Enabling people to thrive and live with dignity
The latest paper in the Building a New Scotland series, Social Security in an independent Scotland, published this week, outlined how a Minimum Income Guarantee could ensure everyone can achieve a dignified standard of living.
The proposals included how a Minimum Income Guarantee could:
- be set at a higher rate than current UK Government benefits and respond to real changes to the cost of living
- enable all households to live with financial security
- ensure those who are able achieve the minimum income level through fair and accessible paid work
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “With limited powers, the Scottish Government has already delivered transformative social security benefits that have made a real difference to people’s lives. Due to the policies of this government, an estimated 90,000 fewer children are expected to live in poverty this year.
“However, we want to go further and that is why we have proposed that a Minimum Income Guarantee could be introduced in an independent Scotland to ensure everyone has enough support to not only survive, but to thrive.
“The UK approach to social security has provided inadequate levels of financial support and has eroded the effectiveness of the safety net. It is only with the full economic and fiscal powers of an independent nation that we can use all the levers other governments have to tackle inequalities in Scotland.”
Social Security in an independent Scotland
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