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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Jonathan Geddes

Thousands of South Lanarkshire children helped by support payments

Thousands of families across South Lanarkshire have used support payments to help with living costs.

New stats have revealed that over 8000 applications across the region have been received for the Scottish Child Payment since it was introduced in February 2021.

The Scottish government brought the funding in a bid to help combat child poverty, with Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey, who is also the government's children's minister, saying she believes the scheme has been a huge help to families.

A total of 8, 130 children have used the payment in South Lanarkshire, with a total of 104,000 children actively in receipt of Scottish Child Payment across the country.

Over one million (1.4m) payments have now been made Scotland-wide with £5,058,990 provided in South Lanarkshire.

For the Glasgow city region, which includes the likes of Castlemilk and Toryglen, the figures were 22,830 in applications and £13,744,240 in payments.

Ms Haughey told Lanarkshire Live : "Households across Rutherglen and Cambuslang are facing severe pressures right now, and the Scottish Child Payment is making a huge difference to eligible families.

"Sadly, we know that the cost of living crisis is going to get worse, so I am glad that families will benefit even further from this payment increasing to £25 per week and being extended to under 16 year olds by the end of the year.

“The Scottish Child Payment is the most ambitious child poverty reduction measure in the UK, and has been described as a ‘game-changer’ by leading anti-poverty charities.”

The Scottish Child Payment is set to increase to from £20 per week to £25 per week per eligible child, and be rolled out to all children up to 16 years old by the end of the year.

Eligible families, and carers can find out more here or by calling Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222.

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