Glasgow families receiving council tax reduction will be sent £105 gift cards in July to use in city shops.
The Covid low income gift card will also cover energy top ups and the subway and buses run by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).
A total of 85,000 households are in line to receive the gift card, which was given the go-ahead at the council’s city administration committee earlier today.
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There are 780 businesses in Glasgow registered to accept the gift cards, and nearly 400 other small and medium enterprises in the process of joining the scheme.
SNP councillor Susan Aitken said: “We have targeted all communities for growing the number of businesses taking part particularly those with high levels of multiple deprivation. We are aware that BAME led businesses in the city have been less likely to take up the opportunity.”
The SNP leader said work is ongoing to reach out to more BAME led firms.
The council is using £9.5 million of Scottish Government Covid recovery funding for the scheme. Councillor Aitken said the aim is to give additional spending power to low income households and will give city businesses a much-needed lift following two years of the pandemic and the resulting impact on trade.
During the meeting, Labour councillor George Redmond said he would prefer if people got cash instead.
Green councillor Jon Molyneux put forward an amendment welcoming SPT making the gift cards redeemable and urging all public transport operators to take part also.
The amendment was accepted.
The council said the Covid Low-Income Gift Cards will be administered by Miconex, the delivery partners for Scotland’s Towns Partnership.
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