£1m crisis grants given out to needy

MSP‘staggered’at 12,000 figure

Almost 12,000 crisis grants have been awarded to impoverished people in Stirling district over the last six years.

The statistic was revealed in a question in Holyrood last Thursday.

Crisis grants are given to those on a low income – who claim Jobseekers Allowance, Pension Credit and Universal Credit – deal with emergencies.

The money comes from the Scottish Welfare Fund and is administered by councils.

Cabinet Secretary for communities and local government Aileen Campbell, in a reply to Stirling MSP

Bruce Crawford, said: “The most recently published statistics show that since April, 2013, Stirling Council has awarded 11,880 crisis grants and 4705 community care grants to 6025 unique households. The total value of crisis grants awarded by Stirling Council in that period is more than £1m.”

Mr Crawford was “staggered” at the number of people in the constituency who have had to rely on Scottish Government intervention “simply because they can’t afford basic living costs”.

He added: “This coincides with a rise in food bank usage in recent years, and a recent report entitled State of Hunger, from Heriot-Watt University, points to the reforms and cuts from the current Tory Government as one of the main causes for forcing people to having to use food banks and receive crisis grants.”

But Mid Scotland and Fife Conservative MSP Dean Lockhart responded: “The transition of some social security powers to the Scottish Parliament must be handled in the appropriate manner. This is about making sure that people get the support they need. They are the priority in all of this.

“That is why I am staggered that the SNP continue to play party political games with vulnerable people in times of crisis.

“People use crisis grants from the Scottish Welfare fund for a variety of complex reasons – some of which relate to devolved issues such as housing. The reality is that the SNP have spent far too long complaining and point-scoring on welfare reform.

“They are just starting to find out just how challenging it is to develop a fair and sustainable benefits system.”