Strategy to be published after ‘disappointing’ UK Spending Review settlement
A Medium Term Financial Strategy will be set out next week in the aftermath of a “disappointing” UK Spending Review and welfare reforms that will reduce Scotland’s budget.
Finance Secretary Shona Robison will outline the five-year strategy and accompanying action plan to ensure public money is focused on Scottish Government priorities.
The Finance Secretary said: “This government has delivered a balanced budget every year while taking steps to improve the overall sustainability of our finances. This is despite a deeply challenging financial situation caused by rising global instability, persistent higher inflation and over a decade of UK austerity.
“Our disappointing settlement at the recent UK Spending Review has made the situation worse, short-changing the Scottish Government by £1.1 billion in our day-to-day funding compared with UK Government departments.
“This comes on top of reductions in our funding worth hundreds of millions of pounds as a result of the UK Government’s proposed welfare reforms and failure to fully fund its employer National Insurance increase.
“In this context, it is important that we take action to maximise funding targeted at frontline services such as our NHS.”
The Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) will outline the approach to ensuring Scotland’s finances remain on a sustainable footing.
It will be accompanied by a Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan, setting out the actions being taken in support of the MTFS.
Both documents will be presented by the Finance Secretary in a statement to Parliament on Wednesday 25 June.
Record culture funding uplift to benefit 14 festivals in 2025-26
Edinburgh Fringe Programme Launch 2025
Fourteen major festivals across Scotland will receive funding increases this year, thanks to a record uplift in the Scottish culture budget.
As part of an overall £4 million increase for festivals in 2025-26 Scottish Budget, this year’s Festival EXPO Fund has awarded a total of £2.8 million across the 14 festivals, up from £1.7 million the previous year.
Festivals Edinburgh will also receive £200,000 via Creative Scotland to support their branding and marketing work to promote the Edinburgh festivals.
Established in 2007, the Scottish Government’s Festival EXPO Fund is designed to support festival innovation and maximise national and international opportunities for the artists who contribute to them. The fund is managed by Creative Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government.
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “Scotland’s festivals are our cultural shopfront to the rest of the world. As well as offering performers and creatives an unrivalled international platform, they also deliver an annual economic uplift to businesses, jobs and livelihoods right across the country.
“This year’s funding increase for the existing EXPO festivals cohort represents an increase of £1 million across the 14 festivals in Glasgow and Edinburgh, the first in 10 years.
“It recognises the success of festivals in shaping and supporting hundreds of commissions, enhancing the ambitions of thousands of Scottish artists and attracting audiences in the millions for EXPO-supported work since the fund’s creation in 2007.
“From this foundation we will expand the reach of the EXPO fund across the whole of Scotland, and I am working with festivals across the country through the Strategic Festivals Partnership to realise this commitment.”
Dana MacLeod, Executive Director of Arts, Communities and Inclusion at Creative Scotland said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to the Festivals EXPO Fund, providing invaluable support for Scotland’s world-class festivals.
“The EXPO Fund enables Scotland’s festivals to commission bold ideas, develop creative collaborations and present high-quality programmes for audiences in Scotland and internationally.”
Lori Anderson, Director of Festivals Edinburgh said: “Today’s announcement is welcome news for our festivals and for Scotland’s cultural sector, ensuring that the guiding principle of the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund – to showcase Scottish talent to the world on the country’s premier festival platforms – continues to successfully support creative careers.”
Mobile messaging apps, including WhatsApp, are being removed from Scottish Government devices as a new policy comes into immediate effect.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes committed to updating the government’s mobile messaging app policy following the publication of an externally-led review by former Channel Islands data protection commissioner Emma Martins in December 2024.
The policy applies to all Scottish Government employees including contractors, senior civil servants, special advisers and Ministers, and states that mobile messaging apps and non-corporate communication channels will not be permitted on government devices.
A small number of business areas will take part in a time-bound and limited transition period until the end of 2025. This includes areas responding to emergencies such as wildfires or for matters of safety and security.
