FAMILIES IN MORAY could see their incomes boosted by as much as £240 each year if a Scottish Labour plan to top-up Child Benefit comes to fruition.

According to regional MSP David Stewart, the plan would provide a financial boost to 8205 families in Moray alone – and could be made possible if the Scottish Parliament use their newly devolved Social Security powers.

Figures published this week by Mr Stewart confirm that there are currently 13,730 children in Moray who would benefit from Labour’s plan to top up Child Benefit.

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has backed Labour’s support for an increase to Child Benefit and called on other parties in the Scottish Parliament to do the same.

David Stewart said: “Labour’s plan would see Child Benefit increase by £240 per year by the turn of the decade, increasing by £13 a month next year, before rising to £20 per month in 2020.

“The SNP’s Child Poverty Bill – now in the Scottish Parliament – should include Labour’s plan to top up Child Benefit for 8,205 families in Moray.

“If the Nationalists won’t do it we will seek to amend the law ourselves. I call on Richard Lochhead to back this plan to lift around 30,000 children out of poverty.

“Labour’s plan would mean starting to reverse the fall in the value of Child Benefit that families have seen over the past five years.

“And it would send a strong message, that Scotland will not allow hard working families in Moray to bear the brunt of the Tories’ hard Brexit.”