Hundreds of people across Argyll and Bute received crisis grants last year, according to newly-released statistics.

There were more than 1,400 applications from the area for cash from the Scottish Welfare Fund. and more than half were approved.

The average grant paid out was £104, with a total of £79,921 distributed to Argyll and Bute residents in greatest need.

According to the figures, 770 applications from Argyll and Bute residents were approved and another 690 were rejected, an approval rate of 53 per cent.

The number of crisis grant applications in Argyll and Bute during April, May and June of this year fell by 18 per cent compared the same period in 2023.

Crisis grants are provided to cover the costs of an emergency such as a fire or flood at home or a gap in income caused by redundancy or a change at work.

They are also given to victims of domestic abuse who need help to get away from an abuser.

Crisis grants also cover help with food or heating costs and support for family members who have taken over caring for a child at short notice.

And nationally, almost 7,000 older people applied for emergency help so they could afford day-to-day essentials.

Campaigners say not everyone is applying who could.

Citizens Advice Scotland Social Justice spokesperson Stephanie Millar said: “In a food insecurity project we ran recently 38 per cent of people who accessed our help told us they did not want to make an application for a Crisis Grant.

“Anecdotally, our advisers considered the reasons for this that people had had negative experiences doing so in the past, e.g. complicated admin, long waits.

“Many also don’t have the necessary skills or access to the internet, or bank accounts. These are all barriers to applications.

“We would urge anyone who does need help to contact us in the CAB network. Our advice and support is free, impartial and confidential.”

Debbie Horne, Scotland policy and public affairs manager at Independent Age, said the number of older people applying to the Scottish Welfare Fund in the past five years had increased by 66 per cent.

She said: "While we welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to raising awareness of the SWF among older people, which will mean more older people in poverty can access the financial support they desperately need, the rising number of those in later life applying to the fund shows there is an unacceptable number of older people struggling to financially stay afloat.

“The SWF can be a vital lifeline for older people who do not have enough to live on, but the fact that 6,975 older people in Scotland are applying to an emergency fund just to afford the essentials is extremely worrying.

"With 150,000 pensioners in Scotland now living in poverty, a rise of a quarter in the last decade, a long-term strategy to address financial hardship in later life is needed now.

“The Scottish Government must commit to publishing a plan to reduce pensioner poverty across the country in the upcoming Programme for Government.

"This should include action to reduce household costs and increase awareness and uptake of social security payments, such as the Scottish Welfare Fund, for which older people still only make up 2 per cent of applications despite accounting for one in five of the population.

"The new UK Government should work across the political divide to ensure that the State Pension and Pension Credit are set an adequate rate, by establishing a cross-party review into the income needed to avoid poverty in later life.”

The Scottish Government said the fund remained a vital aspect of support.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Eradicating child poverty is a central mission for the Scottish Government.

“Child poverty levels in Scotland have been consistently below the UK average in recent years, with our policies estimated to keep 100,000 children out of relative poverty in the year ahead.

“The Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) was established on April 1, 2013, and remains an essential source of occasional support for those most in need.

“That is why we took the decision to maintain the SWF budget at £41 million, despite significant fiscal pressures.

“Since April 2018 more than 544,000 households have received Scottish Welfare Fund awards totalling more than £281 million.

“We will continue to closely monitor spend and demand trends for the SWF, and continue to work closely with local authorities who are delivering the SWF within challenging times.”

A spokesperson from Argyll and Bute Council said: "We approved 53 per cent of the 1,460 Scottish Welfare Fund applications which reflects our continued commitment to supporting our residents during times of need.

"While there has been an 18 per cent decrease in the number of crisis grant applications for the first quarter of 2024 compared to the previous year, this reduction aligns with a broader trend of fewer crisis grant applications overall.

"This decrease could be attributed to various factors, including improved financial stability among some residents or shifts in the nature of crises experienced.

"Regardless, we are committed to assessing each application thoroughly and ensuring support is available for those who need it most.

"We are continually reviewing our processes and support mechanisms to better meet the needs of our residents.

"The primary reasons for applications remain consistent, with a significant portion of requests arising from families facing exceptional financial pressure.

"Our priority continues to be providing timely and effective support to those most in need. We remain vigilant in ensuring that our services are accessible and responsive to the challenges faced by our community."