Figures show huge demand for Welfare Fund

Nearly 200,000 grants have been issued by the Scottish Welfare Fund since the scheme began in April, newly released government figures show.

The fund comprises of community care grants – which help people to live independently – and crisis grants, which provide a safety net in a disaster or emergency.

During its first 18 months of operation, around £47 million has been allocated, providing a safety net to households in a disaster or emergency and helping people set up home or stay in the community rather than being in care.

Scotland’s chief statistician released the statistics which showed that during the first 18 months of the scheme, 53,000 households received a total of 59,000 awards for community care grants, while around 83,000 households – including 17,000 households who’d also received community care grants - received a total of 134,000 crisis grant awards, averaging around £70 per award.

Community care grants averaged around £600 per award and were typically awarded for white goods, furnishings and floor coverings.

For crisis grants, most expenditure was on food, essential heating costs and other living expenses, the figures showed.