Social Security Scotland – The NEN

£30 million paid this year to help households with higher energy bills

Number of winter payments passes 400,000 mark 

 People in Scotland have received more than £30 million via two Scottish Government benefits to help them deal with increased energy costs this winter, new statistics have shown.  

Winter Heating Payment supports households on low incomes, including older people, disabled people and families with children under five.   

Child Winter Heating Payment helps families of the most severely disabled children and young people.    

The official figures show more than 400,000 Winter Heating Payments of £55.05 were issued between November last year and the end of March. More than 30,000 Child Winter Heating Payments of £235.70 were made in the same spell.   

Winter Heating Payment replaced the UK Government’s Cold Weather Payment in 2023. Most people getting it receive more money on average than via Cold Weather Payment.

People receive Winter Heating Payment whatever the weather, unlike Cold Weather Payment when the temperature needs to drop to a specific level. 

Child Winter Payment, introduced in 2020, is not available anywhere else in the UK. There is also no cap on the number of children who can get it in the same family. 

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said:   “The £30.2 million paid over the course of winter provides support to those who need it most. It is being paid quickly and effectively to help mitigate the worst of the cost of living crisis. 

“Winter Heating Payment guarantees those who qualify will get a payment every year – in contrast to the UK Government approach which needs the weather to be under a certain temperature for a sustained spell.   

“Both Winter Heating Payment and Child Winter Heating Payment have recently been increased in line with inflation which means we will be getting more money into people’s pockets in 2024/25. I am pleased that we are getting the vast majority of these payments to people in good time.  

“I urge anyone who is struggling during the cost-of-living crisis to visit the Scottish Government’s Cost of Living website for support and advice.”   

Move to Child Disability Payment completed

All disabled children and young people in Scotland who receive disability benefits will now be paid directly from Social Security Scotland.

Those children and young people who receive Child Disability Payment will also benefit from a review system different to that of the wider UK, one based on dignity, fairness and respect.

The latest figures show around 47,000 children and teenagers have had their awards moved to Child Disability Payment delivered by Social Security Scotland.

The transfers began in 2021 when the new benefit was launched to replace Disability Living Allowance for children, paid by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

Around 76,000 disabled children and young people in Scotland now receive Child Disability Payment, including around 31,000 who applied since the new benefit was launched.

Child Disability Payment helps cover the extra costs of caring for a disabled or terminally ill child or young person.

Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, said: “One of the defining characteristics of the benefits system in Scotland is that people are treated with dignity, fairness and respect.

“Everyone in Scotland who previously received Disability Living Allowance for children from the UK Government now gets Child Disability Payment from Social Security Scotland. This has been a significant and important undertaking.

“The change means 47,000 more children in Scotland and their families can now look forward to less anxiety, less uncertainty and more financial security when their disability benefits come up for review.

“Social Security Scotland takes a human rights-based approach to reviews. The time between reviews is also set by case managers and can vary from two years to ten years. This is especially important for people with life-long disabilities and helps provide the financial security that is needed to pay for ongoing care and support.”

Rebecca, 40, from Edinburgh says her experience with Social Security Scotland since her son’s benefit was moved has been markedly better than under the UK system.

She said: “The transfer all went smoothly, but the biggest difference for me was when his yearly review came around. The DWP review is a 48-page document. Just writing down again and again, that nothing had changed.

“It used to be a couple of months of feeling anxious. Not knowing how the application was going to be scored this time.

“Even though nothing had changed, the person scoring it might have a different view from the person who did it the last time.

“You don’t know if you’re going to get any money at all, if you’ll get less or if it will be the same rate that you had before the review. It’s difficult to plan ongoing support when there’s so much uncertainty.

“There was also always a kind of feeling that somebody was trying to catch you out with the DLA application. It’s absolutely inhumane.

“This time when the renewal letter came through instead of saying, ‘You have to go through the whole traumatic process again,’ it was, ‘Has anything changed?’

“The short answer was, ‘No, my son still has cerebral palsy. There hasn’t been a miracle overnight.’ And that was accepted, what a difference.

“There are a lot of hard things about being in a family that’s affected by disability. This was someone taking away one of those hard things.

“That has been fantastic and I’m incredibly grateful for the values that underpin Social Security Scotland.”

The review period for awards is decided on a case-by-case basis depending on the client’s condition and whether their needs are expected to change. Generally, review periods range from two to ten years.

Social security payments rise

Support for more than 1.2 million people in Scotland

All Scottish social security benefits are increasing by 6.7% in April, providing more support for disabled people, unpaid carers and people on low incomes.

Scottish Child Payment, which helps the families of more than 327,000 children, is now worth £26.70 per child per week.

A person eligible for the highest rate of Adult Disability Payment will receive £184.30 per week.

Carer Support Payment, Scotland’s newest benefit, has gone up to £81.90 every four weeks. The benefit for unpaid carers launched in three local authorities last year and will be available across Scotland by Autumn 2024.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Our investment in social security helps low‑income families with their living costs, enables disabled people to live full and independent lives, and supports older people to heat their homes in winter.

“This financial year we are committing a record £6.3 billion for benefits expenditure – which is £1.1 billion more than the UK Government gives to the Scottish Government for social security.

“We are making a choice to increase direct support for people who need it the most and that is more important than ever during the current cost of living crisis.”

Scotland’s National Chef backs food payment push

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.”

Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance planned

Like-for-like benefit to support seamless transition

Plans for a Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, a new benefit to provide continued support to around 66,000 adults with a disability or long-term health condition, have been unveiled.

