Question reference: S6W-06771
- Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 24 February 2022
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Current status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 10 March 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people in the Falkirk East constituency are currently receiving new benefits through Social Security Scotland, and what the average amount of benefits being received is.
Answer
In the current financial year, between April 2021 and October 2021, 2,985 people living in Falkirk Local Authority received one or more payments for Social Security Scotland benefits they applied for. The mean average amount received by recipients living in Falkirk during this time was £519. These figures include applications made for Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods, Funeral Support Payment, Young Carer Grant, Job Start Payment, Scottish Child Payment, and Child Disability Payment.
Between April 2021 and October 2021, 2,695 Carer’s Allowance Supplement payments of £231.40 were made to people living in the Falkirk Local Authority. Statistics for Child Winter Heating Assistance by local authority covering winter 2021-2022 are due to be published on 26 April 2022.