Tag: benefits

Report sets out ‘”devastating impact” of Westminster’s welfare cuts

Low income families across Scotland will be thousands of pounds a year worse off per year because of welfare cuts imposed by the UK government, a new report has found. The Scottish Government report, ‘the Impact of UK Welfare Policy on Families with Children’, looks at what the policies implemented since 2015 will mean for families. Continue reading Report sets out ‘”devastating impact” of Westminster’s welfare cuts

Charities urge Westminster: call a halt to Universal Credit

A raft of leading Scottish charities have joined forces to urge the Westminster government to rethink plans for the full rollout of Universal Credit from October. They argue that the introduction of the new benefit has already caused real hardship for thousands of claimants and say problems must be addressed before many more vulnerable people are thrown into poverty when the full roll-out takes place. Continue reading Charities urge Westminster: call a halt to Universal Credit

Community groups invited to welfare rights conference

NAWRA (National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers) is coming to Edinburgh and we are in the process of making our final arrangements for our quarterly meeting on 8th September 2017, which doubles as our annual Scottish conference (writes CRAIG SAMUEL, NAWRA Scotland representative).

Our conference this year is being held at Edinburgh City Chambers and whilst our membership covers many welfare rights services I am reaching out to all community groups to invite them to get in touch as more and more community groups are being asked to deal with queries on income and many occasions state benefits.

In case you are reading this and are unfamiliar with our work at NAWRA our aims and objectives include challenging, influencing and to improve welfare rights policy and legislation and we are involved with various government stakeholder groups whereby we recognize and challenge discriminatory legislation and we promote welfare rights issues and encourage effective partnership working.

I am ever so proud to have been asked to represent NAWRA in Scotland and part of my role is to attend stakeholder’s meetings for the roll out of PIP (Personal Independence Payment) and I also represent NAWRA at our stakeholders meeting with SCoWR (Scottish Campaign on Welfare Reform) whereby we continue to feedback in relation to Social Security.

Whilst I am proud to have been asked to represent NAWRA in Scotland – and I am extremely proud – but what really drives me and my organisation is the help we can provide our communities in fighting inequalities and these communities, don’t forget, also includes our friends, neighbours and families.

At NAWRA we encourage community groups to get involved and I will be happy to discuss with any community group that may be interested in attending or indeed joining NAWRA as throughout United Kingdom we know that representation is becoming more difficult to find due to budget cuts both locally and nationally.

NAWRA can support any community group and assist with issues that may be relevant, for example we know families who were already vulnerable to losing their homes now face further cuts since UK government changed the benefit cap level at the end of 2016 and placing a freeze on many benefits.

Welfare rights is not just about providing a foundation through income but through providing hope and allowing potential to be realized as at the minute opportunity is scarce as we can see with our friends at Sheffield Hallam University producing a recent academic paper looking at the destruction of industrial Britain.

We can see the destruction of traditional industrial areas and these have been decimated over the last 40 years and I am not alone but I personally remember watching in awe of dockers, miners and in my own experience of watching my grandfather’s work with the gas industry or indeed my father in the wire works and Scottish gas.

Having used their bodies to build our country do we see any protection towards these workers.  Well what we see is industries lost, jobs lost and people left with disabilities having put their bodies on the line for their community and country.

Is there protection? Well for some yes but due to the design of PIP (personal independence payment) and implementation we can see since the transfer from DLA (disability living allowance) over 1 million PIP claims have been refused and people who need it most are losing out and when in their hour of need and when needing it most they are being dismissed and left with no foundation to move forward.

At our conference, we shall have speakers and workshops throughout the day and our conferences continue to be offered without charge to our members and our memberships, which start as little as £40.00 per year, is per organisation making it accessible and economical to all organisations.

I hope you agree with me in acknowledging how important our conferences are and how important it is to receive the best advice and how every situation is different and intricate so I look forward to seeing you at our meeting on 8th September 2017 or being contacted beforehand at craig@nawra.org.uk  –  our agenda can be seen at www.nawra.org.uk

CRAIG SAMUEL, NAWRA Scotland representative

 

Half a million Scots missing out on benefits

Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman met local councils yesterday to discuss the practical steps needed to encourage more people to claim the financial support they are entitled to. It is estimated that in 2014/15, for tax credits and the main income-related benefits, there could be over 500,000 cases of individuals or families in Scotland not claiming benefits they were entitled to.

The round-table in Edinburgh was also attended by Alex Rowley MSP and Cllr Kelly Parry, Community Wellbeing Spokesperson for local authority umbrella group COSLA.

Ms Freeman said: “Social Security is a human right. That is the foundation for the social security system we are building for Scotland and making sure that everyone gets the financial support they are entitled to is one of the first steps towards putting dignity and respect at the heart of social security in Scotland.

