Day: October 26, 2020

Shop around!

Savings to be made for Scottish drivers as insurance premiums drop

  • Scottish motorists can now expect to pay £616 for their car insurance, as prices for new policies drop by £26 (4%) in 12 months
  • More than three quarters (77%) of UK drivers who received their car insurance renewal in the past three months saw their price increase by £44, on average, according to research.
  • Expert report reveals how consumers are being affected by the loyalty penalty, which has cost consumers £1.2bn, according to investigations by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Competitions and Market Authority (CMA).
  • Drivers in the Central Scotland benefitted from the biggest savings, as car insurance prices dropped by £30 (4%) in the region in last 12 months.
  • Motorists in Central Scotland forking out most for car insurance, with the average premium costing £649
  • Drivers in Scotland are being urged to shop around as the price of buying a new car insurance policy has dropped by £26, on average – but insurers have been ramping up the cost of renewals, new research finds.

The average price of a new car insurance policy for drivers across Scotland is now £616, on average. That’s a decrease of 3% – or £20 – in the last three months, and of 4% (£26) in the last 12 months – meaning those who shopped around would’ve benefitted from this saving.

That’s according to the latest car insurance price index by Confused.com (Q3 2020), powered by Willis Towers Watson. Based on more than six million quotes per quarter, it’s the most comprehensive new business price index in the UK.

For some Scottish drivers, the savings are even greater than this. Motorists in Central Scotland in particular will have seen their car insurance price drop by £30 (4%) on average, when shopping around.

This brings the average cost in the region to £649, making it the most expensive of the four Scottish regions.

Similarly, prices in the Scottish Highlands and Islands fell by £29 (5%) year-on-year, meaning drivers in the region are now paying £594 for their car insurance, on average. It’s a similar picture for the other Scottish regions, with prices in the Scottish Borders decreasing by £27 (5%), and £14 (2%) in the East and North East.

Drivers in these regions can now expect to pay £554 and £583 for their car insurance, respectively, on average.

However, further research by Confused.com found that loyal customers aren’t seeing these savings, but instead are being penalised for their loyalty. In a Confused.com survey of 2,000 UK motorists(1), more than three quarters (77%) of those who received their car insurance renewal in the past three months (July – September 2020) saw their price increase by £44, on average.

The data comes as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) released its proposal to put a stop to renewal price hikes, or otherwise known as the ‘loyalty penalty’(2). According to the investigation, initiated by Citizens Advice and the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA), this has cost consumers £1.2bn(2) when opting to automatically renew their insurance or service, as providers apply price increases after their initial term.

But now, the FCA has proposed measures which means insurers must offer renewing customers the same price as if they were a new customer. Louise O’Shea, CEO at Confused.com, warns that the new measures being proposed does not mean drivers will never get a more expensive price for their car insurance.

The proposed ruling, which is expected to come into force from July 2021, simply prohibits insurers from calculating a price based on whether the customer is a new customer or a renewal customer. But an insurer could still review the way prices are calculated at any time, which means prices for some customers could still increase year-on-year.

According to Ms O’Shea, the only way for customers to truly know if they’re getting the best price available to them is to shop around, as there’s likely to be an insurer offering a better deal. To further incentivise drivers to seek out a better deal, Confused.com is giving them the chance to save even more by guaranteeing to beat their car insurance renewal price or give them the difference plus £20(4).

Worryingly, nearly one in four (23%) UK drivers will always automatically renew with their current insurance or utility provider without checking if they can get a better price, according to Confused.com’s research.

In fact, nearly two in five (38%) know they could be getting a better deal elsewhere. And it’s these habits that have caused people to fall victim to the loyalty penalty and overpay for insurance products or other services for many years.

To explore the issue in more detail, Confused.com has created an expert report into consumer loyalty, which looks at how people are loyal to their providers, and how much this has potentially cost them.

While most drivers in Scotland have saved money on their car insurance this past quarter, some will seen some very significant savings. In particular, the cost of car insurance in the Hebrides fell by £80 (12%) since last year, while Shetland motorists are seeing the biggest quarterly price drops, worth £98 (15%), on average.

Drivers in these areas are now paying £582 and £560 for their car insurance, respectively, on average. In Central Scotland, drivers in Motherwell saw the biggest decrease in prices, and are now paying £52 (8%) less year-on-year, with the average premium costing £649. Kirkaldy in the East and North East of Scotland has seen annual decreases of £28 (5%) with the average price of car insurance in the area now £557.

