Camphill supports call for financial aid for low income families

Along with over 100 children’s charities, faith groups, academics, think tanks, poverty campaigners and trade unions we have signed an open letter to the First Minister calling for a direct financial boost for all families living on low incomes to support them through the coronavirus crisis.

John Dickie, director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland, said:

Families are already being pulled under by the financial impact of coronavirus, undermining children’s education, health and life chances, and putting progress on child poverty at real risk….Boosting family incomes now is vital to shore up the foundations on which the recovery from coronavirus can be built and future progress on child poverty made.

The letter expresses “grave concern” that families across Scotland are struggling to stay afloat through the crisis.  The petitioners point out that whilst they warmly welcomed the significant support already provided by the Scottish Government in response to the crisis, including through the Wellbeing Fund and additional investment in the Scottish Welfare Fund, families that were already more likely to experience poverty – such as lone parent families – are being particularly impacted, and are being pulled deeper into poverty.

The letter continues:

We call on you to use every tool at your government’s disposal to deliver an emergency package of financial support to all low income families – a package we believe should amount to at least the equivalent of £10 per week per child.

Camphill Scotland’s Director, Neil Henery said:

All of us are feeling the effects of the current crisis but some are particularly vulnerable. We should be doing all we can to support them. This letter sets out some important measures that can be taken now to make a real difference to families living on low income.

 

Read the letter to the First Minister