Nearly 94,000 households in Scotland have been given a vital helping hand with housing costs this year, thanks to funding from the Scottish Government.
Fresh figures show that local authorities distributed £89.3 million in Discretionary Housing Payments during 2024 to 2025.
The payments are a crucial support for people on low incomes struggling with UK Government welfare cuts, including the bedroom tax and the benefit cap.
Councils spent 99 percent of their £74.8 million budget to offset the bedroom tax, effectively shielding many families from its harshest effects.
There was also a marked increase in support to counter the benefit cap, with £5 million spent this year, up more than 40 percent compared with the year before.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville highlighted the Scottish Government’s long-standing commitment to helping those most affected.
“For the past 15 years we have spent around £1.4 billion to mitigate the damaging impacts of policies like the bedroom tax and benefit cap,” she said.
“That is money that could otherwise have gone into our health service, schools or public transport.
“It could fund around 3,000 teachers or 3,700 band 5 nurses every year.”
She stressed that this year’s Programme for Government would continue that vital work.
“We will invest £97 million to enable councils to protect more than 94,000 households across Scotland from the worst effects of harmful UK Government policies,” she said.
Ms Somerville also issued a call for change at Westminster.
“The UK Government’s own figures show that their welfare cuts will drive more families and children into poverty,” she said.
“It is time for them to think again and abandon these damaging policies.”
The Scottish Government remains committed to tackling poverty and ensuring that every household has a fair chance, no matter their circumstances.
