Edinburgh Pentlands MSP Gordon Macdonald has said the new Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance will ensure that up to 3,155 people in Edinburgh will benefit from “an approach rooted in dignity, fairness and respect” with Social Security Scotland providing a total of 15 support payments.
Under the Scottish Government’s proposals, those in Scotland who currently receive the DWP’s Disability Living Allowance – around 66,000 adults – will, from next year, be automatically transferred to the new Scottish benefit. They will then be able to apply for Adult Disability Payment.
Commenting, the SNP MSP for Pentlands said: “Since its inception, Social Security Scotland has set out to support those who need it most, with an approach rooted in dignity, fairness and respect – and I am pleased that more people across Edinburgh will benefit from this progressive approach.
“For the 3,155 people who are currently reliant on the cruel and out-dated DWP, this new benefit will streamline the provision of support and enable them to apply for Social Security Scotland’s flagship Adult Disability Payment.
“This is just one of many examples of the progress that can be made when we have the power to make decisions in the best interests of Scots as we work to build a fairer, more prosperous country.”
Housing Bill measure to help tenants stay in their homes
Long term rent controls would help keep homes affordable for tenants in future, under new legislation to create a fairer, better regulated rented sector.
The Housing (Scotland) Bill, introduced to Parliament last week, sets out how close working with councils will ensure rent controls are tailored to the local needs of tenants and landlords in different parts of the country.
Publication of the Bill, which will be scrutinised and voted on by MSPs, comes as temporary changes to the way rents are decided, through adjudication, come into force. From 1 April, these changes will ensure people are protected from very steep rent rises, following the end of the rent cap. Proposed rent increases after this date will still need to give three months’ notice.
Tenants’ Rights Minister Patrick Harvie said: “Scotland has led the way within the UK in supporting and strengthening the rights of people who rent their homes.
“The Housing Bill sets out our next steps on the path towards a fairer, well-regulated private rented sector, which is good for both tenants and landlords and encourages investment.
“While the Parliament prepares to consider this legislation, we are also taking steps to support tenants with the pressures they are facing here and now.
“Our temporary changes to the ways that rents are decided will come into place from April 1 – to protect people who may be facing very steep increases as the temporary rent cap comes to the end of its final extension period.”
Devolved governments and businesses facing further uncertainty
Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater has written to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to express her frustration at a further significant delay to the Deposit Return Scheme launch, despite repeated requests for DEFRA to set out its plans.
The full text of the Circular Economy Minister’s letter:
To: Stephen Barclay Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs From: Lorna Slater Circular Economy Minister
Dear Stephen
I am writing to you to express my deep concerns at your comments about the future of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee on Tuesday 26 March.
Despite our continued requests for Defra to set out its plans for DRS, and my recent correspondence dated 8 March on such matters, it is extremely frustrating to hear about details of a further significant delay to the DRS launch from media reports.
Your Government committed to develop and consult on a DRS in England for metal, plastic and glass drinks containers in 2018, a commitment also set out in your 2019 manifesto. We are now five years on from that commitment, which has been significantly weakened following your Government’s decision to remove glass from the scheme in 2023. It is clear now that it will be further delayed.
As you know, Scotland would now have an operational DRS if the UK Government had not prevented it from moving forward as planned. This would have provided a launchpad for wider DRS across the UK meaning we would all be experiencing the environmental and economic benefits much sooner.
Instead, the UK Government’s refusal to provide that IMA exclusion created enormous uncertainty for businesses on what a scheme across the UK would look like and on how it would be delivered, and severely undermined confidence. Even though the main premise for undermining Scotland’s scheme was the need for a UK-wide approach, almost one year on, there is no further clarity on the details of your Regulations. We, the other devolved governments, and businesses now find ourselves facing even greater uncertainty as a result of these latest comments.
It is also now clear from your comments that the UK Government won’t hesitate to continue to use the IMA to undermine, override and re-write devolved legislation, disregarding four-nation agreements and good-faith engagement in Common Frameworks to so do.
Despite the continued shifting of goal posts and delays by the UK Government, which we have set out in an annex to this letter, officials across the four nations have been working closely since May last year to design and agree interoperable schemes.
