Tax Credits Go Unclaimed
Posted on September 13 2016 at 11:46
More than 100,000 people in Scotland have not claimed the tax credits they are entitled to, based on research undertaken by Mark Griffin MSP.
This has resulted in £428 million in working and child tax credits going unclaimed
Mr Griffin has called on the Scottish Government to use its forthcoming Social Security Bill to set a legal duty to increase the awareness and uptake of social security benefits in general. This call follows on from the Scottish Government's Poverty Adviser Naomi Eisenstadt, who urged Nicola Sturgeon to ensure people claim the benefits they are entitled to.
Mark said:
“Tax credits work. They have lifted hundreds of thousands of children out of
poverty and allow families across Scotland to aspire to more than just making
it to the end of the month. That’s why the last UK Labour Government introduced
tax credits, but more than 100,000 Scots aren’t claiming what they are entitled
to.
“Making sure, in law, that cash goes to the people who are entitled to it could make a huge difference. Thousands of families across Scotland are one big unexpected bill away from really struggling. Too many are having to choose between putting money in the gas meter or feeding their kids. We can change that.
“Local Government and third sector welfare rights organisations do a huge amount of work to help lift household incomes but are struggling in the face of hundreds of millions of pound in cuts. Councils need the funding and support to carry on delivering these services and help boost the incomes of families across Scotland.
“I call on Nicola Sturgeon to make it a legal requirement that government does everything it can to make people aware of all the support they are entitled to.”
“Making sure, in law, that cash goes to the people who are entitled to it could make a huge difference. Thousands of families across Scotland are one big unexpected bill away from really struggling. Too many are having to choose between putting money in the gas meter or feeding their kids. We can change that.
“Local Government and third sector welfare rights organisations do a huge amount of work to help lift household incomes but are struggling in the face of hundreds of millions of pound in cuts. Councils need the funding and support to carry on delivering these services and help boost the incomes of families across Scotland.
“I call on Nicola Sturgeon to make it a legal requirement that government does everything it can to make people aware of all the support they are entitled to.”
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