Natalie Don MSP is welcoming a Scottish Government commitment to tackling child poverty which will see low income families across Renfrewshire benefit from a £320 uplift in essential support before Christmas.
The MSP for Renfrewshire North and West is pleased that the Scottish Government is implementing progressive anti-poverty measures such as the quarterly Scottish Child Bridging Payments which will see eligible families receive payments of £160 per child in October and again in December.
The Bridging Payments are made to all eligible children in receipt of free school meals due to low income and is equivalent to the Scottish Child Payment – a £10-a-week benefit to assist with the costs of caring for a child aged under six.
Natalie Don MSP welcomes the Scottish Child Bridging Payments.
Natalie Don MSP said: “Families in Renfrewshire North and West and across Scotland are experiencing severe financial pressures right now and, unfortunately, the circumstances for many will get worse due to the out-of-touch UK Tory Government’s obsession with Brexit and their unrelenting cruel austerity cuts such as removing the £20 uplift to Universal Credit.
“While the Tories plans to cut the incomes of six million people throughout the UK by £1040 a year – the biggest cut to welfare since the 1930’s – the SNP Government, thankfully, is supporting the poorest people in our communities.
“The Scottish Child Payment is already the most ambitious anti-poverty measure in the UK and Bridging Payments provided in the summer put £502,300 in the pockets of 5,023 low-income families across Renfrewshire.
“It is becoming even clearer by the day that the only way to keep Scotland safe from Westminster cuts is by becoming an independent country to ensure the Scottish Parliament has all the social security powers required to protect those that need supported most.”
For more details about the Scottish Child Bridging Payments, go to www.mygov.scot/scottish-child-bridging-payments