Despite recent price drops, some drivers in Scotland are paying more for their car insurance than others – particularly male motorists. While quarterly savings are fairly matched between the genders, female drivers appear to be benefitting more year-on-year.

In particular, women in Central Scotland can save £33 (5%), while men in the region are only able to save £27 (4%), on average – taking the gap between the sexes to £62, with females paying £615 and males £677, on average.

It’s a similar story in the Highlands and Islands, where women can make savings of £30 (5%) since 12 months ago, paying £553, whereas men are only saving £28 (4%), paying £625 on average, bringing the gap to £72.

While in the East and North East, women are looking at savings of £17 (3%), whereas men can save £13 (2%) since the previous year – making the gap £61, with women paying £548 and men paying £609, on average.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s younger drivers who are faced with the steepest car insurance costs, despite price drops in the region. In particular, male drivers aged 17-20 in all four regions are paying the most. In Central Scotland, motorists of this age can now expect to pay an eye-watering £2,022 for their car insurance, on average, despite premium costs dropping by £103 (5%) since three months ago. In comparison, younger female drivers in the same area now pay £1,475, on average.

These price drops are reflected across the rest of the UK, where motorists can now expect to pay £765 for their car insurance, as prices for new policies drop by £18 (2%) in 12 months, on average.

And shopping around in the next few months could result in great savings for drivers. At the end of 2019 (Q4), the average price of car insurance accelerated from £783 to £815 (£32, 4%) in the space of three months – one of the steepest quarterly price increases in more than two years.

This means drivers who bought their car insurance between October and December last year were paying some of the highest prices seen in two years. But, even if prices remained flat between now and the end of the year, buying a new policy in the next three months could result in a saving of £50, on average.

This is the second consecutive quarter where car insurance prices have fallen year-on-year, which coincides with the start of the UK lockdown in late-March.

Since then, circumstances have changed for millions of drivers across the UK, with nearly half (48%) claiming to have used their car less since the lockdown began.

And according to Confused.com data, the average annual mileage travelled has dropped by 4% between those who bought their car in the past three months, compared to the beginning of the year. This equates to millions fewer miles being driven per year. And it is this drop in traffic levels, and consequently risks of accidents, which is perhaps one reason for why the cost of car insurance has dropped over the last six months.

Lockdown also saw a huge surge in the number of people applying for a SORN, and new car sales plummeted, meaning insurers had to compete and adjust their pricing in order to attract the small number of drivers who were looking for insurance during this period.

However, while the UK is facing further lockdown restrictions, some sense of normality has resumed for some drivers, as people return to work and start to drive their car more often, and new car sales have also started to pick up gradually. It’s likely that car insurance costs will return to the upwards trend we saw before the coronavirus pandemic, but at what pace remains to be seen.

While the cost of car insurance is cheaper now for most drivers, it’s clear not everyone is off the hook, which proves the importance of shopping around to find the best deal.

Louise O’Shea, CEO at Confused.com, says: “The FCA announcing measures to stop insurers pricing renewing customers unfairly was bound to come as good news to drivers.

“For too long, people have been penalised for staying loyal, and that shouldn’t be the case. However, it’s so important to understand that this doesn’t mean they’re getting the best price available to them in the market.”

UK must not return to ‘broken’ mental health system after coronavirus is over, says Barnardo’s

The Government must use the coronavirus pandemic as a catalyst to fix the ‘broken’ children and young people’s mental health system so it works for each individual child.

This is the message from Barnardo’s, which says the lessons learned during the ongoing Covid-19 crisis must not be forgotten when it is, eventually, a distant memory.

It comes as young people who are supported by the UK’s leading children’s charity say they have had mixed experiences about the ways services have adapted during the pandemic.

This has included by embracing alternative therapies and the use of digital technology such as video calls to provide ongoing support to children.

Using technology has worked well for some children because they have more control over when and where they get support.

But others have found it difficult due to digital poverty, where they do not have a smartphone or internet access, which has put them at a considerable disadvantage.

Some have found it difficult to fully interact with professionals online, when they have been used to in-person, one-to-one support.

Barnardo’s says the Government has some good mental health policies, like the 0 to 25 promise in the NHS 10 year plan which will end the ‘cliff edge’ at 18, but it argues progress hasn’t been anywhere near fast enough and says young people simply cannot afford to wait.

