Almost half in Lothians 'concerned' by coronavirus' impact on their finances, poll shows

Research commissioned by the Scottish Government paints worrying picture for personal finances.

Research revealed 44 per cent of people in the Lothians are worried about their finances

Nearly half of all people in the Lothians are concerned about the impact of coronavirus on their finances, new research has shown.

A survey, undertaken by YouGov and commissioned by the Scottish Government, found that nearly a third of people across Scotland have already been hit financially by the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

Of those in the Lothians, 44 per cent said they are concerned about the impact of coronavirus on their household finances.

Across Scoltand, 38 per cent of those aged 18-24 reported being worried about the financial impact of the virus on their finances with that number rising to 41 per cent of those in part-time work.

These findings follow the launch of a new campaign by the Scottish Government and the Citizens Advice network that aims to raise awareness of the financial support available to people in the Lothians.

Adam McVey, Edinburgh City Council leader, said: “Work has been ramping up across Edinburgh to make sure our hardest hit citizens get the help they need. From welfare, council tax and debt support for those facing financial hardship, to food supplies for our most vulnerable families, we’ve been pooling resources to direct help to those who are in crisis.

“Our five Council Resilience Centres are providing a base for officers to work from so that they can target online and phone support for those facing hardship or worried about homelessness. And we’re building up a picture of how our most at-risk residents are impacted, so that we can develop longer-term measures through the Edinburgh Poverty Commission.

“It's going to be so important that we work together to tackle poverty and, in these uncertain times, we know financial worries will weigh on people’s minds. Don’t suffer alone. Know that help is available and get in touch with Citizens Advice or our own Advice Shop for help.”

People can access advice online, via phone, or by contacting their local Citizens Advice Bureau.

Cabinet secretary for communities and local government, Aileen Campbell MSP, said: “There is no doubt that this is a difficult and worrying time for everyone. Today’s findings further underline the need to provide people across Scotland with the correct support, guidance and information to help them with their finances.

“To support people and communities affected by Covid-19 we recently announced a £350 million package of funding – ensuring local authorities, community groups and the third sector are able to help people who need it. This includes increased investment for both the Scottish Welfare Fund and Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

“However, we need to ensure that people are aware of all the support that they are entitled to, including benefits delivered by DWP, and I would encourage everyone across Scotland who is facing financial difficulty to look into what help is available to them.

“That’s why we’ve been working with the Citizens Advice network in Scotland to create this central source of information - with everything from guidance on benefits, right through to what you can do if you are worried about paying your mortgage or rent.”