Scottish Government announces additional £5 million funding for discretionary housing payments in Scotland

Extra money will support tenants under severe financial pressures where the UK Government 'is not providing the safety net it should', says Housing Minister

An additional £5 million funding for discretionary housing payments in Scotland has been announced by Housing Minister Kevin Stewart.

Speaking in the Stage 3 debate of the emergency Coronavirus (2nd) (Scotland) Bill - which was passed yesterday - Mr Stewart said - 

'We all know that the wider impacts of COVID-19 are increasing pressures on households and leading to great financial hardship, including some folk having difficulties in paying their rent. Many more people will now be on benefits for the first time and will be subject to the UK Government’s benefit cap. Others will have seen their household incomes decrease substantially, which might lead to their having difficulty in paying rent.

We have therefore been looking at ways in which to support people during the crisis. I am pleased to announce that we are increasing the amount that we are making available for the other discretionary housing payments—DHPs—that are available outside our full mitigation of the bedroom tax. We will increase that amount by a further £5 million, to more than £16 million, which will support tenants who are now under severe financial pressures in situations in which the UK Government’s welfare state is not providing the safety net that it should.'

For more information see Extra funding to support tenants from gov.scot