MONEY freed up in Holyrood ’s Budget as a result of Chancellor Rachel Reeves scrapping the two-child benefit cap will be used to fight poverty, Scotland’s First Minister pledged.

John Swinney made the commitment after the Chancellor said the UK Government would abolish the controversial policy, which means families can only claim benefits for their first two children, from April this year.

Some 95,000 children in Scotland will benefit from the move, the UK Government said.

But with the Scottish Government having already pledged to mitigate the benefit cap, campaigners against child poverty said Holyrood ministers would now have about £150 million more to spend in 2026-27.

Swinney meanwhile said “the UK Government will be implementing a policy that Scotland was planning to im

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