SCOTTISH WELFARE FUND SUPPORTS FAMILIES IN SOUTH LANARKSHIRE

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SCOTTISH WELFARE FUND SUPPORTS FAMILIES IN SOUTH LANARKSHIRE

Over £148 million has been granted to hard-up households since 2013 through the Scottish Welfare Fund, according to latest Scottish Government figures – including over £9 million in South Lanarkshire.

The latest stats show that 275,000 households have benefited from the Scottish Welfare Fund – which provides Community Care Grants and Crisis Grants – with over one third of those helped being families with children.

Around 20,000 people in the local authority area have been helped with emergency Crisis Grants – which are most often spent on food and essential heating – with Tory welfare cuts responsible for 14% of applications to the Scottish Welfare Fund.

SNP MSP for Rutherglen Clare Haughey said:

“It is encouraging to see so many people across South Lanarkshire accessing the support they need through the Scottish Welfare Fund.

“The SNP is committed to continuing to support the people who need it most despite ongoing Tory austerity and callous welfare cuts – which is why this investment of £9.2 million in South Lanarkshire is so important.

“Across the council area in 2017, 100% of those receiving Crisis Grants were helped within 2 working days – proving how quick and effective this emergency funding is for many.

“The Scottish Welfare Fund is one of the important steps the SNP Scottish Government is taking to protect South Lanarkshire from Tory cuts and to make sure more people don’t fall into poverty.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Table 11: Initial Processing Times (Working Days) for Crisis Grants by Local Authority

	*% within 2 working days*
Scotland	*98%*
Aberdeen City	*100%*
Aberdeenshire	*97%*
Angus	*100%*
Argyll & Bute	*100%*
Clackmannanshire	*67%*
Dumfries & Galloway	*99%*
Dundee City	*98%*
East Ayrshire	*99%*
East Dunbartonshire	*99%*
East Lothian	*96%*
East Renfrewshire	*93%*
Edinburgh	*94%*
Eilean Siar	*100%*
Falkirk	*100%*
Fife	*100%*
Glasgow City	*97%*
Highland	*100%*
Inverclyde	*100%*
Midlothian	*100%*
Moray	*98%*
North Ayrshire	*100%*
North Lanarkshire	*99%*
Orkney	*82%*
Perth & Kinross	*100%*
Renfrewshire	*96%*
Scottish Borders	*99%*
Shetland	*93%*
South Ayrshire	*100%*
South Lanarkshire	*100%*
Stirling	*100%*
West Dunbartonshire	*99%*
West Lothian	*99%*

Table 16: Number of Crisis Grant Awarded by Local Authority and Quarter

Local Authority
Local Authority	2013-2017 Total
Scotland	462,200
Aberdeen City	23,885
Aberdeenshire	9,710
Angus	7,575
Argyll & Bute	5,415
Clackmannanshire	2,955
Dumfries & Galloway	11,800
Dundee City	18,990
East Ayrshire	16,005
East Dunbartonshire	4,595
East Lothian	5,990
East Renfrewshire	1,405
Edinburgh	27,360
Eilean Siar	695
Falkirk	13,045
Fife	33,690
Glasgow City	58,815
Highland	13,855
Inverclyde	8,970
Midlothian	8,805
Moray	7,225
North Ayrshire	18,105
North Lanarkshire	47,705
Orkney	295
Perth & Kinross	10,075
Renfrewshire	30,165
Scottish Borders	5,905
Shetland	530
South Ayrshire	7,585
South Lanarkshire	19,885
Stirling	8,020
West Dunbartonshire	20,445
West Lothian	12,720