Almost half of Scottish Welfare Fund decisions reviewed by Scotland's public services ombudsman last year were overturned, according to a new report.

Of the 318 community care grant decisions made by councils and referred for review in 2017/18, 164 or 52% were changed - up from 43% the previous year.

Meanwhile, of the 288 crisis care grant decisions looked at by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO), 102 or 35% were changed, up slightly from 32% in 2016/17.

The annual report on the SPSO's independent Scottish Welfare Fund review service also showed a 38.7% year-on-year rise in the number of cases it closed at review, up from 437 to 606 in 2017/18.

The Scottish Welfare Fund was set up to provide crisis grants to those struggling to pay for basics such as food and heating, and community care grants to help some of the poorest families buy one-off items such as a cooker or washing machine.

Applications are made to local authorities, with the SPSO providing a second-tier review service for anyone who is unhappy with a council's decision.

The SPSO said the increasing number of review requests it received was "encouraging as it suggests that people are aware of their rights and are accessing the service", however it pointed only a "miniscule" proportion of welfare fund applicants reach the second-tier review stage.

The body said it would continue to monitor rises in the number of council decisions being overturned although it stated the most likely reason for a change was new information "that the council could not reasonably have access to".

The SPSO also identified that written communication was an issue in high proportion of the cases it looked at.

In some instances decision letters "lacked clarity around how the decision maker had arrived at their decision and did not provide enough information to allow the applicant to effectively challenge the decision".

"We anticipate there will be a reduction in the instances of poor written communication during 2018-19 as a result of the revised SWF guidance issued in February 2018," its report stated.

The ombudsman Rosemary Agnew said: "The Scottish Welfare Fund impacts directly on some of the most vulnerable people in Scotland.

"To us, our independent review service is about much more than reviewing decisions. We strive to put people at the heart of what we do.

"The work is not just about benefits and rules; it is about treating all people with respect and dignity, whether they are applicants seeking help, or the hard working council officers handling the applications."