It says the Government needs to learn lessons from the pandemic and must ensure that all the different ways a child can access support at the moment – whether that’s one-to-one support in person, through apps and video calls, alternative therapies, or a combination of all of these – are still available once the Covid-19 crisis is over.

Support needs to be tailored to the needs of the individual, rather than being a one-size fits all approach.

And it needs to ensure there is long term, sustainable funding for children’s mental health to rebuild the system from the ground up with children and young people at the heart.

One of the young people supported by Barnardo’s, and who has worked with the charity to ensure the views of her peers are heard, is Tia, from Plymouth. 

Tia said: “It’s vital that the Government listens to young people about our experiences of mental health services during the pandemic and involves us when looking at how they should operate in the post-Covid world.

“There cannot be a one size fits all solution. What is right for one child will not be right for another. While some have embraced alternative therapies and getting support online, others have struggled to access services.

“It’s important for us to have a say in helping shape services so they work for each individual.”

Barnardo’s Chief Executive Javed Khan said: “Even before the pandemic the system was failing too many children and young people with mental health needs. Instead of going back to a broken system, we need a radically new approach. 

“We need to identify and support children earlier, before they reach crisis point. We need to end the ‘cliff edge’ at 18, where help often drops off. And we need to make sure every child and young person can access the type of help that works for them – whether that’s digital, support in the community, alternative therapies, or traditional cognitive behaviour therapy. 

“This generation is facing a unique set of challenges, and improving their mental health and wellbeing is a vital step towards the positive future they deserve.” 

Mental health is at the heart of Barnardo’s work across all of its more than a thousand services across the UK.

It also supports more than 40,000 children, young people, parents and carers through its commissioned UK-wide mental health services – including 28,700 children through its school-based programmes aimed at improving emotional health and wellbeing. 

This mental health work is partly funded thanks to the generosity of the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, who have raised over £4million for Barnardo’s so far.

Old Curiosity brings the festive spirit with colour changing Christmas Gin

Scottish craft distillery, Old Curiosity, has launched a new limited-edition Christmas Gin ahead of the festive period, perfectly capturing the essence of the season by blending classic aromatic spices, and naturally coloured with botanicals to create a fitting rosy red colour. 

The Secret Garden Christmas Gin (50cl, 39% ABV) is distilled with botanicals grown in the distillery’s Secret Herb Garden on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom are distilled to create a distinctly festive flavour, while hollyhock petals give the liquid a natural festive red colouring.  

The Secret Garden Christmas Gin comes in three sizes to suit a range of gift ideas. Starting from a perfect stocking filler size of 5cl (£5.95), 20cl (14.95) to 50cl (£35.95), ideal for a gin lover’s present. The range also includes a festive gift set of a 20cl bottle of Christmas Gin paired with the distillery’s renowned Wild Gin (20cl, 40% ABV), priced at £29.95.  

To create the perfect festive serve 

  • Fill a Tall glass with ice 
  • Add 50ml Christmas Gin 
  • Top up with low sugar tonic 
  • Garnish with Orange  

Once the tonic is poured into the glass, the bright red Christmas Gin turns to a striking fluorescent pink.  

Hamish Martin, Director at the Old Curiosity Distillery, commented: “We really wanted to explore a new range of festive flavours using traditional seasonal ingredients to make our Christmas Gin.

“We drew influence from medieval Christmas feasts by distilling the gin with cinnamon and aromatic cardamom, while the ginger gives the spirit an extra kick for warmth!  

“We’ve proud to say that our Christmas Gin contains no preservatives, sugars, colourings or flavourings, only truly natural ingredients from our very own Secret Herb Garden in Midlothian. We hope gin lovers enjoy our festive tipple this Christmas.” 

The botanicals used in the Christmas Gin carefully grown at The Secret Herb Garden on the outskirts of Edinburgh. The Secret Garden is an award-winning herb nursery with over 600 naturally grown and tended varieties of herbs and flowers which are picked, dried and distilled by hand to deliver the pure essence of nature. 

It is most renowned for the highly acclaimed and multi award-winning collection of premium, 100% natural, Secret Garden Gins which are stocked by some of the UK’s most prestigious retailers and now exported to 11 countries around the globe. The distillery also produces ranges of teas, soaps and hand sanitisers. 

The Secret Garden Christmas Gin is available now online at theoldcuriosity.co.uk. 

To find out more about the Old Curiosity distillery and The Secret Garden Gins please visit www.theoldcuriosity.co.uk. 

