Small charity giving out crisis cash has run out of money

A charity providing emergency funds for asylum seekers has run out of cash.

Bosses at the Refugee Survival Trust (RST) says it has struggled to meet a sharp rise in demand for emergency loans.

It comes as 300 asylum seekers in Glasgow face being evicted from their flats.

The charity, which gives out cash sums of £36 as a safety net, handed out more than £130,000 last year.

With less than a month's funding left, it has written to partner organisations warning its grant programme will stop at the end of August.

RST coordinator Zoe Holliday said: "We now have less than one months' reserves in our bank account, so unless we are able to lever in significant funding over the next few weeks it is very likely that the fund will be suspended at the end of August.

"Destitution grants are such an important safety net to thousands of the most vulnerable people in Scotland every year, including those who are affected by the Serco eviction notices in the news this week."

She believes that if the 300 asylum seekers are evicted more charities like RST will come under pressure.

She added: "Our grants are always given as a last resort, when no other support is available to the asylum seeker in question," she added.

"It does not bear thinking about what compromising situations these individuals and families may be forced into, without this important safety net."