Tag: benefits

Dignity, fairness, respect: Improving disability benefits

Disabled people with the most serious lifelong health conditions will have more financial security under Scotland’s social security system.

Adult Disability Payment will replace the UK Government’s Personal Independence Payment (PIP). It will open for new applications in pilot areas starting this month.

Disabled people on the highest components of the new benefit and whose needs are highly unlikely to change will be eligible for an “indefinite award”. In effect, this will mean they will not be subject to reviews and can rely on their new benefit into the long-term.

People with ongoing awards of Personal Independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance do not need to make an application for Adult Disability Payment. They will be contacted from this summer to let them know when their awards will automatically be moved safely and securely to Adult Disability Payment.

Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson said: “The introduction of indefinite awards, as part of Adult Disability Payment, underlines our commitment to deliver on the principles of Scotland’s social security system to treat people with dignity, fairness and respect.

“In making this decision, we have engaged with a wide range of people with lived experience of the current system and will continue to listen as we design and build a social security system that works for disabled people.

“We want to ensure that people on the highest levels of Adult Disability Payment awards receive long-term and adequate support, because those with lifelong conditions, or disabilities resulting in needs highly unlikely to change, should not be subject to unnecessary reviews when it is reasonably expected that their situation will not change.

“Under the UK Government’s Personal Independence Payment, similar awards have generally been reviewed between every 2 to 10 years. However, disabled people tell us that even review periods of 10 years can create stress and anxiety. That is why we have decided to introduce indefinite awards – we are determined to do things differently and build a more compassionate system in Scotland.”

Moira Tasker, Chief Officer, Inclusion Scotland said: “Inclusion Scotland warmly welcomes the announcement that there will be indefinite awards of Adult Disability Payment. We are glad the Minister has acted on the views expressed by disabled people and adopted this measure.

“It will come as a huge relief for disabled people with high, permanent levels of impairment who faced continual reassessments under the flawed DWP, Personal Independent Payment, system. Indefinite awards will also provide some certainty and security for those who receive them.”

Morna Simpkins, Director of MS Society Scotland, added: “We are pleased the Scottish Government has listened to the views of the MS community and MS Society Scotland and will re-introduce indefinite awards.

“MS is relentless, painful, and disabling. Indefinite awards will provide some people living with progressive long term conditions, like MS, with the security of knowing they will not have their awards downgraded or income cut.”

Adult Disability Payment is the twelfth benefit to be introduced by Social Security Scotland since September 2018, which includes seven new benefits, unique to Scotland.

Nearly 82,000 carers benefit from additional double payment

£57.6 million support for carers in 2021

Over 658,000 Carer’s Allowance Supplement payments have been made to 126,055 carers since this additional payment, unique in the UK, was introduced in September 2018.

In total, £188 million has been paid to carers since launch and just under 82,000 eligible carers received a payment in December 2021.

Recognising the impacts of the pandemic on unpaid carers, these payments included an additional Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement payment, making the total December payment value  £462.80.

Carer’s Allowance Supplement is an extra payment for people in Scotland who get Carer’s Allowance on a particular date.

There are two Carer’s Allowance Supplement eligibility dates each year – one in April and one in October. The eligibility dates for 2022 will be Monday 11 April 2022 and Monday 10 October 2022.

The Minister for Social Security, Ben Macpherson said: “In recognising the vital contribution of unpaid carers in our society, Carer’s Allowance Supplement was the first payment we introduced when we established our new social security system in 2018.

“Providing this supplementary payment rights the wrong that Carer’s Allowance on its own is the lowest of all working age benefits in the UK.

“The impacts of the pandemic put additional pressure on tens of thousands of carers across the country. That is why we also paid an additional Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement Payment in 2020 and 2021.

“The Scottish Government’s additional payments meant that eligible carers in Scotland received up to £694.20 more in support last year than carers in the rest of the UK.”

