The Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF), delivered by local authorities, provides vital support for those experiencing crisis, and those who are at risk when setting up or maintaining their home – through Crisis Grants and Community Care Grants.
Following an independent review of the SWF, the Scottish Government has been working with partners to deliver a suite of actions aimed at strengthening and safeguarding the Fund so that it can continue to meet its intended purpose.
In 2024, Poverty Alliance worked with the Scottish Government’s Scottish Welfare Fund team to develop a Get Heard Scotland Citizens Panel to contribute to this work.
11 Panel members, with diverse experiences of living on a low income, came together to reflect on their experiences, share their insights, and deliberate on 3 key elements of the SWF Action Plan:
- Embedding dignity and respect in the SWF
- Improving useability of the statutory guidance
- Communication and awareness raising about the fund
You can read the panel’s final report in the window below, or download it here .
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