A TEACHING union has questioned why Scottish ministers will not commit to scrapping the two-child benefit cap until shortly before an election.

Earlier this month, Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison vowed to scrap the “pernicious” policy north of the border.

Setting out her draft budget, she said she would aim to provide funding to families of 15,000 affected children in Scotland by April 2026, a month ahead of the next Scottish election.

The policy prevents British parents from claiming universal credit or child tax credit for a third child. It has faced widespread condemnation from trade unions, education experts and anti-poverty campaigners.

Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) general secretary Andrea Bradley said: “The EIS very much welcomed the budget announcement that the Scottish government will seek to end the two-child benefit cap — a lingering legacy of the past UK Conservative government that the UK Labour government has yet to commit to overturning.

“We understand that discussions are under way between the Scottish and UK governments as to how this can be taken forward in Scotland but would question why the plan to scrap the cap will not benefit children and families, in reality, until 2026.

“The EIS would wish to have seen immediate mitigation of the two-child benefit cap given the financial hardship of thousands of families in Scotland right now.”

Ms Bradley also criticised the government’s decision to means-test its expansion of free school meals expansion to primaries six and seven.

“The damaging impact of poverty on young people does not stop at the age of 12,” she warned. “It is difficult to understand why any politician would not wish young people’s right to food to be realised in school.”

First Minister John Swinney has declared eradicated child poverty to be a priority for the Scottish government.

Child poverty affects an estimated 24 per cent of all youngsters in the country.

A Scottish government spokesperson said it will end the two-child benefit cap in 2026 and that its draft 2025-26 budget announced a commitment to spend £3 million “to develop the systems to deliver the mitigation of the two-child cap.”

A Westminster government spokesperson said: “No child should be in poverty — that’s why our ministerial taskforce is exploring all levers available across government to give children across the United Kingdom the best start in life.”