PEOPLE in financial hardship throughout Scotland have claimed £14.4 million in crisis loans in a year, according to official figures.
Another £20m has been paid out in community care grants as fears grow over the impact of benefit cuts on Scots.
The bill for Glasgow was by far the highest in Scotland and higher than major English cities such as Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester.
In Glasgow, the payments for three types of crisis loans totalled £2,885,100 for the year 2011/12, the latest figures available.
Another £5m was paid out in community care grants.
Research for the Scottish Parliament Welfare Reform Committee has suggested welfare reforms will take £1.6 billion out of Scotland, with many people on benefits and low incomes facing a cut in income.
The figures were revealed after West Dunbartonshire MSP Jackie Baillie asked the Scottish Government for information on the number of claims.
The Government said it did not have the figures for 2012-13, but the Department of Work and Pensions published them for the previous year.
The Scottish Welfare Fund was set up to provide an extra 5600 community care grants and 100,000 crisis grants.
The Scottish Government has said where it has responsibility it is investing to mitigate the worst impacts of Westminster welfare reform on Scots.
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