Minister Moore’s letter to devolved Ministers on 1 March particularly emphasised the valuable input from Scottish officials, and that the preparations we had already put in place to deliver DRS in Scotland has helped inform the four nations approach, including the amendments to our regulations in May and September last year, based on significant feedback from business.
We have said from day one that we we’re committed to all schemes across the UK to work together. We designed our scheme in good faith so it would be interoperable with the proposals agreed and consulted upon by all UK nations. I would ask that you focus on working with all devolved nations to finalise an interoperable DRS, which still recognises the devolved nature of this policy, to provide businesses with the certainty they need to make the scheme a success. This includes setting out a realistic timescale for delivery which is agreed across the four nations, rather than creating speculation without consultation.
I am copying this letter to Robbie Moore MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Huw Irranca-Davies AS/MS Minister for Climate Change and Andrew Muir MLA, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. I have also copied to the Secretary of State for Scotland, Secretary of State for Wales, and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Permanent Secretary for Defra and the Defra Director for Resources & Waste for their information.
More than £90 million will be allocated to local authorities in 2024-25 to support eligible households at risk of hardship through the Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) scheme.
The funding enables local authorities to mitigate the impact of UK Government policies such as the ‘bedroom tax’ and the ‘benefit cap’ which can reduce how much universal credit or housing benefit someone receives.
Payments can also be made where Local Housing Allowance doesn’t meet someone’s rent, or if a household is in hardship and struggling to meet their housing costs.
Housing Minister Paul McLennan said: “This funding will help to bridge the gap between what people need in benefits from the UK Government, and what they actually receive. This can be the difference between a family thriving, or a family experiencing financial hardship.
“We are clear that this is the right thing to do to support households – but the Scottish Government should not be forced to step in and divert money from our own housing and anti-poverty policies because of UK Government welfare reforms.”
One Parent Families Scotland CEO Satwat Rehman said: “The Scottish Government is to be commended for taking these mitigating measures as we recognise it continues to spend massive sums compensating for welfare cuts made by the UK government.
“Mitigating the benefit cap is absolutely the right thing to do. The increased funding and improved support for families affected by the benefit cap will be greatly welcomed by the many single parents who have been pushed into further hardship by this policy. 74% of all capped households in Scotland consist of single parents with children (92% of whom are women).
“We at OPFS will do everything we can to ensure all single parent families affected by the benefit cap apply to their local authority for a Discretionary Housing Payment to replace the vital income they should have received. Now the UK Government must act to scrap this poverty creating benefit cap altogether.”
The Scottish Discretionary Housing Payments budget is £90.5 million in 2024-25.
In Scotland, if you rent your home and you get Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, but still can’t afford your housing costs, you may be eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment.
A Discretionary Housing Payment can be made if you:
are affected by the benefit cap
are affected by the bedroom tax
claim Housing Benefit but it doesn’t cover all your rent
claim Universal Credit but still can’t afford your housing costs
Scotland’s culture and creative sector will be helped to flourish on the world stage with the launch of Inspiring Connections: Scotland’s International Culture Strategy 2024-30, according to Culture Secretary Angus Robertson.
The strategy sets out the value of international activity to Scotland’s culture and creative sector. It recognises the importance of international engagement to learning, innovation and to the sector’s long-term sustainability.
Mr Robertson said: “Scotland’s culture and creative sector and our historic environment are internationally renowned. Our festivals, vibrant music scene and rich cultural heritage bring people from across the world to Scotland.
“The strategy sets out our vision for international engagement to be central to the long-term development of the sector. We are starting from a strong position, but we know that recent challenges have made international cultural engagement increasingly difficult.
“Developing international cultural connections will create new opportunities, make our culture and creative sector more vibrant and diverse, and help it to reach new audiences and markets across the world.”
Julia Amour, Director, Festivals Edinburgh, said: “Edinburgh’s Festivals are a place for Scotland and the wider world to exchange creative ideas, and this new International Culture Strategy recognises the importance of such an international outlook for artists, creatives and citizens across Scotland.
“We look forward to working with colleagues and Scottish Government on these ambitions to help strengthen our nation’s cultural fabric.”
Champion cook Gary promotes vital Best Start support
Superchef Gary Maclean has urged people to check whether they may be newly-qualified for a benefit which helps with the cost of buying healthy food, milk and first infant formula.
