced transport and unaffordable rents”, NUS Scotland president Sai Shraddha S Viswanathan said: “If the Scottish Government wants to show they care about students and apprentices, they’ll fund these asks and set us on a path to a healthier education system and a fairer society.”

The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.