Hundreds of Falkirk area residents supported by Scottish Welfare Fund

A total of 1310 Crisis Grants and 475 Community Care Grants were handed out across the region between July and September to help cover the costs of household necessities.

Since April 2013, the Scottish Welfare Fund has paid out almost £220 million to more than 357,000 households, with 10,230 households in Falkirk district receiving help from the Scottish Government fund. In total, a third of the recipients were families with children.

Falkirk East SNP MSP Angus MacDonald said: “The fact that so many households in Falkirk district have been forced to turn to the fund for emergency financial help is extremely concerning.

“And with the threat of Brexit still alive, the risk is real that tens of thousands more people could be pushed into poverty in Scotland and left at the mercy of this heartless Tory government. Only with full powers over social security can we begin to make Scotland an equal country with a dignified and fair welfare system.”