Best Start Foods is up to £39.60 via a pre-paid chip and pin card every four weeks to spend on food from pregnancy until a child turns three.
The Scottish Government benefit was extended In February to include 20,000 more people by removing income limits. Now anyone who gets a qualifying benefit, is pregnant or has a child under 3, is eligible regardless of their other income.
Some of those who are eligible might not yet have applied and Gary, who won series nine of the BBC’s Masterchef in 2016, urged them not to miss out.
Gary, who became Scotland’s first national chef in 2017, emphasised the importance of expectant parents getting all the support available to buy nutritious foods.
The 52-year-old, said extra available cash could be vital in making ingredients go further when cooking for babies and toddlers.
Gary said: “Best Start Foods is really vital extra help at an important time in people’s lives and I would encourage all those who think they may qualify to make the most of it.
“We are all aware of the rising costs of food in recent years so any help in buying nutritious ingredients can make a difference.
“Pregnancy is definitely a time when good wholesome food is especially important. This payment is available from as soon as you know you are pregnant and I want people to be aware of that.
“There are people who may not have been eligible before but are now following some changes to the rules – people can check online and apply if they think they qualify.”
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Gary has been a champion of using locally sourced healthy ingredients and using budgets sensibly to make great nutritious meals.
“Best Start Foods is now available to more people than ever before thanks to our commitment to tackling poverty – with investment of £1.1 billion more than the UK Government gives to the Scottish Government for social security.
“As Gary has said we want to make sure as many people as possible get this support. If you think you are eligible please check online and apply.”
The call has been echoed by charity One Parent Families Scotland.Chief Executive Satwat Rehman said: “The Best Start Foods grant is a vital source of support for parents, and we very much welcome the fact that the income threshold to qualify has been increased.
“This means that a large number of parents we support will now be eligible, having previously lost out because their income was only just above the threshold.”
Care experienced children and young people will receive further support to improve attainment, attendance and wellbeing throughout their education and beyond.
The Scottish Government will provide £10.5 million to be shared by local authorities across Scotland through the Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund.
Launched in 2018, the funding is provided to local authorities and aims to improve the educational outcomes for care experienced children and young people, supported by the strategic goals of The Promise and the Scottish Attainment Challenge.
The fund has so far provided more than £60 million to deliver initiatives such as mentoring programmes and out of school support.
First Minister Humza Yousaf, said: “I am fully committed to Keeping the Promise – every single child should grow up loved, safe, supported and respected, as well as being given every opportunity to flourish and reach their full potential.
“Supporting care-experienced young people includes helping them to continue or re-enter education and The Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund plays a vital role in delivering additional support to improve educational outcomes.
“We know it is making a real difference as the latest figures show more care experienced children and young people are staying in school for longer and achieving higher qualifications.
“Improving outcomes for care-experienced young people requires a truly national effort, and the Scottish Government will continue to work with local authorities, schools and others to ensure that all young people in Scotland can meet their full potential.”
COSLA Children and Young People Spokesperson Cllr Tony Buchanan said: “Local Government is committed to keeping the Promise made to care experience children and young people by 2030.
“We have welcomed this funding, which councils have used in recent years for a number of innovative approaches responding to the diverse needs of care experience children and young people across Scotland. This has included ‘virtual’ head teacher and mentoring schemes.
“We will continue to work with the Scottish Government, across Local Government and with our partners across the education system to ensure that all children and young people grow up loved, safe and respected and achieve the best possible outcomes.”
ASH Scotland has responded to yesterday’s Scottish Government’s Ministerial Statement on Working Towards a Tobacco-free Scotland by 2034 and Tackling Youth Vaping.
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, said: “We warmly welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to reducing the harms caused by tobacco which continues to be the biggest preventable killer of people in Scotland with more than 8,000 deaths each year.
“We are pleased that the Minister has listened to concerns expressed by ASH Scotland and has confirmed the Scottish Government is content that, if the UK Government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill is passed at Westminster, no one buying addictive, health harming tobacco products under-age in Scotland will be criminalised.