  • Full details on the statistics are available to view at https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/reporting/publications/summary-statistics-for-carers-allowance-supplement-to-october-eligibility-date-2021 
  • Carer’s Allowance Supplement is paid automatically twice a year to carers who are living in Scotland and receive Carer’s Allowance, paid by the Department for Work and Pensions, on specified qualifying dates. The qualifying date for the December 2021 double payment was 11 October 2021
  • There are two Carer’s Allowance Supplement eligibility dates each year – one in April and one in October. The eligibility dates for 2022 are Monday 11 April 2022 and Monday 10 October 2022. Payment months will be June and December 2022 which follows previous payment cycles, with exact date to be confirmed closer to the time
  • Carer’s Allowance Supplement will be uprated from April 2022. The new Carer’s Allowance Supplement rate for 2022 will be £237.90
Carers-Allowance-Supplement-factsheet-June-2021Download

Holyrood approves Adult Disability Payment legislation

New benefit available in pilot areas from 21 March

The new Adult Disability Payment will open for applications in three pilot areas from 21 March 2022.

Legislation unanimously approved today by the Scottish Parliament means that working age disabled people, those with a long-term health condition and people who have a terminal illness should apply for disability assistance to the new Scottish system.

Applications will open first for those living in Dundee City, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles council areas.

This payment will be the twelfth to be delivered by the Scottish Government and will replace Personal Independence Payment, which is currently delivered by the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions.

Adults of working age with a disability or health condition, who are not already in receipt of Personal Independence Payment or Disability Living Allowance, and living in the pilot areas, will be the first to be able to apply.

Further council areas will be introduced in phases until Adult Disability Payment rolls out nationwide on 29 August.

People already receiving DWP payments will not need to apply for Adult Disability Payment. Their awards will transfer to the Scottish social security system automatically, beginning in August.

This will be done safely and securely so that people will still get the same amount of money, to the same account. The date of their first payment will be confirmed in writing before they transfer.

Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said: “The unanimous passing of the regulations for Adult Disability Payment is a significant milestone for Scotland’s social security system. It means we can now take a very different approach to delivering disability benefits – in comparison to the current DWP system – and our focus is on providing a positive and compassionate experience for people applying for and receiving our new benefit. 

“We know people have found applying for DWP disability benefits stressful in the past. That is why we have listened to their experiences and designed our new system to work for people, not against them. We are committed to doing things differently – we are ensuring that accessing Adult Disability Payment is as straightforward as possible and we will always start from a position of trust.

“Importantly, we have abolished assessments in the form currently undertaken by the DWP. Instead, and only where required, we will hold consultations between the person and a Social Security Scotland health or social care practitioner. Our consultations will not involve functional examinations.

“To ensure we don’t create a two tiered system as we complete safe and secure transfer, we are largely keeping the eligibility criteria for Adult Disability Payment the same, ahead of a two stage independent review of Adult Disability Benefit.

“This review will begin later in the year, to consider what further changes and improvements could, and should, be made in the future.”

Number of workers on universal credit up by 1.3 million since the eve of the pandemic

  • 130% rise in working claimants during the pandemic 
  • Low-income workers facing “perfect storm” this spring unless ministers improve “woefully inadequate” levels of support, warns union body 
  • Cost-of-living crisis already depressing value of UC, TUC analysis reveals 
  • *NEW POLL* shows many families already struggling to make ends meet 

The TUC has warned that millions of low-income workers face a “perfect storm” this April with universal credit (UC) falling behind the cost of living as energy bills and taxes rise. 

The warning comes as new TUC analysis reveals that the number of workers on UC has increased by 1.3 million since the eve of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The analysis of official statistics shows that over 2.3 million workers were in receipt of UC at the end of 2021, compared to just over one million on the eve of the pandemic in February 2020. 

This represents an increase of 130 per cent over the last two years and means 1 in 14 (7.2 per cent) working adults now claim UC. 

The TUC says the huge rise in UC recipients has been driven by working households being pushed into financial hardship during Covid, with millions facing a cost-of-living crunch this year. 

