First Minister urged to deliver lifeline family support funding this winter

Children 1st have united with charities across Scotland to urge the First Minister to deliver emergency Winter Support Funding to avert catastrophe for families.

Alongside Action for Children, Aberlour, Barnardo’s Scotland, One Parent Families Scotland, Save the Children UK and Who Cares? Scotland, we are appealing to the Scottish Government to establish a much-needed Winter Support Fund, as it did in 2021, to address the worsening cost of living crisis.

In an open letter to  First Minister Nicola Sturgeon we call for emergency funding  to help the most vulnerable families weather a harrowing and alarming winter amidst the cost-of-living crisis and soaring energy prices. 

The letter points out that the scale of the financial challenge ahead is at least as serious as the pandemic and so the level of support must match what has been delivered previously. The Scottish Government’s £41m Winter Support Fund prescribed last year was a crucial last line of support for struggling families and allowed charities to reach the most vulnerable children and families.

Last year the Winter Support Fund enabled Children 1st to give financial support to many families. One parent told us:

"Thanks so much for all your doing for my child, it’s very much appreciated. I’ve noticed a positive change in his confidence and the grant really helped as it came at a time where I was facing a lot of financial difficulties – I work two jobs a day and my income has become unstable due to the nature of my work  with customers cancelling a lot due to covid or them being unavailable to work for. I don’t have the means to ask family or friends for financial assistance, as they would help if they could but they can’t, and the grant helped me to buy food and to pay bills that I was panicking about being unable to pay." 

 Another said:

"This will make a massive difference to the bills which are totally sky high.”

Children 1st and the other charities backing the letter are already witnessing record requests for support that will inevitably increase further as energy bills and food prices continue to soar throughout autumn and into Scotland’s cold winter.

Mary Glasgow, Children 1st Chief Executive said: "Families are beyond breaking point. They need action today. This is a national crisis which demands an emergency response to protect children now

“That is why we are calling on the Scottish Government, to renew the lifeline they gave last year to keep families afloat. Investing in a Winter Support Fund this year will give families some much needed help to keep their children safe, loved and well through what will be an extremely difficult winter."