Give Me Five Campaign

STUC Women’s Conference backs “Give Me Five” campaign for a £5 Scottish top-up to Child Benefit

STUC Women’s Conference, meeting in Glenrothes, today backed an Emergency Motion from GMB Scotland calling on the Scottish Government to use its new social security powers to top-up child benefit by £5 per week for every child in Scotland. 

Approval of GMB Scotland’s motion means that the STUC Women’s Conference joins civic society and voluntary sector organisations, including the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, Poverty Alliance, Children 1st, the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Women’s Convention in urging the Scottish Government to make provision for a universal £5 top-up in next month’s Scottish Budget.

GMB Scotland’s Brenda Carson told the STUC Women’s Conference:

“This would make a real difference to the lives of many children and their families, with an estimate of lifting 30,000 children out of poverty in Scotland.  But, this is not just about statistics, shocking as they are – it is about children’s lives

A universal payment, which has long been the policy of successive STUC Women’s Conferences, will be the simplest and most effective way to boost the income of households with children. Women still make up the vast majority of lone parent households, and also find themselves in and out of work, on insecure contracts, struggling to make ends meet.

A consistent and regular payment of Child Benefit, at the higher rate proposed by the Give Me Five Campaign, will have an immediate impact and it is right that as trades union women we add our voices to this important campaign.”

Ends

Contact: GMB Scotland Press Office 0141 332 8641

Notes to Editors:

The “Give Me Five” Child Benefit Top-up campaign, launched on 30 August 2017 with the aim of influencing the Scottish Government 2018/19 Budget, urging the Scottish Government to use its new powers to tackle the plight of 260,000 children living in poverty  in Scotland today.

Further information about the Give Me Campaign is available at:

http://www.cpag.org.uk/content/give-me-five-child-benefit-top-campaign