Ms Forbes said: “We are setting out a clear approach to ending government use of mobile messaging apps, and this will support wider work to deliver on our commitment to openness and transparency.
“The use of mobile messaging apps increased during the pandemic as staff worked remotely in unprecedented and difficult circumstances. Having reflected on our working practices, we are now implementing changes to the use of such apps.
“This follows on from actions to implement other recommendations from Ms Martins’ externally-led review including updating our hybrid working policy.
“I want to reassure the public that it is a priority of this government to maintain secure and searchable data, ensuring compliance with all records management rules. We will continue to act to ensure our data policies are robust, especially considering technological advances.”
Funding allocated to projects working to enhance equality
People with learning disabilities are being supported to fulfil their potential through new funding awards totalling almost £1.6 million.
The Learning Disability Support Fund is allocated to community projects working directly with people with learning disabilities to provide opportunities and build a more inclusive society.
The fund will run for 30 months from October 2025, with a total of £325,000 available for the first year and £650,000 in each of the following two years. Recipients of the first round are receiving grants of between £75,000 and £250.000.
The charity get2gether is among the successful applicants and has been awarded £108,244 to support its work arranging social activities for people with learning disabilities in safe and friendly locations in Scotland.
Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing Tom Arthur said: “We want to create a society where people with learning disabilities can live fulfilling, independent and active lives and this funding will support the important work of get2gether and many other organisations which are working so hard to do just that.
“The grants will be used to provide people with education and information on matters such as accessing health services and developing safe relationships.
“In developing the fund, we have taken into account the views expressed by people with learning disabilities in recent consultation and research and we will work closely with the third sector to ensure it makes a real difference.”
Director at get2gether Mojca Becaj said: “For a small charity like get2gether, the Scottish Government funding through the Learning Disability Support Fund is truly transformational.
“It will enable us to continue creating safe, inclusive spaces where people with learning disabilities can build friendships, relationships, and confidence as well as provide paid roles where they can step into their first paid employment — these are things that many adults take for granted but are life-changing for our members.
“We’re deeply grateful for the recognition and investment in our work and the opportunity to keep making a real difference to the lives of get2gether members.”
Natalie Kernaghan McCaughey, a get2gether ambassador said: “I work as an ambassador at get2gether, we are a member-led charity that works with adults with disabilities. We believe everyone deserves love and friendship.
“I am a paid member of get2gether staff team, I have a lived experience of learning disability and autism. My role is to work with other members to create and co-host their own social events and make connections with each other.”
Director of Funds at Inspiring Scotland Erica Judge said: “We know that the third sector plays a critical role in improving the lives of people with learning disabilities and we are pleased that this fund offers vital longer-term funding, ensuring projects like get2gether can plan their services for the next two and a half years.
“One of the important aspects of this fund is to help ensure people with learning disabilities’ voices are heard. Not only did people with learning disabilities inform and shape the Learning Disabilities Support Fund’s aims, their voice and experience were central to the decision-making process, and they played a key role in selecting which organisations received funding.”
FUNDING AWARDS
Organisation
Funding Amount
get2gether
£108,244
Project Ability
£81,741
People First (Scotland)
£250,000
Neighbourhood Networks
£91,931
Values Into Action Scotland
£175,061
Scottish Youth Dance (YDance)
£206,106
Dates-n-Mates
£179,318
Values Into Action Scotland – The Scottish Assembly
Review recommendations will benefit patients, staff and students
People affected by mental health issues can expect higher and more consistent standards of care following the publication of Scotland’s Mental Health Nursing Review.
The Review outlines ways to enhance and further support the mental health nursing profession. The paper was developed by mental health nurses and students, academics, with support from carers and people accessing mental health nursing care.
