Struggling families hit by delay in children’s benef it

THOUSANDS of hard-pressed families will not receive a vital back-to-school payment before the start of term due to delays at Scotland’s new benefits agency.

The £267 payout helps those struggling to buy shoes or uniforms for P1 children. But Social Security Scotland (SSS) admits staff can’t deal with the flood of applications and many families won’t get their cash before classes start this week.

The agency has been at the centre of several controversies since benefits began to be devolved in 2018.

It was branded an ‘expensive disaster’ as IT costs soared to £250 million. Tory MSP Miles Briggs said: ‘The SNP must urgently ensure these payments are made as quickly as possible. These delays do not bode well for future benefits ministers are set to rollout.’

An SSS spokesman said: ‘We are working hard to process applications as quickly as possible.’