The Scottish Government has announced a £41million support package to help people struggling financially during the winter months.
The funding comes from consequentials of the UK Government’s £500million Household Support Fund which Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced in Parliament last week as part of the Autumn Budget.
The Winter Support Fund will help those on low incomes, children and people at risk of homelessness against a backdrop of rising living and energy costs. Support for those struggling with fuel bills will include access to energy top-up vouchers, advice to manage fuel debt and support for those in remote and rural areas.
The Winter Support Fund will continue to promote cash-first responses in line with the Scottish Government’s draft national plan on ending the need for food banks as a primary response. In some cases help may also be offered to tackle social isolation and support mental health.
In addition to helping people heat their homes and meet rising food costs, the Scottish Government said funding will help to ensure no-one is faced with rough sleeping this winter.
Key elements of the Winter Support Fund
- £10 million to help people who are struggling to pay fuel bills
- £25 million flexible funding to help local authorities support wellbeing and respond to financial insecurity based on local needs
- £6 million for third sector partners to support low income families
Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: “We know that many families are struggling financiall y due to the increased costs they are facing right now. This package of measures aims to ease some of that strain by providing direct support to people.
“The Scottish Government has invested £2.5 billion to support low income households in 2020-21, with around £1 billion focused on supporting children as a cornerstone of our national mission to tackle child poverty and homelessness.
“That includes doubling the Scottish Child Payment to £20 per child per week, with our plans to do so set out in the forthcoming Scottish Budget.”
Ms Robison added: “We are passing on every penny of the £41 million we received in UK Government consequentials.
“However, this in no way makes up for the recent £20-a-week cut to Universal Credit, which has taken an estimated £460 million from the pockets of the people in Scotland who need it most.”
The Scottish Government is also delivering new Bridging Payments for around 150,000 school age children, providing £520 this year and next, and delivered a £130 coronavirus pandemic support payment for around 500,000 low income households last month with a further £130 to be paid in December.
Finance Secretary Kate Forbes will publish the 2022/23 Scottish Budget and the Medium Term Financial Strategy on December 9, 2021.
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