Government plans cut to Social Fund

A leaked report from the Department of Social Security has
revealed plans to make huge cuts to the Social Fund.

One proposal is to ration community care grants for homeless
people moving into a home. The report indicates up to 200,000
people could lose out, saving around £77 million.

A spokesperson for Shelter Scotland said:’You could have a
situation where people have housing benefit but no access to funds
to buy furniture.’

Another proposal would exclude most people on benefits from
crisis loans, maternity and funeral payments.

A DSS spokesperson said no decisions had been made on the Social
Fund.

Social Security Secretary Peter Lilley last week laid
regulations merging one-parent benefits with Family Premium and
Child Benefit.

The National Council of One-Parent Families said a working
single parent with two children would lose around £10 per
week.