The ONS Local Dataset on Drivers of Child Poverty is a dataset developed by ONS Local, together with the Improvement Service and the Scottish Government. This resource is designed to help local authorities across Scotland better understand the drivers of child poverty in their areas, and how these compare with other local authorities across Great Britain (GB).
Context and Purpose
This dataset is one of several tools available to support local authorities in tackling child poverty. Its unique value lies in the inclusion of Great Britain-wide comparators, enabling Scottish local authorities to understand performance and share practice beyond Scotland.
The dataset brings together indicators including measures of child poverty before and after housing costs, six of the seven drivers of child poverty identified by the Scottish Government, and key population characteristics—such as those relating to priority groups and contextual factors like deprivation and population density.
How the Dataset Can Be Used
The dataset is designed to allow Scottish local authorities to:
- Benchmark their performance against similar authorities across Great Britain.
- Identify shared challenges and successful interventions to inform local policy and strategy.
- Facilitate peer learning and collaborative working with councils facing similar issues.
- Support the development of local child poverty strategies, funding bids, and service redesign by providing comprehensive, comparable data.
Each Scottish local authority is matched with others across GB that are statistically similar in terms of the drivers of child poverty. The dataset is not intended to be used in isolation, but as a tool to add context and support the identification of good practice.
Guidance and Access
The dataset can be accessed on the ONS website.
Contact: Nick Cassidy and ONS Local