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Improving health

Previously NHS Health Scotland

Child poverty overview - Causes of child poverty
Child poverty overview - Scale of child poverty
Child poverty overview - Priority groups affected by child poverty

Scale of child poverty

Child poverty is a big problem in Scotland.

The chart below shows the trends in relative child poverty since 1994/95.

After increasing, levels then fell during the late 1990s and mid-2000s.
Since 2013 levels have started to increase again.
In 2017/18, just under a quarter (24%) of children in Scotland were living in relative poverty (240,000 children).

It also shows that child poverty is likely to further increase through until 2029/30. This however, is not inevitable if action is taken to reduce child poverty at a national and local level.

Trends in relative child poverty since 1994/95.

After increasing, levels then fell during the late 1990s and mid-2000s.
Since 2013 levels have started to increase again.
In 2016/17, just under a quarter of children in Scotland were living in relative poverty.
Child poverty is likely to further increase through until 2029/30. — Image caption Data source: https://www.gov.scot/Publications/2018/03/2911/5

Find out more about the scale of child poverty

Further information can be found within our briefing, 'Child poverty: Scale, trends and distribution'.

Go to our briefing on the scale of child poverty

Child poverty overview - Priority groups affected by child poverty

Child poverty overview - Causes of child poverty