Heart of Newhaven: Now what?

NOW WHAT?

Both words are important in answering that question.

This 20 day Update is always about where we are now. It is not about where we hope to be one day when the keys are delivered and, like any prospective purchaser, we move in to see what state the previous owner has left us to clear up before we can move our own things in.

Don’t worry: that is not being neglected, but it would be boring to describe all the steps that are being taken to get us to that point. You can safely leave the tedious things to the SCIO board, who will make sure all the necessary tasks are done in the right way.
There are much more exciting things to share now, not least because we know that moving-in day could be around a year away.

So what? What about now? What can you be expected to do other than to wait patiently? Is there a child in your house – or can you imagine a child after being cooped up with nothing to do – saying, “I’m bored! I don’t know what to do.” Well be bored no longer: There is something to do. It really will make a difference to the future and it will make it better.

There are two things that fit together:
What troubles you as you cope with Covid 19?
What ideas do you have that are worth sharing in order to help others cope?

As simple as that. Here is how we propose to match the need with the thought. It’s about sharing, which is the hallmark of community.

This Community, as you know by now, has a HEART. ❤️

Not merely a lot of boxes called houses or flats, in which we all keep ourselves to ourselves and suffer in silence.

We are about to launch an interactive programme of questions and suggestions, ideas and activities, encouraging you to become involved NOW with other people like you, helping each other create a better normal around our three themes you may know by heart:

Well-Being
Learning & Enterprise
Culture & Heritage

Health Business Leisure Sport Puzzles Gardening Entertainment Advice

You can add to the list which is as long as you want to make it, because above all it is about YOU – which is US, ALL TOGETHER, helping each other.

Invite your friends to join in as well. Look out for details about to appear on our website and social media channels.

And don’t forget:   if you have not already responded to the invitation to become a member of our Charity Heart of Newhaven Community SCIO making all this possible, do that NOW too, using the link here and following instructions.

Also keep checking the website and socials!
In another 20 days we’ll tell you more precisely what we are going to do next.
 
Rodney Matthews
Chair and Vision Facilitator
The Heart of Newhaven Community

Be sure to sign up to our newsletters at www.heartofnewhaven.co.uk

There’s so many ways you can get involved with the project and we’d love to have as many of you on board as possible!

Morrisons to donate 15,000 lunchboxes daily to help schoolchildren in need

– Move aims to help fight holiday hunger this half-term – 

–  Customers can also purchase pre-packed bags of groceries to feed  young people –

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Morrisons stores will join the national effort to ensure no school child in need goes without an adequate meal this half term. 

Morrisons colleagues in 498 stores will prepare 30 lunch boxes in each of their stores this half-term. That’s 14,940 lunches daily with packaging donated by distribution company Bunzl. 

The lunchboxes will be distributed daily by each store to local food banks and schools so they can get them to school children in need. The lunch box includes a freshly made sandwich, a piece of fruit and a Soreen snack pack.

Morrisons is also to offer customers the option to support the effort by buying their own ‘Pick Up Packs’, which will also be distributed to young people. 

The packs’ cost between £1 and £5 and contain a nutritionally balanced mix of food products that have been requested by the local food banks and schools according to their needs. The pre-packed parcels are available at the front of all Morrisons stores and are paid for at the checkout. The pack is then put aside for delivery to those in need.

Rebecca Singleton, Customer and Community Director at Morrisons, said: “We want to do our bit to ensure that as many school children as possible can eat good, nutritious food while they are out of school.

“We will be delighted if customers are also able to donate food in our stores to help fight holiday hunger.”

Local Morrisons stores on Ferry Road and Granton Waterfront are already providing great support through contributions to the North Edinburgh COVID-19 Foodshare Group.

For more information visit www.morrisons.co.uk

North Edinburgh’s Covid group produce October newsletter

North Edinburgh’s COVID-19 Food Share Group has produced a third newsletter.

Volunteers will commence doorstep deliveries this week. If you can’t wait to see the latest issue, see below!

Newsletter-3-Final-Download

Drive-in Movies’ Designated Drivers get a free Heineken 0.0% beer

Heineken, one of the world’s most popular beer brands, teams up with Edinburgh International Film Festival and Unique Events, organisers of Drive-in Movies at the Edinburgh Airport, to offer a free non-alcoholic Heineken beer to all Designated Drivers enjoying a screening of a 15+ rated film as part of this month’s Halloween-themed Drive-in Movies.

