Rise in poverty cash for poorest families
The amount of money going to struggling Renfrewshire families has sky-rocketed by nearly half in just a year.
The figure of nearly £ 2.86million is a jump of £860,000 on the year before.
The help from Families First and Healthier, Wealthier Children is seen as vital to combat the grinding poverty some kids have to live in.
The figure has been revealed in Renfrewshire’s Local Child Poverty Action annual report.
Families First helped 191 families with a total of £1,689,926 worth of support - that’s over £8,000 per household.
Healthier, Wealthier Children generated additional income of £ 1.16m for families across Renfrewshire between last April and March this year.
The corresponding figure from Families First for the previous year was £1.11m and Healther, Wealthier Children £885,000 .
Both initiatives receive funding from the Tackling Poverty Programme.
The report also revealed that the child poverty initiatives have helped to increase the number of Living Wage accredited employers in Renfrewshire to 71.
Renfrewshire’s employability service, Invest in Renfrewshire, has supported 151 people who are part of a household with dependant children.
A quarter of them have progressed into work.
The report also highlighted that Renfrewshire’s first participatory budgeting programme allowed over 3,000 young people to vote to fund 40 different charities that will make a difference in the lives of local young people.
At the same time, the Energy Advocacy Service secured £ 168,000 in ongoing savings and £ 66,723 in write offs and Warm Home Discounts for Renfrewshire’s most vulnerable citizens.
Renfrewshire Council leader Iain Nicolson has already praised the work of the poverty programme.
He said: “We are committed to ensuring that all children in Renfrewshire have the best start in life no matter what their background.
“Our Tackling Poverty Programme was the first of its kind in Scotland and the work we have been doing through the programme, in our schools and in partnership with other organisations is making a real difference to the lives of children in Renfrewshire and families who are struggling to make ends meet.
“Families First and the Healthier, Wealthier Children Service are helping ensure lowincome families in Renfrewshire have enough money coming in to make their child’s early years the best they can be.”