The Review makes a total of 24 recommendations including:
ensuring people accessing services have meaningful involvement in their mental health nursing care
improving support for newly qualified mental health nurses and sharing best practice
considering specific education needs for rural and island settings
improving access to post-registration learning for mental health nurses across all sectors
A new Mental Health Nursing Review Implementation Group will be established to ensure effective collaboration, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of the Review actions.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Tom Arthur said: “Through their expert care, compassion and dedication, mental health nursing staff make a significant and positive impact to people’s health and wellbeing every day.
“The Review focuses on their unique role, and it will ensure the profession is supported and empowered to drive the enhancement of mental health and wellbeing services now, and in the future.
“I want to thank all the mental health nursing staff and students, academics, carers and those people accessing care who engaged with and supported this work.
“I am looking forward to working collaboratively to deliver the ambition of ensuring Scotland is the best place for mental health nursing to flourish and where people live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives.”
Chair of Scotland’s first Mental Health Nursing Review, former Chief Nursing Officer, Professor Alex McMahon said: “It has been an honour as a mental health nurse to have chaired the review and to have heard from mental health nurses and those that represent people who use services across Scotland.
“The report and its recommendations, mean that patients and mental health nurses who deliver services now and, in the future, will benefit from the reforms.
“It will be important to ensure these recommendations are implemented, and one aspiration I and others share is that we will attract and retain even more people into undergraduate nursing degree programmes.
“I believe being a mental health nurse, is one of the best and most fulfilling careers you can chose.”
Mark Richards, Associate Chief Nursing Officer said: “Our Mental Health Nursing Review highlights the vital role mental health nurses play in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland.
During our work on the Review, we heard that mental health nurses are at the heart of care delivery and that their relational expertise often has a transformational impact on people’s lives.
“Mental health nurses told us they are proud of the work they do. They strive every day to deliver compassionate, high-quality care, and to work with people who need expert support to enable recovery and promote wellbeing.
“This Review is important in advancing the contribution of mental health nurses and will help ensure we have a profession that is skilled, well supported and sustainable – now and for many years to come.
“It was collectively produced by our mental health nurses in Scotland, and I look forward to us working together to deliver our ambitions.”
Darren Fullarton, Associate Nurse Director for NHS Ayrshire and Arran and Chair of the Mental Health Nurse Leads Group for Scotland, said: “The national review of mental health nursing recognises and celebrates the important role that mental health nurses play in their support and compassionate care for people experiencing mental health issues.
“The National Mental Health Nurse Lead Group are delighted to have had the opportunity to support this significant piece of work which captures views from those with lived experience, families and carers and from mental health nurses themselves to develop an ambitious vision for mental health nurses that exemplifies our commitment to care, compassion and connection.”
£2.5 million investment to drive change across Scotland
A Disability Equality Plan launched today, backed by £2.5 million investment, will improve the lives of disabled people across Scotland and put their experiences and concerns at the heart of policymaking.
The funding, an increase of £2 million, recognises the significant challenges and barriers disabled people continue to face.
The plan reflects a government-wide commitment to ensure that the voices and experiences of disabled people are considered from the beginning.
Key actions include:
improved mental health support tailored to disabled people
expanded access to advice and support services
training for policymakers and leaders to build understanding of the issues facing disabled people
an annual Cabinet Takeover, giving disabled people a direct platform to speak to Ministers
Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart said: “Disabled people are facing unprecedented hardship, deepening poverty and increasing social isolation. Years of austerity, the cost of living crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic have not helped and services need to be equipped to respond to these challenges.
“I am firmly opposed to the UK Government’s proposed reforms to social security and deeply concerned about the effects they will have on disabled people, people with long-term health conditions and unpaid carers.
“The UK Government’s own analysis estimates these will push a further 250,000 people across the UK, including 50,000 children, into poverty.
“We will not mirror these changes. We are committed to safeguarding our Adult Disability Payment and upholding the dignity and rights of disabled people.
“Our approach is rooted in dignity, fairness and respect – not austerity- and the UK Government should follow our lead and protect the social security safety system, rather than dismantling it.
