South Lanarkshire is one of the worst hit areas in Scotland by the bedroom tax with more than 2,300 households affected.

Lanark and Hamilton East MP Angela Crawley has warned “the Tories and Labour are pushing families into poverty and costing Scotland millions of pounds” – as new analysis reveals the true extent of the policy.

The analysis, conducted by the SNP using the latest data available from the UK government Department for Work and Pensions, reveals 2,338 households in South Lanarkshire are having their housing benefit cut due to the policy as of February 2023.

Neighbouring Glasgow City is the worst hit local authority in Scotland, with 8,014 households having affected followed by North Lanarkshire with 3,199 households, Edinburgh with 2,809 households and Fife with 2,721 households hit.

More than 1,000 of those households are in Lanark and Hamilton East and Ms Crawley has said the choice voters face at the next election is clear – only the SNP are offering real change with independence.

Commenting, Lanark and Hamilton East MP Angela Crawley said:

“The Tories and Labour are pushing families into poverty and costing Scotland millions of pounds by continuing to impose the bedroom tax against Scotland’s will.

“This is yet another broken promise from the pro-Brexit Labour Party, who are becoming indistinguishable from the Tories.

“In contrast, the SNP Scottish Government has spent millions of pounds protecting families by mitigating policies like the bedroom tax – all with one hand tied behind our back.

“With the full powers of independence, we could make policies like the bedroom tax a thing of the past.

“At the next election, only the SNP are offering a real alternative through independence – which would rid Scotland of government’s we do not vote for, and end policies like the bedroom tax for good.”