MORE than £2 million of support will be provided to individuals and families on low incomes to help with the cost of living crisis, the Scottish Government has announced.
The £2.1m investment, from the Tackling Child Poverty Fund, aims to enable the Wise Group to provide wrap-around support for those who need it most from six local authority areas.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville, who announced the funding at Holyrood on Tuesday, said it will allow the Wise Group to continue with work which has helped 3200 households so far.
She added the funds will help people find work, increase their skills and improve their financial situation in Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire and Scottish Borders.
“We know people continue to face pressures with the cost of living and the recent announcement that energy bills are set to rise again this month will only add to those pressures,” Somerville (below) said.
“The Wise Group work we are funding, offers support not just with an immediate crisis, but aims to help people make long-term improvements to their financial stability, helping them to access help with issues such as childcare, training and finding sustainable work.
“Eradicating child poverty is the Scottish Government’s overriding mission. This year’s budget commits more than £3 billion to a range of actions to tackle poverty and the cost of living.
“However, our efforts are undermined by the social security policies of the UK Government, not least the two-child cap which prevents parents from claiming universal credit for more than two children.
“That is why we will develop the systems necessary to effectively scrap the impact of the two-child cap in 2026. The Child Poverty Action Group estimates that scrapping the cap in Scotland could lift 15,000 children out of poverty.”
Sean Duffy, Wise Group chief executive, added: “This investment is a vital opportunity to rethink how we deliver services, strengthen local partnerships, and take a preventative, ‘invest to save’ approach that drives lasting change in tackling poverty.”
