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xProgramme for Government 2025-26
Date: 27th May 2025
Category:
General measures of implementation, General principles
The Scottish Government has presented the programme for government for 2025-26. This year’s release was brought forward, as First Minister John Swinney explained, to make sure Scotland is as ready as possible for an uncertain future.
It also allows the current Scottish Government a full year to deliver on its commitments before the Scottish Parliament elections in May 2026. The Programme for Government focuses on four key areas which are eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, tackling the climate emergency and high quality and sustainable public services.
Key commitments from Scottish Government include:
Eradicating child poverty
- Tackling child poverty delivery plan 2026-31- Expanding free school meals in S1-S3 in eight local authority area from August 2025.
- Early child development- Commitment to reduce developmental concerns at 27-30 months by a quarter by 2030.
- Keeping the Promise- Introduce a new care leavers payment from 1st April 2026. A one-off £2,000 payment to help improve the financial security of young people leaving care.
- Bringing forward the Children and Young People (Care) (Scotland) Bill to support delivery of The Promise.
Growing the Economy
- Delivering free childcare for all 3 and 4 year-olds and eligible 2 year-olds.
- Reducing the cost of the school day, through free school meals and the school clothing grant.
- Keeping 40,000 children out of poverty by providing the Scottish Child Payment.
High quality and sustainable public services
- Investing up to £200 million in 2025/26 in the Scottish Attainment Challenge Programme.
- Beginning construction of 6 new school building project through the £2bn Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP)
- Establishing Qualifications Scotland and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education subject to the passage of the Education (Scotland) Bill.
- Read the full Programme for Government 2025/26 here.
- Read the First Minister’s accompanying speech here.