Basic value of universal credit now lower than at start of pandemic 

The TUC says that the basic value of UC is now lower than at the start of the pandemic as a result of UC not keeping up with inflation. 

TUC estimates show that the value of UC has fallen by £12 a month in real terms when measured against CPI inflation and £21 a month when measured against RPI inflation compared to just before the pandemic (February 2020).  

The TUC says this trend will only get worse in the months ahead with inflation forecast to rise further. 

Struggling to cover the basics 

The TUC warns that millions of low-paid families face a crunch point in April when energy bills and national insurance contributions go up – at the same time as UC continues to fall in value. 

New polling – carried out for the union body before last week’s energy cap announcement and Bank of England forecasts – shows that many are already struggling to make ends meet: 

  • One in eight workers (12 per cent) say they will struggle to afford the basics in the next six months. And a fifth of working people (22 per cent) say they’ll struggle to afford more than the basics. 
  • Low-paid workers are more likely to be struggling. One in six (17 per cent) low-paid workers (those earning less than £15,000 a year) say they will struggle to afford basics in the next six months, and three in 10 (29 per cent) say they’ll struggle to afford more than the basics. 

Parents of young children, disabled workers, key workers and BME workers are more likely to be struggling: 

  • Nearly one in five families (18 per cent) with kids under 11 will struggle to afford the basics 
  • Over one in five (21 per cent) disabled workers will struggle to afford the basics, compared to 10 per cent of non-disabled workers 
  • 14 per cent of key workers say they’ll struggle to afford the basics in the next six months, compared to 10 per cent of non-key workers 
  • 14 per cent of BME workers say they’ll struggle to afford the basics in the next six months, compared to 11 per cent of white workers 

The poll also reveals that a fifth of workers (21 per cent) say they have Christmas debts to pay off this year – a number that rises to over a quarter (28 per cent) for workers with children of school age. 

Better support needed 

The TUC says the government must do far more to help struggling households to get through the months ahead. 

The union body says the cost-of-living support announced by the Chancellor on Thursday is “woefully inadequate” and will provide families with just £7 extra a week – most of which will have to be repaid. 

The TUC is also calling for UK Government to use the upcoming spring budget to: 

  • Increase to UC to 80 per cent of the real Living Wage. 
  • Introduce a windfall tax on energy companies, using the money to reduce household energy bills 
  • Boost the minimum wage to least £10 an hour now 
  • Work with unions to get pay rising across the economy 

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Millions of low-paid workers face a perfect storm this April.  

“At the same time as energy prices and national insurance contributions shoot up, universal credit is falling in value. 

“The government must do far more to help struggling families get through the tough times ahead. The support package announced by the Chancellor last week is woefully inadequate. 

“Universal credit urgently needs boosting and we need further action to reduce fuel costs for those battling to make ends meet. 

“Oil and energy companies shouldn’t be making bumper profits, while many struggle to heat their homes. 

“If ministers fail to do what is necessary, more households will be pushed below the breadline.” 

On the need to boost pay, Frances added: “The best way to give working families long-term financial security is to get pay rising across the economy. 

“That means increasing the minimum wage to at least £10 an hour now, and ministers requiring employers to negotiate sector-wide fair pay agreements with unions.” 

Poverty organisations call for 6% increase to benefits

Prices are rising at the fastest rate in 30 years, and energy bills alone are expected to rise by 50% in April. We are all feeling the pinch but the soaring costs of essentials will hurt low income families, whose budgets are already at breaking point, most.

There has long been a profound mismatch between what those with a low income have, and what they need to get by. Policies such as the benefit cap and benefit freeze have left many struggling. Families are still reeling from the £20 cut to Universal Credit last October. And, though benefits will increase by 3.1% in April, inflation is projected to be 6% by then. This means yet another real terms cut to incomes.

The government must respond to the scale of the challenge. Immediate targeted protection to prevent serious hardship is essential, but short-term support will not be enough in the face of ongoing inflation.

