MORE than a thousand Inverclyde people have received help to cope with the so-called ‘bedroom tax’.

The Scottish Government say 1,331 local residents have been given support from £35 million of funding they have provided for those hit by the tax imposed by the UK Government.

In Inverclyde, a total of £848,101 has been used to lessen the impact of the spare room subsidy, providing an average award of £637.

Greenock based SNP MSP Stuart McMillan welcomed the figures.

He said: “They come just after UK Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, signalled that the ideological Tory assault on the poor is set to continue with further cuts to support for disabled people.

“Our support, as part of the Scottish Welfare Fund, is helping those hit hardest – the least well off people in society. “Iain Duncan Smith has made clear that that he intends to further cut support for disabled people.

While the Scottish Government works to help the most vulnerable, the Tories are intent on showing time and time again they cannot be trusted on welfare.

“This highlights exactly why the Scottish Parliament needs full powers over the welfare state to allow us to support and empower people, rather than pushing more into poverty like the Tories have done.” Mr McMillan added: “Iain Duncan Smith hides from answering questions at Scotland’s Parliament but the sooner he comes here to explain his seemingly unending austerity agenda, the better.”