“We do, however, want to see the Scottish Government taking rapid action in laying, at the earliest practicable opportunity, its proposed restrictions tightening the rules on the advertising and promotions of recreational vaping products which were consulted on two years ago in Spring 2022 and are enabled by legislation passed in Holyrood back in 2016.
“Following mounting evidence of adverse health impacts, and studies consistently showing that youngsters who use e-cigarettes are up to three times at greater risk of starting to smoke tobacco, government must move at pace to take all vital steps to protect young people’s health.
“Waiting for potential four-nation agreement by MPs at Westminster, with a General Election pending, presents a severe risk of delays to regulations that children’s health and wellbeing can ill afford.
“As most e-cigarettes contain high levels of nicotine, which is extremely addictive, as well as toxic chemicals that have not been safety tested for inhalation and can damage lung health, retail marketing restrictions need to be introduced urgently as a vital measure to discourage youth vaping by reducing the promotion and visibility of e-cigarettes on our high streets and in communities across Scotland.”
Fewer than one in five incidents reported to police
Victims of domestic violence have been encouraged to seek support and report incidents to police, following a reduction in recorded cases.
Newly published statistics show Police Scotland recorded 61,934 incidents of domestic abuse in 2022-23, a decrease of 4% compared to the previous year.
Most domestic abuse, however, is not reported. The most recent results from the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (for 2018-20) estimated that only 16% of incidents were reported to police.
Victims Minister Siobhian Brown said: “Domestic violence is abhorrent. Although these latest statistics show a decrease in police recorded incidents, we know that there are cases where violence and abuse is not reported. I would encourage victims to seek support from organisations who can help and, where they can, to report any abuse to police.
“Through Scotland’s Equally Safe Strategy, which focuses on early intervention, prevention and support services, we are putting in place measures to tackle the root causes of domestic abuse.
“It is imperative that where behaviours turn into violence and abuse, those responsible face the full force of the law and are brought to justice. Our landmark Domestic Abuse Act has provided more powers to police and courts to punish perpetrators of abuse and protect people at risk.
“This month we announced £2 million of funding for Rape Crisis Scotland and Scottish Women’s Aid to help reduce their waiting lists for women who need support services, including refuge places and counselling.
“This is in addition to £19 million annual funding from our Delivering Equally Safe Fund, which aims to tackle gender-based violence and has supported 121 projects from 112 organisations since October 2021 – benefitting almost 32,000 people in its first year.”
The Victim Centred Approach Fund will also provide £48 million to 23 organisations from 2022-25, including £18.5 million for specialist advocacy support for survivors of gender-based violence.
Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline (0800 027 1234) provides a 24-hour, 365-day-a-year service, for victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence and other forms of violence against women, providing confidentiality and specialist advice. The Scottish Government has provided £1.9 million funding to the helpline.
Scotland’s Chief Statistician yesterday released domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland, 2022-23.The main findings include:
The police recorded 61,934 incidents of domestic abuse in 2022-23, a decrease of 4% compared to the previous year. This is the second consecutive year this figure has shown a decrease since 2015-16.
In 2022-23, 39% of incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland included the recording of at least one crime or offence.
The type of crime or offence that was most frequently recorded as part of a domestic abuse incident in 2022-23 was common assault, accounting for 32% of all crimes and offences recorded. This was followed by threatening and abusive behaviour, accounting for 21% of crimes and offences.
Following its enactment on 1 April 2019, crimes recorded under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 accounted for 5% of crimes and offences recorded as part of a domestic abuse incident in 2022-23.
There were 114 incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland per 10,000 population in 2022-23. At a local authority level, Dundee City (180), West Lothian (148) and Glasgow City (141) recorded the highest incident rates per 10,000 population.
Where gender information was recorded, around four-in-five incidents of domestic abuse (81%) in 2022-23 had a female victim and a male suspected perpetrator. This was the same as in 2021-22.
In 2022-23, the 31 to 35 years old age group had the highest incident rate for both victims (277 incidents recorded per 10,000 population) and for the suspected perpetrators (245 incidents recorded per 10,000 population).
A third of incidents (32%) occurred at the weekend in 2022-23. This is a slight decrease from 33% in 2021-22.
In 2022-23, nine-in-10 (90%) of all domestic abuse incidents occurred in a home or dwelling where location was recorded.
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