The government should increase benefits by 6% in April and ensure support for housing costs increases in line with rents. All those struggling, including families affected by the benefit cap, must feel the impact.

Much more is needed for levels of support to reflect what people need to get by. But, in taking these first steps, the government will prevent the gap from getting wider and lay the foundation to further strengthen our social security system that protects us from poverty.

Signed by:

Alison Garnham, Chief Executive, Child Poverty Action Group

Graeme Cooke, Director of Evidence and Policy, Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Emma Revie, Chief Executive, The Trussell Trust

Imran Hussain, Director of Policy & Campaigns, Action for Children

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director, Age UK

Sarb Bajwa, Chief Executive, British Psychological Society

Joseph Howes, CEO, Buttle UK

Leigh Elliott, CEO, Children North East

Laurence Guinness, Chief Executive, The Childhood Trust

Paula Stringer, CEO, Christians Against Poverty (CAP)

Niall Cooper, Director, Church Action on Poverty

James Plunkett, Executive Director of Advice & Advocacy, Citizens Advice

Derek Mitchell, Chief Executive, Citizens Advice Scotland

Dr Ruth Patrick, Principal Investigator, Covid Realities research programme

The Disability Benefits Consortium

Anna Feuchtwang, Chair, End Child Poverty Coalition

Victoria Benson, CEO, Gingerbread

Graham Whitham, Chief Executive Officer, Greater Manchester Poverty Action

Sabine Goodwin, Coordinator, Independent Food Aid Network

Jess McQuail, Director, Just Fair

Sophie Corlett, Director of External Relations, Mind

Nick Moberly, CEO, MS Society

Jane Streather, Chair, North East Child Poverty Commission

Satwat Rehman, CEO, One Parent Families Scotland

Dr Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah, Chief Executive, Oxfam GB

Peter Kelly, Director, The Poverty Alliance

Dan Paskins, Director of UK Impact, Save the Children UK

James Taylor, Executive Director of Strategy, Impact & Social Change, Scope

Thomas Lawson, Chief Executive, Turn2us

Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, Director, The Women’s Budget Group

Katherine Hill, Strategic Project Manager, 4in10 London’s Child Poverty Network

Families urged to apply for Best Start Grant payments

SOCIAL Security Scotland is urging families to apply for Best Start Grant School Age Payment before the deadline and to apply for help with early learning costs.

Eligible families with children born between 1 March 2016 – 28 February 2017, are being encouraged to apply for the School Age Payment before applications close on 28 February 2022.

Parents or carers enrolling children in nursery this year have also been urged to check whether they are eligible for a one-off payment to help with early learning costs.

For Early Years Payment, eligible families who are in receipt of certain benefits or tax credits with a child who is aged between 2-3 and a half years old. Parents or carers who are eligible for the Early Learning Payment receive a one-off grant of £252.50

The money can be used to help pay for clothes, equipment, bags, books or anything else which is helpful for people caring for children in that age range. 


Eligible families for School Age Payment may be parents or carers who are in receipt of certain benefits or tax credits with a child who is old enough to start school.

School Age Payment is a payment of £252.50 per child and is designed to support children at a key stage in their life.

It is not directly linked to taking up a school place. As such, even if the child’s school start has been deferred until next year, or if the child is not going to start school at all, parents or carers should still apply for the payment by 28 February 2022. If they do not apply by this time, they will not be able to receive the payment.


Social Security Scotland wants to ensure that everyone who is entitled to money for Early Learning or School Age Payment receive it and we would welcome support from our stakeholders  to make sure people don’t miss out on these payments.

Please encourage any clients in your networks to apply for School Age Payment before the 28 February deadline and for Early Years Payment when enrolling their child into nursery.

New independent advocacy service for disabled people opens

Disabled people are now able to access a new advocacy service to get help applying for Scottish social security benefits. 

The support is available to disabled people applying for any of Social Security Scotland’s current and future benefits including Child Disability Payment and Adult Disability Payment.