“Scotland is showing that a better way is possible. The increased funding for the plan I am announcing today will build on our human rights-based approach to strengthen vital support and services for disabled people.
“I want to thank all the organisations that have worked tirelessly to help shape this plan. Their insight and leadership have laid the foundation for lasting change.
We are committed to working with disabled people and their organisations, upholding the principle of ‘nothing about us, without us’. I am confident that Scotland can become a country where disabled people truly thrive.”
Chief Executive Officer of Glasgow Disability Alliance Tressa Burke said: “This funding from the Scottish Government is a win for the collective action of disabled people and our allies.
“We are grateful to everyone who took part in our campaign Disabled People Demand Justice and commend the Scottish Government for responding positively.
“But it is a small step, when we need big leaps; poverty and inequality experienced by disabled people remain at unacceptable levels, and we need both the Scottish Government and the UK Government to urgently invest in disabled peoples’ lives to deliver dignity and justice.”
Chief Executive Officer of Inclusion Scotland Heather Fisken said: “This plan and related actions are a welcome step forward, but these will only be successful if it is properly resourced and if it there is accountability of delivery.
“We want this accountability to be led by disabled peoples’ organisations and disabled people themselves – genuine partnership between our organisations and the Scottish Government requires honesty and scrutiny, and that will be our focus going forward.”
Chief Executive Officer of Disability Equality Scotland Lyn Pornaro said: “This shows the power of disabled peoples’ campaigning, and is a step in the right direction, but our campaigning work to deliver justice for disabled people will continue.
“This includes making sure that both the Scottish Government and the UK Government deliver dignity, security, and human rights for disabled people – that requires investing in our communities and including services- not cutting the support we rely on.”
KEY PRIORITIES: Prevention, joined-up services and efficiency
BlUEPRINT for enhancing lives and communities?
REFORMS to deliver £1 BILLION of savings in five years
A new Public Service Reform Strategy will deliver the public services that people of Scotland deserve and need in the future, Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee said yesterday.
Outlining the strategy to Parliament, the Minister also announced the intention to reduce spending on corporate functions across public bodies, including the Scottish Government, to deliver £1 billion of savings in five years.
The strategy sets out concrete steps that government will take through partnership working, particularly with trade unions, to ensure that every pound of investment is focused on frontline delivery and that there are the right staff in the right roles to deliver real change.
More than 80 actions are set out to drive change and make Scotland’s public services fit for the future, by addressing the challenges caused by increased demand, changing demographics and UK Government financial decisions.
These include leadership and cultural change across the public sector; reducing the number of public bodies to deliver increased efficiency; further review and rationalisation of public sector buildings, working with local partners to remove data barriers that prevent the delivery of programmes; embracing automation and publishing a new Digital Strategy which will set out the acceleration of the digitisation of government.
Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee said: “This strategy is grounded in the shared belief that Scotland’s public services are an investment — in people, places and our collective future.
“It builds on the work we’ve done since the Christie Commission which outlined the need for public services focused on prevention, place, partnership, people and performance.
“Public service reform is an integral part of the government’s response to the challenges we face. The strategy sets out a bold, system-wide approach to change centred around three key priorities: prevention, joined-up services and efficiency.
“The aim is to do things better, not do less. Public services are an asset and investment in our collective future. They reflect the society we are, and who we aspire to be.
“We are determined to unlock the full potential of Scotland’s public services — making them more efficient, more joined-up, and more preventative in approach, so that they work better for the people of Scotland.
“It demonstrates that this Government is ready to go further and faster than we ever have to reform our public services.
“We must be bold and brave to deliver real, long lasting and meaningful change.”
Proposals to support pensioners in Scotland this winter
All pensioners in Scotland with an income of less than £35,000 will receive Pension Age Winter Heating Payments this winter of either £203.40 or £305.10 per household, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has confirmed.
This means pensioners in Scotland will be better off compared to those in the rest of the UK.
Pensioner households with no-one aged 80 or over will receive £203.40, rising to £305.10 for households with someone aged 80 or over.
