Households across Glasgow have begun receiving a £105 gift card designed to help with the cost-of-living crisis.

We previously reported that Scotland Loves Local cards are to be issued to 85,000 homes in the city, with the hope that low-income families will be insulated from the worst of the inflation spiral while simultaneously giving a boost to the local economy.

The gift cards, issued by Glasgow City Council, can only be redeemed at city businesses that are registered with the scheme, which is the UK's biggest.

Every household receiving a gift card has already been sent a unique activation code, with all deliveries expected to be completed in the coming days.

Glasgow Times:

Council leader Susan Aitken said: “This much-needed economic stimulus will give extra spending power to lower-income households across the city at a time when they are facing the worst financial pressure in decades - and with all the signs that those strains are likely to increase.

“As a council, we are committed to doing whatever we can to support those in the greatest need. Our use of these gift cards does exactly that.

“But they have a double benefit for communities across Glasgow as they provide a real boost to local businesses in our high streets as they continue to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

“There’s undoubtedly a longer-term benefit for Glaswegians to shop locally - and for more businesses to sign up to accept the gift cards as payment.”

More than 700 businesses - including all kinds of shops, places to eat, salons and visitor attractions - have already signed up to accept.

There is no application process for the cards. Households which were in receipt of Council Tax reduction as of June 1 will automatically receive their free gift card.

Those who are not eligible to receive one can buy and spend under the scheme, the same as with any gift card.

The scheme is an extension of the Scotland Loves Local campaign, the drive led by Scotland’s Towns Partnership’s (STP) for people to help their communities recover from the coronavirus pandemic by supporting local businesses.

It was funded via a £9.45m Covid Economic Recovery Funding package awarded to the council by the Scottish Government.