Universal Credit

The full roll-out of Universal Credit has been delayed until at least March 2022 after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced a revised timetable for the scheme. The UK government's flagship welfare reform, which replaces six current benefits with a single payment, was originally sched

David Mundell A major milestone in the transfer of new welfare powers from Westminster to Holyrood will be reached today which will give First Minister Nicola Sturgeon the opportunity to create a Scottish welfare state within weeks.

New research by the national charity Turn2us has found that over four-fifths (82 per cent) of social tenants who are claiming means-tested benefits are worried about future changes to the welfare system. Significant changes to the benefits and tax credits system are taking place over the next few ye

The UK government’s much-heralded change to the social security system contains a number of inherent flaws which are causing serious problems for people in need, according to a detailed new report from Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS). The new Universal Credit (UC) policy is a massive reform to soci

Universal Credit has “serious design flaws” and has “veered off track” because of cost-cutting, according to think tank the Resolution Foundation.

The Scottish Campaign on Welfare Reform (SCoWR) has written to political candidates across Scotland to ask them to commit to using new powers to create a fairer social security system. Set up in 2006 to highlight the concerns of a diverse coalition of organisations in Scotland about the UK governmen

Members of The Highland Council’s resources committee have welcomed the considerable involvement and work carried out by council staff on issues relating to welfare reform and have agreed to support the potential role of local authorities as financial assessment delivery partners for Scotland’s

The introduction of Universal Credit will leave millions of working families worse off but will eventually encourage more people to work, a new report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said. The single payment, which combines six benefits including housing benefit into one monthly paym

Tenants in Dundee have backed one per cent increase in council house rents, the lowest rent rise in the history of Dundee City Council. A report to the city council's housing committee on January 25 proposes the increase that will help to ensure £6 million of investment in new council houses and £

Hugh Henry Paying the housing element of Universal Credit direct to landlords and the immediate abolition of the ‘bedroom tax’ are needed if Scotland is to create a welfare system which treats claimants with dignity and respect, MSPs have said.

Working households on Universal Credit are set to lose an average of £1,000 in 2020, rising to £1,300 for those with children, despite the welcome reversal of the main cuts to tax credits announced in the Spending Review. New analysis by the independent think-tank the Resolution Foundation has not

David Mundell The Scottish Government will be able to "top up" tax credits and child benefit payments as part of new powers coming to Holyrood, Scottish Secretary David Mundell has confirmed.

Kirsty McKechnie In a guest blog for Shelter Scotland, Kirsty McKechnie, welfare rights worker for Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland, gives the story so far for Universal Credit.

Nile Istephan The Scotland Bill has the potential to enable social landlords to support and transform tenants’ lives though sections of the it fail to meet the “spirit or substance” of the Smith Commission, according to the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA).

West Dunbartonshire Council tenants are being consulted on proposals to reduce weekly rent charges by spreading payments over the whole year instead of 47 weeks. The move is a response to the introduction of Universal Credit, which means some tenants now receive a single monthly benefit payment to m