Welfare

New research shows the full impact the two-child limit policy is causing to children and families in Scotland and its critical role in entrenching child poverty. The report, Every Penny Counts - The Struggle to Survive on The Two-Child Limit, was written by Unity Consulting Scotland and commissioned

A new disability benefit for people of State Pension age opens today for new applications from people living in five local authority areas.   Pension Age Disability Payment is the 15th benefit administered by Social Security Scotland. It is for people of State Pension age and over who are disab

As many as 20,000 private renters, including 10,000 children, will be pulled into poverty in 2025/26 if the UK Government doesn't commit to unfreezing Local Housing Allowance (LHA) in the Budget on October 30, JRF has warned.

Community-based housing associations are finding it increasingly challenging to support new tenants, some of whom are waiting months for basic items due to extreme pressures on the Scottish Welfare Fund, the Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations (GWSF) has found.

Families getting a Scottish benefit to help them buy healthy foods are being urged to check their balance on their prepaid card.  Best Start Foods, a payment of up to £42.40 every four weeks, helps eligible pregnant women, parents, families and carers with children under the age of three

More than 200,000 disabled adults have now had their benefit award transferred to Social Security Scotland from the Department for Work and Pensions, new figures show. Almost two thirds (63%) of adults in Scotland who were previously getting Personal Independence Payment are now receiving Adult

Social justice secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has written to secretary of state for work and pensions Liz Kendall to urge the UK Government to reverse the cut to Winter Fuel Payment. Ms Somerville called on the UK Government to take action to address the root causes of fuel poverty and volatile e

The UK Government has been urged to assess the "inadequacy and volatility" of the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) in the wake of new private rent inflation figures.

In excess of 26,000 customers were assisted by the Highland Council’s Welfare Support Team and Citizens Advice during 2023/24 for support with welfare, debt and housing issues. As a result, financial gains for clients exceeded £26.8 million, representing a £17.32 return for every &

Innovative approaches to providing families with locally-based wrap-around support will be backed in five more areas as part of £1.57 million of additional investment this financial year. The Fairer Futures Partnerships will ensure services are integrated to help families where and when they n

West Dunbartonshire Council’s Working4U Money team has helped almost 4,000 local residents gain £8.2 million through benefit claims and debt write-offs as a result of its support services.

The Scottish Government has come out in defence of the Scottish Child Payment following criticism of the benefit in a Reform Scotland report. In a paper published by the think-tank earlier this week, former social justice minister Des McNulty said the payment needs to b

Two benefits that provide extra money to families with the cost of healthy food and starting school, are turning five years old. Best Start Grant School Age Payment supports families with a one-off payment of £314.45 to help cover the cost of starting primary school, and has provided £33

Scottish benefits claimants are being reminded to take action as a key date approaches for the switch to Universal Credit. Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the national advice service advice.scot, said that households should prepare for changes as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) continu

The Scottish Child Payment needs to be rethought with higher priority given to prevention, place-focused interventions and addressing the circumstances and needs of the most vulnerable and poorest families, according to Scotland's former social justice minister.