Harvie challenges FM over reluctance to fully mitigate cruel benefit cap
Patrick Harvie MSP, Co-convener of the Scottish Greens, used today's First Minister's Questions to challenge Nicola Sturgeon over her government's reluctance to fully mitigate the Tories' cruel benefit cap.
Research published by the Green MSPs shows the lowering of the cap since November has hit 3,700 households and pushed over 11,000 children into potential poverty and homelessness.
The Scottish Government has allocated approximately £8million in Discretionary Housing Payments which could help those affected but it is estimated that the total amount that households stand to lose is nearer £11 million.
In response to Patrick's question today, the First Minister agreed to look at the Greens' research.
Patrick said:
"The Child Poverty Action Group and others have shown that discretionary housing payments are inadequate to meet the needs of families affected by the benefit cap. Some councils have insufficient resources to mitigate the cap at all.
"The First Minister acknowledges the urgency of the problem yet is reluctant to fully tackle it. While it would be better for the UK Government to scrap the cap, that's clearly not going to happen so we must be prepared to close the gap ourselves rather than allow more debt, more evictions and more hunger in our communities."