Thousands of families to get cost-of-living payments in West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine

Thousands of West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine families are set to receive £650 to help with the cost-of-living crisis, new figures show.

Families receiving means-tested benefits – including universal credit, jobseeker's allowance, or child tax credits – are set to automatically receive £326 between July 14 and the end of the month, to help with the cost-of-living crisis.

Another payment of £324 will follow in the autumn.

The Department of Work and Pensions estimate that around 5,100 families are set to receive the payment in the West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine constituency.

Families will receive the funds to help with the cost-of-living crisis.

This comes alongside a £150 payment for those who claim disability benefits, set to be paid in the autumn – with the same figures showing around 4,900 disabled individuals are set to benefit in the area.

The payments come amid criticism from charities that the Government is not doing enough to tackle the soaring cost of basic goods and fuel – and that the money might not have arrived in some people's bank accounts by the end of the month.

Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance charity, said: “We can’t allow any delays to cost of living support packages.

"People want a society where we have compassion for each other, founded on a shared belief in justice.

"We need a government that’s committed to putting those ideals into urgent action to help the growing number of people facing hardship and struggling to get by.”

Households have been warned energy bills are likely to surge higher in the coming months.

A recent survey by the Office for National Statistics found around nine in 10 British adults said their living costs had increased over the previous month.

And just under half reported they were buying less food when food shopping, while 48 per cent said they had to spend more than usual on what they normally buy.

The DWP estimate around 689,000 families in Scotland are set to receive a means-tested cost-of-living payment.

Speaking last Thursday (July 14), the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson: "Just as we looked after people during lockdown, we will help them get through these tough economic times."