New data released today shows April 2018 to March 2019 to be the busiest year for food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network since the charity opened.
During the past year, 1,583,668 three-day emergency food supplies were given to people in crisis in the UK; more than half a million of these (577,618) went to children. This is an 18.8% increase on the previous year. Continue reading Charity calls for end to Universal Credit five week wait as food bank demand soars
Hundreds of thousands of disabled pensioners will no longer have to go through unnecessary reassessments for disability benefits, Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd announced yesterday. While charities welcomed the announcement, they argue that the measures just don’t go far enough. Continue reading No more Nasty Party? Amber Rudd softens approach to disabled pensioners
Did you know that the DWP has created a website dedicated specifically to Universal Credit? The site is designed to help claimants and supporters negotiate their way through the often complex and confusing benefit labyrinth. Continue reading As we see it: the two different sides of Universal Credit
Scotland’s Social Security Committee has launched an inquiry into whether the social security system adequately supports tenants in both the private rented sector and social housing. Continue reading Holyrood committee to investigate the impact of Social Security on rented housing
5th December Craigroyston Primary School 7 – 8pm
Wednesday 28 November 12 noon – 1.30pm @ Leith JobCentre
‘Poverty is a political choice. Austerity could easily have spared the poor, if the political will had existed to do so’ – Professor Philip Alston Continue reading “A state of denial”: UN Human Rights expert condemns UK Government
UK Gov Cuts Target Women: Green MSP Condemns Tories In Holyrood Debate
The UK Government’s cuts to benefits target women and children, and must be reversed, according to Scottish Greens social security spokesperson Alison Johnstone MSP.
Speaking in this week’s Holyrood debate – Impact of UK Government Welfare Cuts and Universal Credit on Poverty – Alison Johnstone, Scottish Green MSP for Lothian, said: “Cuts to our social security system, including to Universal Credit, are taking money out of the pockets and wallets of some of our poorest households. As the Institute for Fiscal Studies notes, Universal Credit is quite deliberately creating millions of losers. Continue reading Benefit Cuts: Green MSP Condemns Tories For Targeting Women
Edinburgh braced for roll out of Universal Credit this month
Nearly one in two people in receipt of Universal Credit in Scotland has chosen for their payments to be paid in a different way when offered the choice by the Scottish Government.
While Universal Credit is reserved to the UK Government, Scottish Ministers have used their limited powers in this area to enable people to receive payments more frequently and/or for the housing cost in their payment to be made directly to their landlords, which should help reduce rent arrears and evictions.
Newly published figures show that, by the end of August this year, 66,700 people had been offered one or both Scottish choices since October 2017, with around 32,000 – almost 50% – taking up the offer.
Speaking on a visit to Prospect Community Housing in Wester Hailes, Edinburgh, Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Universal Credit is causing undeniable hardship and misery to people and families across the country and the roll out of Universal Credit full service comes to Edinburgh from next month.
“The UK Government missed an opportunity to use the budget to address the fundamental flaws with Universal Credit including delays to payments, the minimum five week delay in getting first payment and the appalling two-child cap.
“The Scottish Government will continue to call for a halt to Universal Credit until it is made fit for purpose. We cannot be expected to fill the £3.7 billion gap in welfare spending caused by UK Government cuts, particularly on a continuing real terms cut in fiscal budget of 5.9% between 2010-11 and 2019-20.
“We have done what we can with our limited powers, providing people who receive Universal Credit with choices on the frequency of their payments and paying housing costs directly to their landlord. We have also committed to introduce split payments of the Universal Credit award in Scotland to ensure everyone has access to an independent income.
“The high take-up rate of our Universal Credit Scottish choices is evidence people want more flexibility and adaptability in how they receive the support that they are entitled to.”
Of the 31,960 people who chose one or both of the Universal Credit (UC) Scottish choices, 26,910 chose to implement more frequent payments. 11,430 chose to have the housing element of UC paid direct to their landlords, and 6,380 chose both. An additional 4,000 also requested and took up one or both of the choices.
The full publication is available here.
UC Scottish choices give recipients of UC in Scotland a choice to have their UC award paid either monthly or twice monthly, and have the housing costs in their award of UC paid direct to their landlord. A person can make just one or both choices, depending on their circumstances. It was introduced on 4 October 2017 for people accessing UC for new claims in full service areas. On 31 January 2018 it was extended to everyone receiving UC in full service areas.
As UC is reserved to the UK Government, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) deliver the choices on behalf of the Scottish Government and charge the Scottish Government for that.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation is urging the government to reform Universal Credit (UC) so families with children can keep more of what they earn. The respected social policy charity is the latest organisation to urge the Westminster Government to rethink the controversial benefit.
Continue reading Rowntree Foundation urges Universal Credit reform