It also covers advocacy support for disabled people to access payments for families with children, people who need help to pay for a funeral, carers and young people entering the workplace.

This service will be delivered by the charity VoiceAbility and is entirely independent of the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland. 

The Scottish Government has committed up to £20.4 million over the next four years to the provision of the new Independent Advocacy Service. 

To enable them to deliver this service, VoiceAbility will create up to 100 new advocacy jobs across the country over the next four years, with a head office and dedicated training centre in Glasgow. 

Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said: “Accessing social security is a human right and we have an obligation to do what we can to make sure disabled people are able to get the help they need to access financial support they are entitled to. 

“This is why we are investing in an independent and free advocacy service for disabled people who need support to engage with us. This new service will help disabled people be aware of their rights, express themselves and feel understood when applying for Scottish social security benefits. 

“The service, which is unique to Scotland, is just one of the ways that we’ve responded to what people have told us they want from our new social security system. It is all part of our work to make sure people applying for benefits have a positive experience and find it straightforward and simple no matter what their individual circumstances are.  

“Our system is designed to adapt to an individual’s needs rather than expecting them to adapt to access it and we start from a position of trust. I am delighted this new independent service is available to disabled people, it highlights how we are ensuring our social security system is based on dignity, fairness and respect.”

Chief Executive of VoiceAbility Jonathan Senker said: “We are proud to have established a new base in Scotland to provide this Independent Advocacy Service. Our team of skilled advocates will cover the length and breadth of Scotland to provide bespoke support to disabled people to apply for benefits from Social Security Scotland. 

“The advocacy we provide will support disabled people to make sure their voices are heard when it matters most and will mean that more people know and understand their rights when applying for Social Security Scotland benefits. We are excited about the difference this service will make to disabled people.”

  • VoiceAbility is a charity with 40 years’ experience in delivering independent advocacy services
  • the service will provide free and independent advocacy to anyone who identifies as disabled and requires support to communicate. This may include people with a sensory disability, mental health condition or learning disability
  • people can access this support by contacting VoiceAbility directly for free on 0300 303 1660 or by visiting voiceability.org
  • people can also access this support by calling Social Security Scotland for free on 0800 182 2222 and asking to be referred to the Independent Advocacy Service.

2022 will be biggest year yet for benefits in Scotland

The introduction of Adult Disability Payment and extension of Scottish Child Payment to children under 16 will see a major increase in the number of people eligible to receive Sottish benefits in 2022.

The Scottish Child Payment will increase to £20 from April, giving increased support to 111,000 children under the age of six. Its extension to children under 16 by the end of 2022, subject to the DWP making data available, will see the number of eligible children more than double to 400,000.

Adult Disability Payment, the twelfth benefit and most complex to be introduced so far, will replace the UK Government’s Personal Independence Payment. It will be phased in from March, with nationwide rollout at the end of August.

To support this, Social Security Scotland is in the process of recruiting up to 2,000 people by autumn 2022 with the first new recruits set to start early in the New Year – the biggest expansion since its formation in 2018, creating jobs and a boost to local economies.

Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said: “2022 will be our biggest year yet in building a new social security system for Scotland with the powers we have. The major milestones of introducing Adult Disability Payment and extending Scottish Child Payment will be transformative for many people with a disability or health condition and for families on low incomes.

“By the end of 2022 we aim to have extended the Scottish Child Payment to all those under the age of 16 – subject to the DWP making data available – increasing eligibility to around 400,000 children.

“From April the doubling of our Scottish Child Payment will significantly help us to reduce child poverty and build a fairer society.

“The £20 payment per child per week will be four times what was originally asked for by anti-poverty campaigners and we hope to lift 40,000 Scottish children out of poverty in 2023/24.

“Applying for Adult Disability Payment from Social Security Scotland will be different to applying to the DWP, as we will deliver a much improved experience.

