North Lanarkshire Council has called on the Scottish Government to release cash from a UK government hardship fund for struggling households in North Lanarkshire.
The Convener for Finance and Resources, Councillor Andrew Duffy-Lawson has written to the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Finance Shona Robison appealing for the release of an estimated £50million to help low-income households.
This follows an announcement by the UK government in early September to extend its £500million Household Support Fund which would see around £50million going to Scottish local authorities to support people facing financial hardship over the winter.
Councillor Andrew Duffy-Lawson said: “We have families in North Lanarkshire struggling with the cost of living, fighting to pay for rising energy costs or to buy food and other basic essentials as we go into the colder, winter months, yet the Scottish Government has still to distribute the additional cash to councils across the country.
“No additional funding from the Household Support Fund has been allocated to any Scottish council to support residents and there has been no indication that additional funding will be forthcoming.
“Yet, here we are, almost two months on from the funding announcement, having not heard from the Scottish Government on how North Lanarkshire Council, or indeed, the wider local government sector will relieve its share and what formula will be used to allocate the funds.
“I’m calling on the Scottish Government to let councils know how and when this much-needed cash will be used, so we can support those families and communities who are facing financial hardship over the winter period.”
In September, Councillor Duffy-Lawson met with the Finance Secretary at Holyrood.
The meeting came in the wake of the alarming announcement regarding up to £500 million in cuts to Scotland’s public services, highlighting the growing financial crisis facing local government.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Barnett consequentials are received by the Scottish Government following UK spending in devolved areas, and it is for Scottish Ministers to determine how best to utilise available funding to meet the Scottish Government’s objectives.
“The Scottish Government has not implemented a like for like equivalent of the UK Government Household Support Fund.
“Despite facing the most challenging financial situation since devolution, the Scottish Government has allocated £3 billion a year since 2022-23 to policies which tackle poverty and mitigate the impacts of the cost of living crisis on households.
“This includes providing free bus travel for around two million people, free school meals for all children in primaries 1-5, and social security benefits and payments like the Scottish Child Payment and Scottish Welfare Fund which are only available in Scotland.”
Information about support for households, including benefits and the Scottish Welfare Fund, is available at www.gov.scot/costofliving
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