Soaring inflation is pushing more Glasgow households into working poverty as a councillor raises concerns about people who narrowly don’t qualify for universal credit.
Labour councillor Thomas Rannachan has asked about the impact of the rising inflation on those just above the universal credit threshold and what the council is doing to support them.
Councillor Ricky Bell, city treasurer, said the council had handed out a gift card to families in need and introduced a school holiday food programme.
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But he insisted the local authority doesn't have the power or money to do everything it wants to address the problems.
Speaking at a council meeting last week, SNP councillor Bell said: “We know that soaring inflation will push the proportion of in work poverty households to 68 per cent. That is an additional 325,000 homes across the city region, which will face fuel poverty by January. And benefits face a real term cut as well.”
He added: “In February this council created funds totalling £3 million as part of the budget in response to the cost of living crisis. This included fuel support, debt and welfare advice and the purchase of household goods.”
The Govan politician added: “The significant levers to support all citizens are not within the gifts of local government. That doesn’t mean that we will shirk our responsibilities. We will continue to target support to the poorest and most vulnerable families but we simply don’t have the resources and the power to do everything we would want to do.”
He praised the Scottish Government's child payment increase to £25 a week from £20.
Labour Councillor Elaine McDougall pointed out people who received the council's £105 Scotland Loves Local gift card were on council tax reduction. She said a number of people in working poverty did not receive the cards.
Councillor Bell replied: “Yes of course the people who received those cards were people who had certain council tax benefits. The council has to make a decision about where it allocates the limited resources it has. We took a decision it should go to those people in the worse poverty in the city.”
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