The Scottish Ministers may make grants to local authorities to fund the giving of financial assistance under section 88.

Monies granted to an authority under subsection (1) may be spent only on giving financial assistance under section 88.

If an authority has spent all monies granted to it under subsection (1), the authority may refuse to consider any application for financial assistance under section 88.

If, by virtue of subsection (3), an authority is refusing to consider applications, it need not comply with section 90.

For the avoidance of doubt, subsection (3) does not prevent an authority from considering applications or giving financial assistance under section 88 should it choose to.