Renfrewshire Council has committed an extra £1.3 million to help families and young people cope with the continued higher cost of living.
The funding, agreed at the council’s recent budget meeting, will go towards the Fairer Renfrewshire programme and a range of measures aimed at helping people manage household costs and avoid financial crisis.
Support being continued includes the £50 winter school clothing payment for families with eligible children, the Schools Support Service and Welfare Rights Advocacy delivered by Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau, and the Winter Connections programme, which helps reduce social isolation and brings communities together.
The council is also adding £200,000 to discretionary housing payments and a further £600,000 to the Scottish Welfare Fund.
In addition, Renfrewshire Council has secured more than £115,000 from the Scottish Government’s Child Poverty Accelerator Fund. The money will be used to test new ways of linking families to support more quickly through better use of existing data.
That support includes income maximisation, employability help, cost of living advice and family wellbeing services.
Children and families are also set to benefit from a new Skoobmobile, with £300,000 allocated in the council budget for a replacement vehicle and fit-out. The upgraded vehicle will continue to deliver literacy and play opportunities in communities across Renfrewshire.
Further investment in play parks and outdoor spaces has also been included, alongside an extra £20,000 for DigiZones and the annual DigiKnowVember campaign to help people get online.
Charges for adult non-residential social care have also been frozen for the year, meaning those who pay for the service will not face any increase.
Councillor Jacqueline Cameron, Depute Leader of Renfrewshire Council and chair of the Fairer Renfrewshire sub-committee, said: “Doing everything we can to support local people with the ongoing pressures of the cost of living remains our top priority. That’s why we are investing in the Fairer Renfrewshire programme to fund initiatives we know are making a difference to people.
“Getting free impartial advice, having money to pay for winter clothing, and providing free activities to help keep people connected are all things that matter to Renfrewshire families and households. This investment will make a meaningful difference to people’s day-to-day lives and help communities to live well and thrive.”
Alana Forsyth, chief executive of Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau, said: “Our advisers see first-hand every single day how challenging the continued higher cost of living has been for local people. The welcome continuation of these advice initiatives will have a meaningful and lasting impact on the lives of families across Renfrewshire.
“We know that having access to free, impartial advice, makes a significant difference in helping families to improve their financial situation and avoid crisis.”
She added: “Renfrewshire CAB will continue to deliver in-person access to advice and support right in the heart of communities, ensuring local people have the best opportunity to live well. I’d encourage anyone who wants to talk to an adviser to make an appointment.”
Appointments for advice can be made through Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau or the council’s Advice Works team, here: https://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/benefits-and-money/help-money-and-benefits.