Following the UK Government’s recent change to winter fuel payments, the Scottish Government will withdraw the current amendment regulations before the Scottish Parliament, which were previously lodged in order to protect pensioners in Scotland against the UK Government’s planned cuts to winter fuel payments.
The move will now see over 720,000 Scottish pensioners benefit.
Ms Somerville said: “The UK Government’s decision to cut the Winter Fuel Payment last winter was a betrayal of millions of pensioners, and their recent U-turn is welcome if belated.
“Following careful consideration of the options available, the Scottish Government will mirror the approach taken by the UK Government. We will bring forward regulations to ensure that, from this winter onwards, all pensioners will receive either £203.40 or £305.10 per household, depending on age.
“We are in discussion with the UK Government to extend the proposed arrangements in England and Wales to recover payments from those pensioners with an individual income of more than £35,000 through the tax system.
“The intention is that the payment will be recovered automatically, and pensioners will not need to register with HMRC for this or take any further action.
“This approach ensures a higher level of support which those most in need will receive. Over 720,000 Scottish pensioners are estimated to benefit from the higher payment.”
Leading pensioner poverty charity welcomes decision on Pension Age Winter Heating Payment
Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Independent Age, said: “We welcome today’s confirmation from the Scottish Government that all older people with an income of less than £35,000 a year will receive the higher rate of Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.
“This decision will provide some comfort to the hundreds of thousands of older people in Scotland who live in fuel poverty.
“In a compassionate and wealthy society, no one should struggle to stay warm in the winter due to cost. The commitment by the Scottish Government to uprate the PAWHP annually is also welcome and key to ensuring the payment does not lose its value due to inflation.
“This means the payment will now be worth £203.40 or £305.10 per household, depending on age, with the payment recovered through tax from those with an income over £35,000.
“We welcome this decision and hope the Scottish Government continues to take steps to reduce financial hardship, including the creation of a strategy to tackle pensioner poverty.”
TRUSSELL: The new Universal Credit and PIP bill will push nearly HALF A MILLION more people into severe hardship and towards the doors of food banks
Additional protections for millions of vulnerable people on benefits are set to be written into law, under new measures being introduced to Parliament yesterday [18 June 2025].
New welfare legislation to ensure there are robust protections in place to support the most vulnerable and severely disabled.
Nearly 4 million households to benefit from uprating of Universal Credit standard rate, the largest, permanent real-terms increase to basic out of work support since 1980, according to the IFS.
More than 200,000 people with most severe, lifelong conditions to be protected from future reassessment for Universal Credit entitlement.
13-week period of financial support for those affected by PIP changes as part of upcoming welfare reforms.
Comes alongside £1 billion employment support package that will unlock opportunity and grow the economy as part of the Plan for Change.
The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill will provide 13-weeks of additional financial security to existing claimants affected by changes to the PIP daily living component, including those who their lose eligibility to Carers Allowance and the carer’s element of Universal Credit, according to the UK government – but charity Trussell says the bill will push nearly HALF A MILLION more people into severe hardship.
The 13-week additional protection will give people who will be affected by the changes time to adapt, access new, tailored employment support, and plan for their future once they are reassessed and their entitlement ends.
This transitional cover is one of the most generous ever and more than three times the length of protection provided for the transition from DLA to PIP.
The Labour government says it inherited a broken social security system, with costs spiralling at an unsustainable rate and millions of people trapped out of work. The case for change is stark:
Since the pandemic, the number of PIP awards has more than doubled – up from 13,000 a month to 34,000 a month. That is around 1,000 people signing on to PIP every day – that is roughly the size of Leicester signing up every year.
The surge has been largely by driven by a substantial increase in the number of people who report anxiety and depression as their main condition. Before the pandemic (in 2019), 2,500 people a month were awarded PIP for these conditions, this has more than tripled to 8,200 a month in 2023.
Almost 1 million young people – 1 in 8 – are not in education, employment or training.
