Swinney urged to fund crisis welfare payments

Political Editor

Monday 17 September 2012

ANTI-POVERTY campaigners have called on the Scottish Government to use its budget to compensate for UK-wide cuts to crisis welfare payments.

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Magnus Gardham Political Editor.

Ministers in Edinburgh have been allocated just under £24 million for emergency loans and grants in the 2013/14 financial year, when they take over responsibility for the payments from the Department for Work and Pensions.

But the total has been cut from £29m in 2010/11, the last full year for which figures are available, and up to £38m in previous years.Crisis payments from the DWP's social fund, typically worth £65, are made available to low-income families to cover the cost of replacing broken essentials such as cookers or getting fuel supplies reconnected.John Dickie, head of the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, said: "It is now vital that Scottish Ministers act on their promises to mitigate the damage caused by UK welfare reform and invest in the social fund so at the very least it is resourced at the same level as in previous years. "This is a real opportunity to demonstrate that Scottish Government is willing to take a different approach to welfare and invest in the support people need to prevent crisis and sustain their homes."Maggie Kelly, policy and campaigns officer at the Poverty Alliance, said: "The Scottish Government has already taken important steps to support individuals and families in poverty by ring-fencing the budget and setting up national criteria. But they can do more – by topping up the budget."Community care grants and crisis loans, administered by the DWP, are being scrapped as part of UK Government reforms. Responsibility for emergency payments is being transferred to Holyrood but the cash made available by the Treasury falls short of existing spending.Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the cuts were "drastic" and "extremely worrying".She said: "We know that the only way we can fully rectify this issue is to have full powers over welfare and benefits. "The Scottish Government will consider how it may respond, but I urge the UK government to urgently reconsider its attack on the welfare state."If Scotland were to become independent, we would have the powers needed to ensure that our most vulnerable families and groups are protected."Finance Secretary John Swinney will unveil his Budget on Thursday.

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Swinney urged to fund crisis welfare payments

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