CARDENDEN and Kinglassie MP, Peter Grant, is urging everyone to check that they are receiving the right financial support if their income is being affected by the Covid-19 emergency.

Both the UK and Scottish Governments have announced a number of measures to support businesses and to help them to avoid having to lay-off workers, but Mr Grant said he is already receiving a lot of calls for help from workers and from self-employed people, whose income has plummeted in the last few weeks.

Mr Grant, who represents the Glenrothes and Central Fife, said: “As well as the obvious public health emergency, we are also going to see the biggest economic crisis any of us have witnessed.

"Very large numbers of people, who a few weeks ago thought they had a secure job, or a successful and profitable business have seen this turned upside down. A lot of people who never imagined they would ever need to rely on social security benefits are finding that this is now their only source of income.

"It's essential that we support these people and make sure they know what their entitlements are".

He added: "While I welcome the measures the UK Government has already put in place, they don't go nearly far enough.

"We're waiting to see what further support the Chancellor announces for the self-employed, who until now have seen next to no support.

"We're also pressing the Government to introduce an emergency Basic Income for everyone, so that nobody is forced into poverty because they can't get to work.

"The Government also needs to bring in thousands of additional staff for the DWP. We're seeing reports of people taking three days to get through on the phone to them. That's just not good enough at a time when people are already stressed out".