New SNP pledges to tackle poverty
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THE SNP plans to help "lift people out of poverty" by expanding childcare into the school holidays and scrapping social care charges.
The party has pledged to scrap all non-residential social care charges and expand childcare into the school holidays for primary pupils from the poorest backgrounds if re-elected in 2021.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the new policy in her closing speech at the SNP conference in Aberdeen last week.
Ms Sturgeon said she would have more to say on the plans in the months ahead but that they would provide "full days of high-quality childcare, freeing parents to work, to help them lift their families out of poverty".
SNP MSP Richard Lochhead said the new policy formed part of the party's "progressive, ambitious vision" for government. He added: "By August next year the SNP in government will have all but doubled the hours children receive. It will give them 30 hours a week of high-quality, free care and education, saving families in Moray £4,500 per year for each child.
"If the SNP is elected after the next Holyrood election, we will expand childcare into the school holidays for primary pupils from the poorest backgrounds – to help ensure that parents can continue working over holiday periods.
"Earlier this year, the SNP Government extended free personal care to everyone who needs it, regardless of age, and over the next parliament the SNP will scrap non-residential social care charges for all.
"We’re determined to help families with the cost of living throughout their lifetimes – ensuring that fairness and equality are embedded in our society from birth to retirement."
