Aileen Campbell MSP

The money forms part of the £100 million winter support package announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last month – of which £22m is to specifically support low income families.

The £3.3m committed will support those most in need of help, including lone parents, families with a disabled child or young person, kinship carers, care leavers and families with a loved one in prison.

Nine charities will receive funding to support their work, or to distribute to grass-roots organisations. The money will go to help with essential items such as food, warm clothing and nappies, heating, bedding and furniture and white goods, and to support a scheme giving gifts to disadvantaged children who might otherwise go without a present on Christmas Day.

The charities benefiting are the STV Appeal, Cash for Kids, Aberlour, Barnardo’s, Action for Children, Family Fund, Families Outside, Who Cares? Scotland and One Parent Families Scotland.

Aileen Campbell, communities secretary, said: “The Winter Plan for Social Protection, announced by the First Minister on 30 November 2020, already includes a one-off £100 per child payment for those in receipt of Free School Meals who are on low incomes, to be paid by Christmas.

“Whilst this is an important boost to family incomes we also want to help families with children of pre-school age.”
She added: “This funding will strengthen the help available to families across Scotland – supporting people during the festive period and throughout the winter months.

“We have taken unprecedented action to support people affected by the impact of COVID, with over £500 million committed for social protection since the onset of the pandemic. This latest investment is part of wider support available to people including increased funding for the Scottish Welfare Fund, Discretionary Housing Payments, and through wider third sector and councils action.”

Margaret Ford, chair of STV and STV Children’s Appeal, added: “Amidst the seasonal festivities, it’s sometimes easy to lose sight of the fact that winter is one of the most difficult times of the year for so many families across Scotland, and the economic impact of Covid-19 will be an additional issue this year.

“We work closely with dozens of charities and projects across the country to help the most vulnerable in society, and this new support package will go some way in doing that. We’re pleased to be helping to distribute these funds, so that essential food, clothing, shelter and heating can be provided to those who need it most in this particularly challenging period between now and the spring.”