Arran and Cumbrae are set to benefit from £57,000 in Scottish Government funding to ease the cost of living impact on communities and businesses.

It's part of a £1million package around Scotland to help islanders facing high fuel, food and energy costs.

The new funding will be delivered through the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund to help mitigate against some of the unique cost of living challenges faced by people living on Scotland’s islands.

This includes a colder climate, higher fuel and energy costs and reduced consumer choice. The fund criteria have also been extended to potentially include struggling local businesses.

Previous initiatives funded by the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund include food bank grants, Love Local food voucher cards and free school breakfasts.

The Western Isles took the biggest share of the funding pot with £257,000 allocated, with another £222,000 for Shetland and £218,000 for Orkney.

Local government empowerment minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “No one in Scotland has been shielded from the cost of living crisis – which has been exacerbated by the inflationary crisis caused by UK Government actions.

"But islanders often face even greater challenges, due to the unique circumstances of island life.

“Island council leaders have seen the cost of living crisis become more entrenched in their communities. As minister responsible for local government, I am determined to step up and help those who need it the most even when the UK Government is turning its back on people.

“We have listened to island local authorities and are providing this £1 million of additional funding to help them target support where they have the most concerns.”

Councillor Maureen Chalmers, COSLA’s community wellbeing spokesperson, said: “The cost-of-living crisis continues to have a disproportionate impact on our island communities, with some areas facing costs up to 65 per cent higher than on the mainland.

“This funding will allow for the continuation of past measures made possible by the fund such as electricity vouchers, provision of meals and supporting local food initiatives.

The Scottish Government has also launched a public consultation to review the current priorities of the National Islands Plan, five years after it was first published, which island communities are being invited to respond to.