1-in-10 people of working age are now claiming a sickness or disability benefit.
Without reform, the number of working age people on disability benefits is set to more than double this decade to 4.3 million.
Spending on working age disability and incapacity benefits is up £20 billion since the pandemic and is set to increase by almost that much again by the end of this Parliament, to a staggering £70 billion a year.
Labour says that’s why, through the introduction of this Bill; the government is fixing our broken social security system so it supports those who can work to do so while protecting those who cannot – putting welfare spending on a more sustainable path to unlock growth as part of our Plan for Change.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said: “Our social security system is at a crossroads. Unless we reform it, more people will be denied opportunities, and it may not be there for those who need it.
“This legislation represents a new social contract and marks the moment we take the road of compassion, opportunity and dignity.
“This will give people peace of mind, while also fixing our broken social security system so it supports those who can work to do so while protecting those who cannot – putting welfare spending on a more sustainable path to unlock growth as part of our Plan for Change.”
As part of our (i.e. the Westminster govertnment’s) commitment to protect the most vulnerable and severely disabled, peace of mind will also be given to 200,000 individuals in the Severe Conditions Criteria group – individuals with the most severe and permanently disabling conditions who will never be able to work – as they will not be called for reassessed for Universal Credit (UC) under new legislation.
Those protected from reassessment will also be paid the higher rate of UC health top up of £97 per week, so they can live with dignity and security, knowing the reforms to the welfare system mean it will always be there to support them.
In the coming weeks, legislation will also be drafted for a Right to Try Guarantee. This will ensure that trying work will not, in and of itself, lead to a reassessment or award review, breaking down barriers to employment.
Reforms being delivered by the legislation introduced today go hand in hand with a £1 billion employment support package to support more people with health conditions back into work, unlocking opportunity and growing the economy as part of the Plan for Change.
Funding will offer personalised employment and health support for individuals on out of work benefits, with 500,000 people having already been supported into employment. This is a quadrupling the level of annual spend on supporting sick and disabled people into work, from the £275m in 2024/25 we inherited, to over £1bn in 2029/30.
Nearly 4 million households will also receive an income boost with the main rate of Universal Credit set to increase above inflation every year for the next four years – estimated to be worth £725 by 2029/30 for a single household 25 or over. This is around £250 higher than an inflation only increases.
The Bill will also rebalance Universal Credit rates by reducing the health element for new UC claims to £50 from April 2026, fixing a system which encourages sickness by paying health element recipients more than double the standard amount.
To open up opportunities to work, everyone affected by changes to the UC health element from April 2026 will be offered support from a dedicated Pathways to Work adviser, with 1,000 advisers in place across Britain.
All of those affected by reforms will be actively contacted and given the offer of a conversation about their support needs, goals and aspirations; offered one-to-one follow-on support, and given help to access additional work, health and skills support that can meet their needs.
The reforms build on the Get Britain Working White Paper that will overhaul Jobcentres, empower Mayors and local leaders to tackle inactivity, and deliver a Youth Guarantee so every young person is either earning or learning, as part of the Government’s ambition to deliver an 80% employment rate.
Additional information
The Bill will introduce a new additional eligibility requirement for the daily living component of PIP so that a minimum of 4 points must be scored on at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component. It will also rebalance Universal Credit.
Based on current forecasts, the rebalancing mean single households 25 or over, will see their standard allowance rise to around £106pw by the end of this parliament.
Current UC health top up is more than double the UC standard allowance for a single claimant.
There are 4 criteria for the healthcare professional to consider, all of which must apply for the claimant to meet the SCC, namely whether:
The individual’s level of function will always meet LCWRA
The individual’s condition will last for the rest of their life
There is no realistic prospect of recovery of function, and
The condition has been diagnosed by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional in the course of the provision of NHS services.
Scotland’s Social Justice Secretary: “Scrap damaging welfare reforms”
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has urged the UK Government to protect and enhance social security rather than making cuts.
