3845 HOUSEHOLDS IN DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY HELPED BY SCOTTISH WELFARE FUND

SNP MSP Joan McAlpine has welcomed new figures showing 3845 households in Dumfries and Galloway have been helped by the Scottish Government’s Scottish Welfare Fund.

Today’s figures show that in 2014/15 more than £1.2 million from the fund was spent in the region, including crisis and community care grants – and more than 150,000 vulnerable households have been helped overall across Scotland.

Grants from the fund are used to help vulnerable people pay for essentials like food and energy costs – and more than a third of the grants were made to vulnerable households such as lone parents, people with disabilities or people with mental health problems.

Commenting, the SNP MSP said: 

“Vulnerable people in communities across our area are struggling to make ends meet in the face of a relentless assault on the poor waged by this Tory government – and these grants from the Scottish Welfare Fund are a real lifeline for so many people and families across Dumfries and Galloway.

“The fund helps people who are struggling to buy essential items like food and clothing and to help pay for energy bills – and while it is worrying that so many people in the region are struggling to make ends meet, it’s absolutely right that the Scottish Government does everything it can to help.

“Of course, Scotland should not be in the position of having to mitigate the social security cuts of a Tory government which people here completely reject – but until full social and economic powers are in Scotland’s hands, the SNP will do everything we can with the powers we have now to protect and support vulnerable people suffering from Westminster austerity.”

Notes to Editors:

Breakdowns based on local authority are available here.