Scottish Government
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Comment on Discretionary Housing Payments
Discretionary Housing Payments in Scotland: 1 April 2014 to 31 December 2014, published today, shows that councils made just over 118,000 awards of Discretionary Housing Payments, with a total value of more than £50 million.
Housing Minister Margaret Burgess said:
“Discretionary Housing Payments are a lifeline for tenants who need extra help with housing costs or to offset the harmful effects of the bedroom tax which was introduced by the UK Government in 2013 and affects over 70,000 Scottish households.
“The Scottish Government is providing £35 million this year to ensure every local authority in Scotland will have sufficient funding to fully mitigate the bedroom tax whilst also protecting non bedroom tax elements of DHPs.
“Using the new powers coming to Scotland, the Scottish Government will abolish the bedroom tax as soon as possible.
“We continue to do all we can to limit the damaging effects of the UK Government’s welfare cuts which impacts on some of the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. Our current and planned funding will result in an investment of around £296 million over the period 2013/14 to 2015/16 to help those most in need.”
Notes To Editors
The full statistical publication can be viewed at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Social-Welfare/dhp
