Recently in Housing Benefits Category

ON Saturday, thousands of Glaswegians marched against the bedroom tax, brought in by a Tory led government which has no compassion for the people they serve.

Across the UK, 660,000 people will be affected, losing an average of £728 per year. Two thirds of the households hit are home to someone who is disabled and 220,000 families with children will suffer from this tax, as will divorced parents whose children come to stay or grandparents who have their grandchildren visit

The Government admits that there are not enough smaller properties for people to move into, yet the bedroom tax will still hit households who have nowhere to go.

And the bedroom tax is being brought in as the Chancellor gives thousands of millionaires tax cuts of up £100,000.

IT'S just under a month until Westminster's draconian welfare reforms will be implemented and Glaswegians should be aware of the steps the Scottish Government are taking to mitigate the effects of the changes.

Earlier this month, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that local authorities across Scotland will receive £33 million from the Scottish Welfare Fund to help people in times of need.

Glasgow will receive £5,756,000 for community care grants and £1,964,000 for crisis grants.

The community care grant allows individuals to set up or stay in their own homes while the crisis grant provides a safety net for people faced with an emergency.

Humza at the Hub in Wellhouse

IT'S been a busy few weeks since my last blog for the Glaswegian, with the local council elections, the passing of the Alcohol Minimum Pricing Bill in the Scottish Parliament and the launch of the Yes Scotland campaign last Friday.

It's also been pretty hectic locally with the fantastic Southside Festival last weekend  (I think the West End Festival should be seriously worried about the competition), and both the Govan Fair and Gorbals Fair this weekend.

OVER the last two weeks, Westminster has been debating the Tory/Libdem Coalition Government new proposals in this year's Queens Speech.

But don't look for this programme to offer any of the changes we desperately need. For someone looking for a job, for a business looking for finance to invest or for a family whose living standards are being squeezed, this speech offers no hope.

The Government promised recovery, but they delivered recession, we have the worst levels of unemployment in 16 years and the first double dip recession for 37 years.

They said we were all in this together, but they instead asked millions to pay more so millionaires could pay less.

WHY would the Labour controlled Council in Glasgow complain about the £40m extra money provided by the Scottish Government and COSLA to plug the gap of the reduction in Council Tax and not be grateful of the slice of pie that they would receive?

At a time when low paid working families are suffering due to tax credit cuts, housing benefit reductions and excessive fuel charges, you would think Mr Matheson, Labour Council leader, would be smiling in his office when he can offset the money he will get to help the families of this city to feel the pain a little less.