NEW figures reveal nearly every council in Scotland has areas where more than a fifth of its children are living in poverty.

The report, from the Campaign to End Child Poverty, show "unacceptably high levels of child poverty" in every corner of Scotland.

Some of the bleakest figures concern Glasgow, where 14 out of 21 council wards have more than 30% of children living in poverty.

In Springburn, 51% of children live in poverty with the Calton area having 49%.

The Scottish Government said the figures were a "scandal" and said that the UK Government's welfare changes would further damage the "social fabric of Scotland."

John Dickie, of the Campaign to End Child Poverty, said that the figures will get worse in the coming years, with a "hidden picture that is far more sinister as the current ripping away of [benefits and tax credit] support is forecast to drive tens of thousands of children into poverty".

He added: "These projections are a sad indictment for our next generation.

"The huge disparities that exist across the country have become more entrenched and now risk becoming an enduring reality."

The Scottish Government estimates that 65,000 more children will be living in poverty in Scotland by 2020.

Glasgow City's average of 33% of children living in poverty is the highest in Scotland, followed by Dundee (26%) and West Dunbartonshire and North Ayrshire (25%).

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "It is a scandal that any child should live in poverty in a resource-rich country like Scotland, and this report simply underlines the urgent need for Scotland to have the economic powers to tackle poverty.

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