Welfare

A new benefit take-up strategy has been unveiled by the Scottish Government that outlines plans to make sure that nobody misses out on financial support due to a lack of awareness or barriers to applying. Actions from the 2021 Benefit Take Up Strategy, which builds on learning from the first in

Tens of thousands of unpaid carers will receive a double payment of the Carer’s Allowance Supplement this winter under legislation passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament. Recognising the additional pressures unpaid carers face as a result of the pandemic, the December payment of the Car

Today's removal of the £20 uplift to Universal Credit will have a dramatic impact on thousands of children in Scotland, charities have warned.

CIH Scotland has called for the UK Government to provide long-term support for people at risk of homelessness post-pandemic after its new report highlighted that households across the UK are likely to be on "cliff edge" following the removal of the £20 Universal Credit top up later t

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has joined with the First Minister of Wales and the First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland to demand Prime Minister Boris Johnson “do the right thing” by reversing the decision to withdraw the £20-a-week uplift to Universal Credi

In a year blighted by the Covid-19 pandemic, 88 struggling households from across the Lothians, Lanarkshire and Edinburgh are almost £800,000 better off thanks to the hard work of an award-winning welfare benefits advice service. Last year, Melville Housing Association’s two dedicated we

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced that more than 2,000 jobs will be created with Social Security Scotland over the next 12 months. The Scottish Government has also revealed that disabled people will benefit from a ground-breaking new advocacy service that will support access to Scotland&r

The Scottish Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to oppose the £20 cut to Universal Credit by the UK Government.

Legislation that will lead to increased vital support to more than 19,400 children and young people to help their families heat their homes this winter has been laid in the Scottish Parliament. The legislation extends the eligibility for the Child Winter Heating assistance to young people aged 16 to

Low income families will benefit from a £320 uplift before Christmas as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling child poverty. Eligible families with children in school will receive payments of £160 per child in October and December. Two Bridging Payments of £

Scotland’s Child Disability Payment will open for new applications across the country from 22 November 2021. The roll-out follows a successful pilot launched in July across Dundee City, Perth & Kinross and the Western Isles council areas.

Hairdressers, shelf stackers and carers will be among those working families facing the biggest overall drop in their benefits income since 2010 when the cut to Universal Credit goes ahead next month, according to new research by UK children’s charity Action for Children.

More than 108,000 children have benefited from the Scottish Government’s new Scottish Child Payment according to the latest official statistics. The figures highlight how many families and children received the payment from introduction in February to 30 June 2021.

The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments have written a joint letter to the UK Government calling for a reversal of plans to cut the £20 uplift to Universal Credit. The £20 increase to the benefit was introduced during the coronavirus pandemic, but is due to end on October 6.

Social security expenditure in Scotland will total £5.2 billion in 2026-27, according to the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s latest forecast report. The amount spent is projected to increase by £1.5bn over the five years due to a variety of reasons including an increase in benefits pr