Winter hardship payment helps Midlothian families

New figures show that the Scottish Government provided support to thousands of people – with more than £14 million paid out to families in December. In Midlothian £201,400 was paid out to 2,014 families.

The payment was made available to families who were in receipt of free school meals and was paid from November 30 to the start of the winter school holidays.

Midlothian North MSP Colin Beattie (SNP) said: “With the Scottish Government rolling out the Scottish Child Payment and supporting hundreds of thousands of families across Scotland with the £100 Covid winter hardship payment, the SNP is making a real difference to people’s lives and lifting children out of poverty.

“This has been an incredibly difficult time for families in Midlothian who may have faced lost earnings, increased food bills and cold weather. The £100 winter payment will hopefully have eased the financial strain many have been facing.

“In contrast to the Tories at Westminster, the SNP Scottish Government is doing all it can to ensure kids who receive free school meals do not go hungry. Alongside introducing the Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Grant and Best Food Grants, this SNP Government is committed to supporting children, whereas the Tories are planning to slash Universal Credit and get rid of the £20 uplift when families need it most.”