Tag: VoiceAbility

Independent Advocacy Service celebrates one year anniversary

A free independent advocacy service to support disabled people to access Scottish Government benefits has marked its first year in operation.

The Scottish Government is investing more than £20 million to deliver this service over the course of four years. This independent service is available to people with a disability who may need extra support. This could include people with a sensory disability, mental health condition or learning disability. The service is also available to parents or carers who need support to access benefits for a child.

The service, which was introduced in January 2022, enables disabled people to be more involved in the processes and decisions which affect them and advocates will provide the most appropriate form of support to each individual based on their circumstances.

Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said: “I am delighted that, in its first year, the Independent Advocacy Service has supported over 550 people applying for Scottish Government social security benefits.

“The service is a key part of our human rights approach to social security and how the values of dignity, fairness and respect in our social security system work in practice.

“The service helping disabled people to access the financial support they are entitled to, and is delivering on our commitment to make our system as inclusive as possible.

“With the Scottish Government’s commitment to invest more than £20 million in it, the advocacy service will be able to assist even more disabled people access the help they are entitled to over the coming years.”

CEO of VoiceAbility, Jonathan Senker said: “Over our first year of delivering the Independent Advocacy Service, people tell me that it enabled them to apply for social security benefits when before they felt daunted by the process. They say that advocates supported them to express themselves openly, when previously they felt obliged to ‘put on a brave face’ or underplay their needs.

“It’s vital that people can access the benefits to which they are entitled. I am proud of VoiceAbility’s skilled team of advocates, who are ready and available to support disabled people across Scotland. I encourage anyone who thinks an advocate could help them to access benefits to contact us. We’re here on the phone, online and in-person to make sure you’re heard when it matters.”

The independent service was introduced in January 2022, ahead of a pilot for Adult Disability Payment – which replaces Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in Scotland. Adult Disability Payment was introduced across Scotland in August 2022.

Did you know you can get free, independent support to access Social Security Scotland benefits if you’re disabled? If you’re based in or near Edinburgh, come and chat to Alex at one of our drop-ins:

⏰Alternating Mondays, 1-3pm: Edinburgh Food Project, Pilton food bank at St Margaret Mary, Boswall Pkwy, EH5 2JQ – from 16 January

⏰Every Wednesday, 10am-2pm: The Salvation Army, 36 Wardieburn Drive, EH5 1BZ

⏰Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, 1-3pm: Edinburgh Food Project, Broughton food bank at Broughton St Mary’s Parish Church, Bellevue Crescent, EH3 6NE

⏰Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month, 9.30am-1pm: Citizens Advice Bureaux at 23 Dalmeny Street, EH6 8PG – from 12 January

⏰Every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month, 11am-1pm: Craigmillar Library at 101 Niddrie Mains Road, EH16 4DS

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.

Independent advocacy support service for disabled people

New service will launch in the New Year

Disabled people are to benefit from a ground-breaking new advocacy service which will support access to Scotland’s social security services.

The Scottish Government has committed £20.4 million over the next four years to the provision of the new and free programme, unique in the UK.

It will offer advocacy support to disabled people looking to access Scottish social security benefits.

These include current and future disability benefits such as Child Disability Payment, Adult Disability Payment and Pension Age Disability Payment.

The service will be operational in the new year and is entirely independent of the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland. It will be available in each NHS board area and will create up to 100 new jobs across the country.

Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson said: “The service will provide advocacy to anyone who is disabled and requires support to communicate their needs when accessing Scotland’s social security services.

“This assistance will be person-centred and advocates will provide the most appropriate form of support to each individual based on their circumstances.

“This is a new and independent free service, with no equivalent provided by DWP.

“It builds on our human rights-based approach and makes social security more accessible to disabled people in Scotland, ensuring their voices are heard.”

VoiceAbility, a charity with 40 years’ experience delivering advocacy services, has been awarded the contract to provide the service.

They will establish a new base and training centre in Glasgow and create up to 100 jobs over the four years. There will be at least one advocate in each NHS area at launch, with more jobs to be created as disability benefits are introduced.

VoiceAbility CEO Jonathan Senker said: “We are proud to launch this new independent advocacy service and we look forward to establishing a base in Scotland and taking on the staff to deliver it.

“The advocacy we provide will support disabled people to make sure their voices are heard when it matters most and that more people will get the support they’re entitled to.”

Brian Scott of the Glasgow Disability Alliance added: “Our members have highlighted the barriers that many disabled people face in accessing support to find out about the social security benefits they are entitled to – and to apply for them. 

“We welcome this free advocacy service as it will ensure disabled people are more involved in the processes and decisions which affect them. 

“In making social security more accessible to disabled people, it shows real evidence of a rights-based approach to providing services.”