EMPTY homes in Glasgow should be charged extra council tax to help people struggling with the benefits cap according to Labour.

The party has drawn up its budget proposals it wants the SNP administration to adopt and has put raising £500,000 to mitigate the benefit cap at the top of its agenda.

It wants to raise half a million to help the 730 households that are hit by the cap in Glasgow.

The SNP sets its first Glasgow City Council budget this week and needs the support of at least one other party.

Labour is unlikely to vote with the SNP but will put forward its own alternative plans.

The half a million would be raised by asking people with empty homes to pay extra council tax.

Currently empty and unfurnished flats are exempt from council tax in Glasgow.

There are estimated to be around 2000 such privately owned properties in the city

The additional income would be used to increase the budget for Discretionary Housing Payments.

Frank McAveety, Labour Group leader, said: “Tory welfare reform is nothing but an attack on the poorest and most vulnerable in our communities. Glasgow Labour will not sit back and allow them to pay the price of disinterested and callous Tories at Westminster.

“We will put it in our budget. We are calling on the SNP to do the same.”

The council will have £1.2bn to spend, which leaves a spending shortfall of £20.8m.

City Treasurer Allan Gow will have to come up with proposals that meet the spending gap and deliver on the priorities the SNP have set out.

The council is expected to increase council tax by the maximum 3% again this year for the second time since the freeze was lifted last year.

Labour wants the SNP to take up its suggestion to mitigate UK Government benefits policies.

Matt Kerr Labour councillor, said: “It’s not enough to talk a good game when it comes to stopping the worst excesses of the Tory’s Welfare Reform agenda, you have to be able to back those words up with real action.

“My message to the SNP is this: don’t tell me what your values are.

“Show me your budget and the people of Glasgow will be able to tell you what your values are.”