“In Scotland today there are still many people on low incomes who are not claiming the benefits that are theirs by right. That might be because they don’t know what they are entitled to, or it could be the system is too complex. Whatever the reasons, we need to understand them and work out how they can be overcome.

“That will take both Scottish and local government working together. Local authorities have important experience in understanding what works at a local level. So it makes complete sense to work together on a coordinated approach that nationally and locally, actively encourages benefits take up. I am grateful to Alex Rowley MSP for his work and his support in, highlighting the critical issue of making sure people receive the support to which they are entitled.”

Councillor Kelly Parry COSLA spokesperson for Communities added: “Ensuring everyone in Scotland claims the support they are entitled to is something councils and our local partners have been involved in for many years.

“Councils expertise and local knowledge has played a huge part in efforts to maximise incomes for Communities across the country. Collaborative working, and sustained joint effort, will make a real difference to people all across Scotland.”

Through the Scotland Act 2016, the following benefits will be devolved to Scotland:

Group Benefit Main Purpose
For carers, disabled people  and those who are ill.   Attendance Allowance To help with personal care for individuals aged 65 or over with a physical or mental disability.
Carer’s Allowance To help an individual look after someone with substantial caring needs. To be eligible the individual must be 16 or over and spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Helps with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or disability for individuals aged 16 to 64.  This is a replacement for DLA for working age individuals.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Help if your disability or health condition means either:

  • You need help looking after yourself
  • You have walking difficulties

DLA is closed to new working age claimants and being replaced by PIP.
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit For individuals who are ill or disabled as a direct result of an accident or disease caused by work or while attending an approved employment training scheme or course.
Severe Disablement Allowance Was for working-age individuals who are unable to work due to illness or disability. SDA is closed to new entrants.
Currently part of the Regulated Social Fund Cold Weather Payment A payment for individuals on certain benefits when the temperature is either recorded as, or forecasted to be, an average of zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days.
Funeral Expenses For individuals on low income and needing help to pay for a funeral they are arranging.
Sure Start Maternity Grant Introducing a new Best Start Grant which will see support for qualifying families increase from the £500 payable only for the first child under the existing UK Government Sure Start Maternity Grant to £1,100 for the first child and £800 for second and subsequent children over  three payments during a child’s early years.
Winter Fuel Payment A tax-free payment to help pay for heating bills if you were born on or before July, 5 1952 (Current State Pension Age for women).
Other Discretionary Housing Payments Additional help for those in receipt of Housing Benefit and having difficulty meeting their rent payments. Paid at the discretion of the Local Authority.
Job Grant A new Job Grant which will be a payment of £100 or £250 for people with children plus a three months bus pass for  16-24 year olds who have been claiming benefit for six months or more and are starting work.

The following benefits will remain reserved to UK Government:

  • Universal Credit
  • Contributory Job Seekers Allowance
  • Contributory Employment Support Allowance
  • Child Benefit
  • Maternity Allowance
  • State Pension
  • Pension Credit

 

Have your say on Social Security Bill, urges Poverty Alliance

Social Security: What’s the point?

With just over a week until the consultation deadline on the Social Security (Scotland) Bill, the Poverty Alliance has written to its members and civil society organisations across Scotland urging them to make sure their voices are heard. Continue reading Have your say on Social Security Bill, urges Poverty Alliance

Universal Credit forcing families into debt, says report

The rollout of Universal Credit should be paused until significant problems with it are fixed, says Citizens Advice. In a new report – Delivering on Universal Credit – the charity reveals that the requirement to wait for six weeks to receive any payment means people face serious financial insecurity, with many being forced into debt. Continue reading Universal Credit forcing families into debt, says report

Social Security plans for Scotland: how will YOU be affected?

It will affect more than 1.4 million and will lead to expenditure of £2.9 billion a year, but what will the impact of the transfer of social security powers from Westminster to Holyrood mean for claimants? This is just one of the issues the Scottish Parliament’s Social Security Committee will explore as it scrutinises the Social Security (Scotland) Bill. Continue reading Social Security plans for Scotland: how will YOU be affected?

Scotland’s own Social Security Bill published

Historic legislation to establish Scotland’s first social security system has been introduced to the Scottish Parliament. The Social Security (Scotland) Bill will give the Scottish Government the powers to deliver eleven benefits devolved as part of the Scotland Act 2016. Continue reading Scotland’s own Social Security Bill published

Guidance for benefits claimants who volunteer

Over the last year Voluntary Action Scotland (led by Volunteer Glasgow and Trust Volunteering Inverclyde), Department of Work and Pensions and the wider TSI (third sector interface) network have been collaborating on making it easier for those who claim welfare benefits to volunteer. Continue reading Guidance for benefits claimants who volunteer