Over the past year almost 113,000 awards have been made under the Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) scheme, with a total value of £51.9 million, according to the latest figures released by the Scottish Government. Local authorities paid out the money during the period 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017, with an average payment of £460. Continue reading £52 million spent to mitigate effects of Westminster’s Bedroom Tax
Alison Johnstone MSP, Social Security spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, has urged the UK Government to urgently reconsider its cap on Child Tax Credits for more than two children. Continue reading Two child cap: Johnstone urges rethink
Targets aimed at reducing child poverty in Scotland are too long range according to a report issued on Monday by the Scottish Parliament’s Social Security Committee. Continue reading Beef up the Bill: Committee calls for interim targets for tackling child poverty
Local groups Power to the People and All About Me have been joined by Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty to protest against benefits cuts. The local groups, who meet at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre, aim to highlight the plight of families being made homeless as a result of welfare reforms. Continue reading Groups rally to support victims of benefits cap
New cuts limiting universal credit to the first two children in a family will push another 200,000 children below the official poverty line, new analysis from the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has shown. Continue reading Two-child limit for Universal Credit will consign 200,000 more children to poverty
Thousands of people with direct personal experience of the current benefits system have signed up to help shape the delivery of benefits in Scotland’s new social security system. As recruitment comes to a close, the latest volunteer figures for the Experience Panels stand at 2,335 – far in excess of the minimum 2,000 initially sought after – and applications will still be accepted over the next few weeks. Continue reading Still time to sign on to benefits Experience Panel
On Tuesday next week M, a local mum and her young family, will lose their home. M and her children are the next family among dozens of local women and children who will find themselves homeless through no fault of their own over the coming weeks – and North Edinburgh groups have joined forces to demand changes to the system. Continue reading Home truths: benefits cuts biting deep
“The squeeze will be felt most by families with children, young people and those who have already been hardest hit by continuing UK Government austerity” – Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman
Families with children will be among those worst affected by UK welfare changes coming into effect, Scotland’s Social Security Minister has said. A number of UK Government changes come in to force yesterday which will cut the benefits people in Scotland are entitled to.
Continue reading Scottish Government acts to protect families hit by welfare changes
Welfare cuts taking effect today (1 April) will remove money from some of the poorest Scots and undermine efforts to reduce child poverty, say the Scottish Greens. Continue reading Greens warn on April welfare changes
‘It is a sad state of affairs when vulnerable people are frightened to engage with the very system that is supposed to offer them support and care.’ – Michael McMahon MSP
Evidence that shows the link between the UK Government’s welfare reform and an increase in the use of food banks has been sent to Scotland Office Minister David Mundell MP by the Scottish Parliament’s Welfare Reform Committee.
This follows a call from Mr Mundell to show him evidence of the impact of these policies after he expressed doubt that an increase in food bank use was as a direct result of welfare reform.
Much of this evidence has now been forwarded to UK Ministers and the Department of Work and Pensions – but many benefit claimants declined to send in their cases for fear that they might be subject to unfair treatment and reprisals from the DWP if their identity is revealed.
Committee Convener Michael McMahon MSP said: “The Welfare Reform Committee has amassed a growing volume of evidence documenting the impact of welfare reform on Scotland’s communities. We have now sent a further batch of evidence to Mr Mundell and the DWP. However, what we discovered during the course of our enquiries has surprised and saddened us. It is a sad state of affairs when vulnerable people are frightened to engage with the very system that is supposed to offer them support and care.”
Deputy Convener, Clare Adamson MSP said: “UK Government ministers continue to turn a blind eye to the appalling impact that their welfare policies are having on some of the most vulnerable members of society. We have now provided Mr Mundell and the DWP with irrefutable evidence that benefits cuts and sanctions are driving people in ever greater numbers to seek the assistance of food banks and other charities.”
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