Gavin Newlands praises 'hard work' of those delivering welfare fund

The Scottish Welfare Fund provides one-off grants to households experiencing extreme poverty, giving support in the event of an unexpected emergency or to help live a settled life in the community. 

And over the last two years, the scheme received 13,553 successful applications in Renfrewshire, totalling nearly £3.4million in grants to cash-strapped households.

In 2021, nearly £1.8m was paid out by the fund via Renfrewshire Council, while 2022 saw nearly £1.6m to go applicants who were in desperate need. 

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Across Scotland, £110m has gone to successful applicants over the past two years, a total of £230m paid out over the past half-decade. 

The fund was set up by the Scottish Government in 2013 following the UK Government's abolition of the DWP's Social Fund, and is made up of the Community Care Grant and the Crisis Grant, aimed at providing support to the very poorest in society. 

Mr Newlands said: "The support provided by the Scottish Welfare Fund is a tribute to the funding allocated by the Scottish Government and the hard work of the staff of Renfrewshire Council, who administer the scheme locally. 

"Thousands of households in our community have benefited at the very times when they need help most, and I am proud it is there to give that help. 

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"But fundamentally it is shameful that a wealthy country like the UK allows its own citizens to languish in such poverty, while expecting our local council and the Scottish Government to fill the gap."

Mr Newlands said social security benefits in the UK were amongst the lowest in Europe.

The SNP man added: "The First Minister's anti-poverty summit this week shows the will is there across parties in Scotland to make real progress in tackling poverty and making the wealth of our society work for all in society."