NEED FOR FULL POWERS AT HOLYROOD TO TACKLE POVERTY “HEAD-ON”
The Scottish Welfare Fund made 3678 payments to people in North Lanarkshire in the last financial year, new figures show – an increase compared to the same period last year.
A total of 638 Community Care Grants and 3040 Crisis Grants were awarded in North Lanarkshire between April and June 2019 to help people with essentials such as food, heating costs, and household items.
The SNP introduced the Scottish Welfare Fund in 2013 as part of a £125 million annual package to mitigate the impact of UK government austerity.
Since its launch in April 2013, the Fund has paid out more than £200 million to support over 336,000 households across Scotland, with a third of recipients being families with children.
SNP MSP Fulton MacGregor said:
“The Scottish Welfare Fund is a vital lifeline for many people facing poverty or personal crisis.
“The fact that so many households in North Lanarkshire are in need of emergency financial help is appalling, and a sad indictment of the UK Government’s record on austerity and welfare cuts.
“The Scottish Welfare Fund is an important example of the kind of action the Scottish Government has taken using the powers it currently has to try and mitigate Westminster’s welfare cuts.
“However, we would prefer that these resources were invested directly to tackle poverty head-on, rather than protecting people from Tory austerity.
“As long as welfare decisions remain at Westminster, Scotland’s least well off will remain at the mercy of the Tories’ austerity agenda. Until those decisions are devolved, the SNP will continue to do everything in our power to tackle poverty and support low income families.”
Fulton MacGregor 