“There will be no private sector involvement, we have removed DWP-style assessments and any consultations that are necessary will be person centred and won’t include functional examinations.

“We’ll start from a position of trust. Also, we are offering a range of ways to make an application, including online, by post, over the phone or face-to-face; and, in contrast to the current DWP system, we’re removing the burden from individuals to provide supporting information – instead the onus will be on Social Security Scotland to collect the information we require.

“We’ll also fast-track clients who are facing a terminal illness and we will follow the judgement of clinicians instead of being tied to fixed periods of life expectancy.

“As well as the positive impact of paying benefits, Social Security Scotland is also growing as an employer. This rapid development is not only making a difference in our communities but is also creating long-term secure employment across the country, and a £280 million contribution to our wider economy – something we can all welcome.

“Scotland’s social security system is built on the values of dignity, fairness and respect, and these are the principles which will always guide us as we develop this important public service.”

Citizens Advice Scotland Chief Executive Derek Mitchell said: “Citizens Advice Scotland supported the introduction and then doubling of the Scottish Child Payment because we know the difference it can make to families across the country.

“We’d encourage everyone eligible for the payment to apply and claim, that’s how our welfare state works – we all pay in and get the support we are entitled to when we need it. 

“With the cost of living starting to really bite people can get help and advice from the Citizens Advice network to see what support they are entitled to. We’ve been helping people for over 80 years and unlocked £147 million for people last year.”

Scots urged to seek financial support and access the benefits they are entitled to

A new campaign which will help people in the Lothians struggling financially get support and access the benefits that they are entitled to has been launched.

The campaign comes as a survey reveals that just over 1 in 5 (21%) Scots living in the Lothians, wouldn’t feel comfortable receiving any type of financial benefits or grants, even if they were eligible, and seeks to address the stigma that people may have around claiming benefits.

The YouGov survey, commissioned by the Scottish Government, also found that people in the Lothians were concerned about being judged by others for receiving benefits, with 17% saying that they were concerned about being judged for receiving Universal Credit, and 10% for receiving Child Tax Credits.

These results indicate that there may be people in the Lothians who are eligible for financial support, whether that be benefits or grants, but aren’t taking the help that’s available because of how others may perceive them for doing so.

The survey comes as the Scottish Government launches a dedicated website –  www.moneysupport.scot – to help those experiencing financial difficulties find the support they need.

The Money Support Scotland website contains information and contact details for a range of organisations able to provide information on benefits people could be eligible for, where to go for free and impartial debt advice and how to apply for affordable credit.

The Money Support Scotland campaign is working in partnership with Citizens Advice Scotland and Advice Direct Scotland, which both help people understand what benefits they might be entitled to and how to apply for them.

The Citizens Advice network in Scotland offers free, impartial and confidential advice, with trained advisers able to help explain how people can maximise their income through benefits and grants, cut costs and help manage debt.

Its Money Map tool helps people check which benefits and grants they might be entitled to, as well as eligibility for council tax reductions and support with housing and energy costs. Advice Direct Scotland also provide financial advice and offer a free benefit calculator on their website.

Citizens Advice Scotland Chief Executive Derek Mitchell said: “People shouldn’t feel uncomfortable about accessing the support they are entitled to. That’s how the welfare state works – we all pay in and get support when we need it.  That’s what the money is there for, and after the past few years people should be confident about getting the payments they are due. 

“The reality is people are facing a perfect storm this winter of rising bills and falling incomes, so maximising your income and getting all the money you are entitled to is really important to help with bills and spending.

“Citizens Advice Scotland is proud to partner with the Scottish Government on this important campaign to ensure people get the help they need this winter. The Citizens Advice network can give people help in a variety of ways and during the pandemic we unlocked around £147 million for people through things like social security payments, employment entitlements and debt reductions.”

There’s a wide range of support available to Scots of all ages from one-off payments to help with the cost of school uniforms to ongoing support with living costs.

To find out where to seek advice on accessing the range of financial support available, visit www.moneysupport.scot.