CASH help given to people facing an emergency has reached record levels in Glasgow according to the latest figures.

Crisis Grants from the Scottish Welfare Fund broke through the million pound mark last year in the city.

Glasgow accounted for more than 20 per cent of the cash given out across Scotland for a crisis grant in 2015/16.

In the city last year £1,311,670 was allocated, a rise of 33 per cent, to more than 12,000 people, an increase of 20 per cent. 

The figure is the first in the three years of the fund to have been above £1m and the latest figure for March this year was the highest monthly total since the fund was set up.

Crisis Grants are given to people in an emergency following a disaster like a fire or flood in the home or where money has been lost or stolen.

The fund also includes Community Care Grants of which showed a drop of half a million pounds in the city with £437,000 allocated.

Across Scotland £25,5m was spent on Community Care Grants, which are intended to help people settle in the community after a period in care or with one off costs for items like a cooker.

John Dickie of the Child Poverty action fund in Scotland said the fund will need to be increased to help all those in need.

He said “Many families still aren’t accessing the support they may be eligible for, and too many people in an income crisis still end up at a food bank when they could be getting a crisis grant.

“More needs to be done to promote the Fund and help people access it and with Glasgow and several other local authorities already spending close to 100% of their allocated funds it is vital that the fund is increased in future years to meet the needs of all those who might be eligible for help”.”

The Scottish Government said the fund was a lifeline for people in need.

Social Security Secretary Angela Constance said: “No-one in Scotland should be living in poverty, and it is crucial that we are able to give support to those most in need, when they need it.

Opposition MSPs however said not enough support was being provided as overall cash allocated from the funds was down by more than £2m.

Mark Griffin, Labour, Social Security spokesman said: "At a time when people across Scotland are struggling with welfare reforms and a cost of living crisis, it is worrying that the Scottish Welfare Fund is spending less to help those that need support.”