Natalie Don MSP for Renfrewshire North and West has welcomed funding from the SNP Scottish Government for Scottish Refugee Council’s Refugee Support Service, which will help refugees and people seeking asylum in Scotland to settle in Renfrewshire.

The £3.6 million funding, which replaces the now ended EU funding for the services, will be used by the SRC to help people access health, housing, welfare and employment support.

This funding from the Scottish Government will also help provide information and resources and to encourage social connections.

The EU funding which previously funded the service ended in 2023.

Commenting, Natalie Don MSP said:

“I welcome this vital funding for the Scottish Refugee Council, which underlines the SNP Scottish Government’s commitment to championing the rights of and supporting some of the world’s most vulnerable groups who are fleeing war and persecution.

“It is essential that we take every step possible to make sure refugees and asylum seekers looking to settle in Scotland have access to all the help they need to rebuild their lives in Renfrewshire. Following the inhumane Rwanda Bill that has recently been passed in Westminster, it is vital that refugees are treated with compassion and dignity throughout.

“Our communities are made all the richer for the asylum seekers and refugees who choose to make Scotland their home, and thanks to this continued investment from the SNP Scottish Government, Scotland will continue to leave its door open to those who need it most.”