What we’re doing to help families through the tory cost of living crisis — scottish national party

Rishi Sunak’s Spring Budget showed a callous disregard for the misery people are facing across these islands, and that misery is only going to get worse because of Tory government inaction.

Rishi Sunak could have introduced an emergency package of support to help tackle this Tory cost of living crisis. Instead, he chose to squirrel away money for pre-election bribes – money

that could be spent right now to help those in desperate circumstances. > 🚨 Rishi Sunak showed a callous disregard for the misery people > are already facing. >  > 📢 Instead of 

tackling the Tory cost of living crisis he > squirrelled away money for pre-election bribes. >  > 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The only way to protect household > budgets from the Tories is with 

independence. > pic.twitter.com/miSZkf8i6N >  > — The SNP (@theSNP) March 24, 2022 While the Tories build up their election war chest, in Scotland the SNP Scottish Government is

using its limited powers and resources to help families through the Tory cost of living crisis. WE’RE INCREASING SOCIAL SECURITY SUPPORT To help families facing the cost of living crisis,

those receiving Social Security support will have their payments increased by up to 6% – double the increase offered by the UK government. > 💛 From April, we’re increasing 6 of our social

 security > payments by 6% to help tackle the cost of living crisis. >  > 🤝 This includes our Job Start Payment, Young Carer’s Grant, > Funeral Support, Best Start Grant and 

Carer’s Allowance > Supplement.#DeliveringForScotland pic.twitter.com/80IpfeTzKq >  > — The SNP (@theSNP) March 16, 2022 The Job Start Payment, Young Carer’s Grant, Funeral Support,

Best Start Grant, Carer’s Allowance Supplement and Child Winter Heading Assistance will all rise by 6% while the Adult Disability Payment and the Child Disability Payment will rise by 3.1%.

Meanwhile, the game-changing Scottish Child Payment will be doubled to £20 a week from April, and then further increased to £25 a week by the end of 2022. We will also extend this support

to under 16’s by the end of this year. WE’RE WORKING TO TACKLE FUEL POVERTY HEAD ON AND MAKE IT MORE AFFORDABLE TO HEAT AND POWER HOMES Everyone needs a safe, warm place to call home.

However, soaring energy prices will be causing people to worry about the cost of their bills and it is vital that people struggling with energy bills get the information and support they

need. > 🤝 Over the last 8 years, we have spent more than £1 billion on > supporting people in fuel poverty and making their homes more energy > efficient. >  > 🏘️ We’re also 

working hard to decarbonise a million homes and > buildings by 2030.#DeliveringForScotland >  > — The SNP (@theSNP) February 22, 2022 To support households the SNP Scottish

Government is boosting their energy efficiency programmes with more than £160 million of funding being invested. We’re ensuring access to free and impartial support through Home Energy

Scotland to improve the energy efficiency of homes, while widening the eligibility criteria of the flagship Warmer Homes Scotland fuel poverty programme to include more people within the 60

– 75 years age range. And we’re investing £64 million in local schemes, targeting communities blighted by fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency, reducing costs and carbon emissions

from heating homes. WE’RE HELPING FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS WITH SOARING LIVING COSTS While people are struggling with large rises in energy bills, increased costs on everyday essentials,

rising interest rates and the UK Government’s National Insurance hike, we’re using our limited powers and resources to mitigate these costs as much as possible. As part of the Scottish

Government’s Council Tax reduction scheme, families will benefit from a £150 payment or discount in their council tax bills for all households in bands A to D, as will those in other bands

who already qualify for reduced rates. This means that means 73% of Scottish households – about 1.85 million people – will receive support from the Scottish Governments scheme. > 📣 

Finance Secretary @_KateForbes announced new measures to help > people with the Tory cost of living crisis. >  > 💷 We will provide a £150 payment to every household in receipt > 

of Council Tax Reduction, and £150 to other households in bands A-D > in Scotland.#ScotBudget pic.twitter.com/nxWAkNlmuo >  > — The SNP (@theSNP) February 10, 2022 We’re also

investing a further £10 million to continue the Fuel Insecurity Fund helping households at risk having to turn off heating and electricity or limiting their energy use to keep bills to a

minimum. In addition, students facing financial hardship due to the Tory cost of living crisis and rising energy costs will be able to benefit from a £350 student loan uplift. This means

that the most disadvantaged students can access up to £8,100 per year. Care Experienced students will also be able to receive financial support through 12 monthly instalments. HOUSEHOLDS IN

SCOTLAND ALREADY RECEIVE THE BEST DEAL IN THE UK We’re using the limited powers and resources we have to ensure every household in Scotland can have a decent quality of life. Through our

progressive income tax system and budgeting decisions families already receive the best package of support compared with the rest of the UK. This includes: * NO PRESCRIPTION CHARGES

meanwhile each item is £9.35 in England * FREE NHS EYE TESTS which cost between £20-£25 in England. * We’re rolling out FREE NHS DENTAL CARE IN SCOTLAND while individuals face up to £282.80

of charges for treatment south of the border. * FREE PERSONAL CARE has been introduced in Scotland for those who need it and we’re introducing a National Care Service while families south of

the border face paying up to £1,600 a week. * FREE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY TUITION, while students face up to £9,250 of fees per year in England. * Every child in Scotland receives a FREE

BABY BOX PACKED FULL OF ESSENTIALS to make sure every child has the best start in life. * Families in Scotland PAY LESS ON AVERAGE IN COUNCIL TAX compared to south of the border. ONLY WITH

THE FULL POWERS OF INDEPENDENCE COULD WE FULLY TACKLE THIS TORY COST OF LIVING CRISIS Politics is about choices and how those in power choose to use the resources available to them to

benefit the lives of people across the country. Rishi Sunak chose to do nothing in his spring budget. The Chancellor’s failure to support families struggling with a cost of living crisis

created and exaccerbated by his own UK Tory government, illustrates how out of touch the Westminster system is with ordinary working families. The Chancellor could have used the powers he

currently has to tackle this crisis instead he’s hiking taxes, cutting social security, and allowing energy firms to make excessive profits while households suffer. Only with the full powers

of independence, can we set a different path to that of Westminster – with control over National Insurance, Universal Credit, taxation, and the power to properly regulate energy prices and

tariffs. > ✂️ While Tories impose cuts on low-income families, we’re > putting money into families’ pockets. >  > 💷 With limited powers, we’ve introduced the Scottish Child > 

Payment and built a new, fairer social security system. >  > 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Just think how much more we could do > with independence. pic.twitter.com/hyaA2lF1S1 >  > — The SNP 

(@theSNP) March 17, 2022