MORE than 400 victims of historic child abuse in care have received payouts from the Scottish Government.
The Advance Payment Scheme was launched In April 2019, promising £10,000 to those who were abused in care before 2004 and are aged over 68 or have a terminal illness.
In the first year, 417 payments were made, totalling more than £4 million.
The initiative was put in place ahead of a statutory redress scheme, which is expected to pass the Scottish Parliament in March 2021.
The advance scheme was set up to ensure older victims will be able to access the payments.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “I am pleased that more than 400 people have received an advance payment.
“We continue to do everything possible to help survivors and their families apply to the scheme by ensuring a simple application process.
“I am particularly pleased by the positive feedback we have received from survivors and survivors’ groups.
"While clearly nothing can take away the pain that individuals have suffered, the scheme, together with other actions we are taking, will go some way towards acknowledging the grievous harm inflicted on them when they were most vulnerable.”
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