The Halloween edition of Drive-in Movies takes place between 29 October and 1 November and features a frightfully exquisite selection of titles such as The Lost Boys, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Scream and Donnie Darko, among others. 

The screening of horror classic Halloween is already sold-out and with limited tickets available for all other screenings, organisers are advising to book fast to avoid disappointment.

With the pre-screening entertainment including karaoke, quizzes with spot prizes and best costume competition – all hosted by Edinburgh DJ Stuart Calverto who transforms into Count Calverto for the night – Drive-in Movies offers safe and fun Halloween entertainment all from the warmth and comfort of your own car.

To browse the full line-up and book tickets visit www.edinburghdrivein.co.uk/

Celebrating 10 years of coming together to support the corncrake

This year, Skye crofters, farmers, the RSPB and SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College, will celebrate 10 years of a collaborative partnership to help secure a future for the island’s corncrake population, which has been on the red endangered list since 1990 with a recorded population of 872 in 2019.

The corncrake is a small, migratory bird that spends its winters in Central and Western Africa and its summers in Northern Europe, but since 1950 the rate of decline in Scotland has accelerated, coinciding with a period when the majority of hay fields were changed to silage production.

By formalising the partnership in 2009 between SAC Consulting, RSPB, NFU Scotland, the Scottish Crofting Federation, and local farmers and crofters, it  provided greater support for land managers to access agri-environment schemes and to improve the island’s corncrake population on a landscape scale.  

Janette Sutherland, Agricultural Consultant with SAC Consulting who facilitates the partnership, said: “The support to crofters and farmers through agri-environment schemes over the past 25 years has been key to the survival of the UK corncrake population and it is critical that we maintain and build on this hard work. With an uncertain future ahead, it is vital that these different groups continue to integrate.

“A real highlight of the partnership so far has been the positive conversations between the conservationists and all of the island’s active crofters and farmers, and how they can work together. To protect corncrakes, we need crofters and farmers to implement the measures on the ground, and part of SAC Consulting’s role is to highlight what practical methods and management techniques they can employ to benefit the species.”

As corncrakes make their way south to Africa for the winter, there are still concerns, despite the efforts from all parties, about the declining population.

“The corncrake population in Skye is instrumental in expanding its geographical range to mainland areas such as Lochalsh and Glenelg,” said Janette.

“Unfortunately, the number of corncrakes is dropping across the board and although researchers are exploring some theories, it is unclear what is driving the losses. With such a small population, working in partnership is all vitally important to their future survival.”

Currently there are 140-hectares under management on the Isle of Skye as part of the Scottish Government’s Agri Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) which provided funding to crofters and farmers to manage their silage and grazed fields differently to support corncrakes.

“There are practical methods that can be used on ‘high nature value’ landscapes to benefit the species, such as delayed mowing, corncrake friendly mowing and leaving uncut areas of grassland on field margins to provide cover for birds; curtailing grazing to preserve areas of tall vegetation in spring and summer, allowing birds to nest and raise broods; and, establishing clumps of tall plants such as iris, nettles, meadowsweet, cow parsley or hogweed,” commented Janette.

Shelagh Parlane, RSPB corncrake officer, said: “The corncrake is notoriously shy and likes tall vegetation. That’s why we encourage crofters and farmers to create areas of early growing vegetation, so the birds have somewhere to hide when they come back to the islands in early spring.

“The environment, nature, and local agricultural businesses are interdependent; successful and thriving agricultural systems can provide and support a rich diversity of species which is to the benefit of all of us. Corncrakes rely on crofting and farming and, with a small number of adjustments that can be compensated for through agri-environment schemes, it is possible for both to thrive.

“We look forward to the partnership playing a role in the Corncrake Calling Project, which has been funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, over the next few years.”    

Local lockdowns and remote working stifling potential high street jobs recovery

Deserted high streets and city centres are hampering Britain’s jobs recovery with urban areas in Scotland and south England bearing the steepest declines in vacancies.  

New research by the Centre for Cities think tank and global job site Indeed found that seven months after the nationwide lockdown was imposed, job vacancies have failed to return to pre-Covid levels in all 63 towns and cities they analysed. 

Aberdeen recorded the steepest fall with a -75% year-on-year decline followed by Edinburgh (-57%), Belfast and the West Sussex town, Crawley (both -55%). London has seen the sixth biggest fall in job postings (-52%).

