No boost to West Lothian Welfare Fund despite surge in…

No boost to West Lothian Welfare Fund despite surge in demand

A fund set up to help people struggling with household bills is not being increased, despite surging inflation and the cost of living crisis

More than £2m was paid out to people in West Lothian through the Scottish Welfare Fund in the last year. But despite this, and a huge surge in applications for help, West Lothian’s share of the emergency fund for this year has actually dropped - by £10.

And the Scottish Government fund stays the same as last year - £40m.

Nahid Hanif, the council’s Anti-Poverty Manager, confirmed that the Scottish Government fund which is administered by all 32 councils would not rise. Neither would finances to help councils distribute cash, leaving all councils out of pocket.

West Lothian, along with other authorities, added to the welfare fund payouts in the face of growing demand last year.

A report to the council’s Corporate Policy and Resources Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel (PDSP) showed total spend for SWF in the last financial year was £2,227,641. Scottish Government funding was £1,134,159, with an additional West Lothian Council top up of £1 million.

West Lothian Council has received £10 less for Programme Funding - money to disperse as grants - for 2022/23 of £1,134,149 and Administration Funding of £174,851. There was an increase of £3,010 in administration funding on the 2021/22 figure.

The SWF covers two main types of assistance: crisis grant, which are cash grants to cover bills/living costs, and community care grants to cover costs of household items.

In the first three months of this financial year West Lothian has seen a total expenditure of almost £600,000. It has already given 1,916 crisis grants worth £224,915 and 340 Community Care Grants worth £275,963.

Ms Hanif confirmed the budget of £40.9m for the whole of Scotland was the same as last year’s award.

Chairing the meeting Councillor Kirsteen Sullivan, Labour’s depute leader of the council said: “It’s really unfortunate to hear that the Government hasn’t increased it in the light of the challenges that people are facing at the moment.

She added: “Would it be fair to say that from what the council receives it's underfunded at the minute for the funds going out the door to people in crisis, but also in terms of administration costs?”

Ms Hanif said the council has had to devote more resources to administer the fund: “West Lothian has had to put extra funding to support the amount of referrals coming into the scheme and the administration of it as well to make sure the referrals are being processed in a timely manner to people.”

The Scottish Government is undertaking a review of the Scottish Welfare Fund over the coming year. That review will consist of research and data analysis undertaken independently by Ipsos and will include examination of levels of funding and take-up as well as gathering insight into how the fund is administered.