Under new proposals, eligible people who receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA) through the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions would have their award transferred automatically to the new Scottish benefit. They would then have the opportunity to apply for Adult Disability Payment if they choose.

Legislation to create the ‘closed’ benefit – for existing recipients of the Disability Living Allowance that it supersedes – will be laid in the Scottish Parliament this year.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I’m pleased that we can progress plans to bring forward legislation to create a Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance and give people the opportunity to remain on this benefit for as long as they are eligible.

“Once transferred, people can continue to be paid Scottish Adult Disability Allowance or apply for our flagship Adult Disability Payment if they prefer.

“Around 137,000 people are now receiving our Adult Disability Payment and it has provided almost £462 million to disabled people since it was launched in 2022.”

Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance will be a ‘closed’ benefit, available only to those whose awards are transferred onto it and not open to new applicants – who should instead apply for Adult Disability Payment.

Under these proposals, eligible people who receive Disability Living Allowance through the UK Department for Work and Pensions would have their award transferred automatically to the Scottish payment.

Scottish teenagers are missing out on carers benefit

Young people may be missing out on help because they don’t realise they’re carers

On Young Carers Action Day (13 March) teenagers who look after others are being urged find out if they’re eligible for a grant available only in Scotland.

Since being introduced in 2019 by the Scottish Government, Young Carer Grant has delivered over £3 million to over 6,600 teenage carers.

However a leading carers charity says many young people who look after others do not recognise themselves as carers, as they see the support they give as just part of family life. As a result, they do not know they’re entitled to benefits.

Scottish Government figures suggest around 25% of those eligible for Young Carer Grant in 2022-23 did not apply.

The Carers Trust has joined Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville to urge teenagers who look after others to recognise their vital caring role and to apply for the support available to them.

Young Carers Grant, paid by Social Security Scotland, is available to those aged 16-18 who spend 16 or more hours a week looking after someone who gets a disability benefit.

The grant was introduced in October 2019 by the Scottish Government to help young people with caring responsibilities and is part of a wider package of support for young carers funded by the Scottish Government.

Paul Traynor, Head of External Affairs (Scotland) at Carers Trust, said: “There are lots of young people caring for a relative, friend or member of their community who don’t realise they’re young carers and could be eligible for financial support.

“They might help someone get dressed in the morning, help with shopping or provide emotional support, for example. The person they look after could have a disability, illness or addiction.

“Young carers often view this as ‘just helping out’ or ‘part of family life’. It could even be expected as part of their culture. It is vital that all young carers know about their rights, what support they are entitled to, are able to have a life alongside caring and are helped to reach their full potential in all aspects of their lives.”

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I’m pleased that the grant we introduced has been able to deliver over £3 million to young carers in Scotland who are balancing their vital caring role with study or work.

“However, we know many young people who look after others see the amazing work they do as part of life and do not recognise themselves as carers and so do not realise they can get financial support.

“I urge any young person aged 16, 17 or 18 who looks after someone else to check if they’re eligible for Young Carer Grant and to apply if they are. It’s money they’re entitled to.

“The payment is designed to recognise the important role of unpaid young carers and allow them to take part in the same activities as their peers, whether that’s driving lessons, going on a weekend away or buying new clothes.

“The money can be spent on whatever the young person wants.”

Zainab, who is a young carer said: “I spent my grant on a piano keyboard. I’ve loved to do piano for a very long time but I didn’t have enough funds to buy one as they’re very expensive.

“So I used my Young Carer Grant to buy one and I love it!”

Young carers may also be eligible for Carer Support Payment from Social Security Scotland or Carer’s Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions.

Carer’s Allowance Supplement is also available as an extra payment for people in Scotland who get Carer Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance on a particular date each year.

These dates are available on mygov.scot/carers-allowance-supplement.

Families of more than 327,000 young people helped by Scottish Child Payment

Fourth rise in uptake since support was increased to under-16s 

Scottish Child Payment was helping the families of more than 327,000 children at the end of December last year, official statistics have shown. 

The £25-a-week payment helps families as part of a wider package of Scottish Government actions to tackle child poverty and support people during the cost of living crisis. 

The figures published yesterday show more than 4,000 extra children were being supported since the previous quarter – the fourth consecutive rise. 

Scottish Child Payment launched in February 2021 and it has since risen in value twice – firstly from £10 per week to £20 per week then, in November 2022, to £25 per week.

At the time of the second rise, it extended from being a payment for the families of children under the age of six to all those eligible under 16.

It is the families of that older group of children who have driven the latest increase in uptake.

The total overall amount paid out since the payment was launched reach passed £573.2 million.  

Official statistics on Social Security’s other family payments – Best Start Foods and the three Best Start Grants (Pregnancy & Baby Payment, Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment) are also published today.  

Since first launching in December 2018 until December 2023 471,670 applications for the payments have been processed and a total of £145.4 million paid out.  

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville said:  “Despite cuts to Scotland’s budget, the Scottish Government is prioritising support for families.

“Our investment in the game-changing Scottish Child Payment and other benefits is unparalleled in the UK.

“It delivers a lifeline from the Westminster austerity agenda and continued cruel policies, such as the two-child cap.

“These statistics show that we are reaching more of the people who most need our support as we continue to make tackling child poverty our key mission. 

“It is encouraging to see that we are also continuing to do that more quickly, making progress in the time it takes from receiving applications to getting money into people’s pockets.”