Chatham (-7%), Stoke (-17%) and Burnley (-18%) saw the shallowest declines while overall UK vacancies are -46% behind last year’s level.

Where has seen the biggest falls in job vacancies?
Cities and large towns with the LARGEST drop in job vacanciesCities and large towns with the SMALLEST drop in job vacancies
RankPlaceFall in job postings since 2019 (%)RankPlaceFall in job postings since 2019 (%)
1Aberdeen-75%1Chatham-7%
2Edinburgh-57%2Stoke-17%
3Belfast-55%3Burnley-18%
4Crawley-55%4Birkenhead-20%
5Aldershot-54%5Mansfield-21%
6London-52%6Ipswich-22%
7Reading-52%7Peterborough-23%
8Worthing-51%8Middlesbrough-26%
9Luton-50%9Plymouth-26%
10York-49%10Derby-27%

The stuttering jobs recovery is closely linked to the collapse in local service jobs. These are roles that involve selling directly to local consumers, including sectors like food, retail, arts and leisure, which are exposed to Covid-related restrictions.

The rise in people working from home has dried up demand for local services in big cities, with London, Manchester and Edinburgh – cities where remote work has been most feasible during the pandemic – among the places with the slowest recovery in job postings in local services businesses compared with last year.

In London 10.7% of job postings mention ‘remote work’ and in large cities with a population of over 600,000 the rate is 9.7%.

While no place or sector has escaped the labour market crisis, those where high street footfall returned to normal more quickly – Birkenhead, Chatham and Hull – have seen a faster recovery in posted job vacancies. Public sector jobs have also been relatively sheltered from the crisis compared to private sector ones.

Andrew Carter, Centre for Cities’ Chief Executive, said: “While unemployment continues to rise, the number of jobs available to people who find themselves out of work is far below its level last year in every single large city and town in the UK. This could have potentially catastrophic long-term consequences for people and the economy.

“The Government has told us to expect a tough winter and, while local lockdowns are necessary to protect lives, it is vital that ministers continue to listen and reassess the level of support given to help people and places to cope with the months ahead.

“The Chancellor made welcome amendments to the JSS which should help save jobs, but many places across the country didn’t have enough jobs before the pandemic hit so creating more will be vital to prevent long-term economic damage to their local economies.”

Pawel Adrjan, EMEA head of research at the global job site Indeed, said: “The timid recovery in job vacancies is a portent of the distress towns and cities could face if restrictions continue to spring up in parts of the country already reeling from imposed lockdowns and reduced footfall.

“With the remote work trend showing no sign of abating – and entire regions being placed under stricter control – service jobs in large towns and cities could become scarcer still and pull the UK into a jobs spiral. That could mean a very long winter ahead for the millions of people currently unemployed.”

An end to ‘traumatic’ disability assessments

New approach will ensure dignity, fairness and respect

There will be no DWP- style assessments to access disability assistance under the new Scottish social security system, says Social Security Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville.

Decisions will be made using information gathered through the applications process including from health care providers

Should more detail be required to make decisions on an application for the new Adult Disability Payment, it will be gathered through a consultation which will be based on a conversation between a healthcare professional employed by the Scottish Government and the client. There will be no private sector involvement in this process.

Most consultations will be by phone but can be face to face in a GP practice or even at home, whatever works best for the person applying. No-one will be asked to carry out tasks in order to prove the impact of their disability or health condition.

Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “Two of our principles enshrined in law is that social security is a public service and an investment in people – it is there for all of us when and where we need it. So no one should ever experience stress when accessing the support they are entitled to.

“People who require disability assistance will already face a number of challenges and interacting with a benefit system shouldn’t become another one. That is why I am pleased to set out plans for Scotland’s new system – plans that will make sure that people are treated with dignity, fairness and respect.

“We want people to feel that they have been treated well and fairly at every stage – from having an application form that is clear and easy to use right through to how we make sure someone is still able to access money when they want to appeal our decisions.

“Getting rid of degrading assessments that our Experience Panels told us were ‘traumatic and intrusive’ is the right thing to do. It is an obvious change but one that will make a massive difference to people.

“I’d like to thank the people who have worked with us to design this service – the volunteers on our Experience Panels and stakeholders. Together we will deliver a markedly different benefit system and create a public service that we can all be truly proud of.”

This has been confirmed in a series of papers that outline the future of disability benefits in Scotland. These detail what people should expect from application right through to appeals.