The UK Government’s Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill has been published today, which includes the details of the first set of changes to ill-health and disability benefits. The Scottish Government will not mirror the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) changes in Adult Disability Payment in Scotland.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The UK Government’s proposed reforms will be hugely damaging to those who rely on social security support, particularly during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
“These plans have yet to be passed at Westminster, so there is still time for the UK Government to step back from this damaging policy and I strongly urge them to scrap their harmful proposals.
“The UK Government’s own analysis highlights how the proposals will push 250,000 more people across the UK into poverty – including 50,000 children. With around half of all children in poverty in Scotland living in a household with a disabled person, the changes threaten to undermine the progress that we are making to reduce child poverty, and the work of the UK Government’s Child Poverty Taskforce.
“That the UK Government is prioritising deep cuts to disabled people’s support is made even worse by their failure to abolish the two-child limit, which is estimated to have pushed more than 35,000 children into poverty since July last year.
“The reforms do not reflect the Scottish Government’s values. We will not let disabled people down or cast them aside as the UK Government has done. We will not cut Scotland’s Adult Disability Payment.
“The UK Government should follow our lead and protect the social security safety system, rather than dismantling it. If they do not, then disabled people can draw no other conclusion than the UK Government remain content to balance the books on the backs of the most vulnerable.”
Responding to the publication of the bill, Helen Barnard, Director of policy at Trussell said: “The UK government’s new Universal Credit and PIP bill, put before Parliament today, does almost nothing to ease the concerns of hundreds of the thousands of disabled people who fear that their social security support will be ripped from them.
“In fact, this bill will push nearly half a million more people into severe hardship and towards the doors of food banks.
“It is easy to see why so many MPs have voiced concerns about the damage this bill will do. What has been published today offers little for MPs deeply concerned about the impact of these cuts on their constituents.
“The last minute details on protections offer something for a small proportion of people, but even they will still see a real-terms cut. The reality of this bill is still record cuts in support for disabled people, and the biggest cuts to social security since 2015.
“It is shocking that MPs are being asked to vote through cuts without a full assessment of their impact, and especially worrying as we know that already three in four people referred to the Trussell community are disabled or live with someone who is.
“We know hunger and hardship already pushes up public service costs alone by £13.7 billion. MPs are being asked to vote for a Bill that will drive up hunger and hardship and undermine the UK government’s promises on economic growth and ending the need for emergency food.”
Today, the UK government published a bill, aimed at reforming the benefits system. Unfortunately, as it stands, this will be a disaster for disabled people – and is likely to worsen people’s living conditions, undermine their mental health, and increase the risk of suicide, says Mental Health Foundation.
These plans will not help reduce the number of disabled people out of work. Instead, they are counterproductive and cruel.
A more effective alternative for the government would be to move forward with its progressive policies that encourage people to return to work, such as the Right to Try scheme and improvements to support in job centres, and look at how well those work, without cutting support for disabled people.
It is well acknowledged that too many care-experienced children and young people are not receiving the vital care and support they need to thrive in education, a point further reinforced in a recent report from the charity Who Cares? Scotland for the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland.
This highlighted the need for a whole-school approach to supporting care-experienced children, as well as a requirement for a statutory right to independent, relationship-based lifelong advocacy for all care-experienced people who need it. This aims to ensure that these individuals are aware of their rights and can make informed decisions about their lives.
The latter is eminently achievable, as the Scottish Government’s recent Programme for Government outlined that a Children and Young People (Care) Bill will be forthcoming.
This legislation aims to further support The Promise, produced by the Independent Care Review in 2020, and which is Scotland’s pledge to care-experienced children and young people that they will grow up loved, safe, and respected.
With the Promise Bill now part of the government’s legislative programme, it is time for this fundamental right, as committed to in The Promise itself five years ago, to be enshrined in law.
Too many individuals are currently missing out on the advice and support they desperately need, often when they need it most.
Scotland has an opportunity to lead the way, and the Bill provides the opportunity to deliver action on advocacy.
