Welfare

A £30 million package of funding from the Scottish Government is being made available to local authorities to support people facing financial hardship as a result of coronavirus, including money to provide free school meals over the school holidays. Local authorities will be given flexibility

Young carers are being encouraged to check if they are entitled to further awards as the Young Carer Grant marks it’s second anniversary. The Young Carer Grant is a £305.10 payment available on an annual basis for 16, 17 and 18-year-olds who spend an average of 16 hours a week caring for

A starter payment should be made to people claiming Universal Credit (UC) for the first time to ensure that everyone has enough money for basics such as food and heating during the five-week wait for their initial monthly payment, a report by the Work and Pensions Committee has recommended. The 

CIH Scotland has raised concerns about the increased risk of eviction and homelessness as the UK Government’s job retention scheme comes to a close at the end of October.  Responding to the Scottish Parliament's social security committee’s call for evidence on the impact of COVID-19

People on low incomes will be eligible to receive a new £500 grant from the Scottish Government if asked to self-isolate. The new Self-Isolation Support Grant will help those who would lose income if they needed to self-isolate, such as those unable to carry out their work from home.

New legislation to improve the benefits system to help those who need it most was unanimously passed by the Scottish Parliament yesterday. The Social Security Administration and Tribunal Membership (Scotland) Bill supports the delivery of the new Scottish Child Payment, to provide low-income familie

Social Security Scotland has taken a 20-year lease to become the first tenants at Dundee’s Waterfront regeneration project. Cabinet secretary for social security, Shirley Anne Somerville, said the site will be one of three locations that Social Security Scotland will operate from as it continu

North Lanarkshire Council has added a further £500,000 to its Universal Credit Assistance Fund and is providing more help to tenants falling into rent arrears due to built-in waiting times for Universal Credit payments. The fund, which is in place for council tenants struggling with the impact

The latest figures from the Scottish Fiscal Commission estimate that 194,000 children aged under six in Scotland will be eligible for the new Scottish Child Payment. This is an increase of 14% in eligible children since the Scottish Government’s forecast in June 2019, accounting for the increa

North Lanarkshire’s advice services generated more than £40 million in additional benefit income for its residents during 2019/20.

The Scottish Parliament has issued a call for views to discover how COVID-19 has impacted people in Scotland and how Scottish social security can respond.

The Scottish Government yesterday laid legislation to enable the delivery of the new Child Winter Heating Assistance. It is the first disability benefit to be introduced using new social security powers.

Councils in Scotland could have spent £5.8 million more to help people over lockdown if it were to match the increased Scottish Welfare Fund provided by the Scottish Government at the outset of the crisis, according to a new report.

Low-income families in Scotland with a child under six will be able to apply for £10 per child, per week to assist with living costs from November, with payments to start from the end of February.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced yesterday that from Monday, face to face advice provision can resume for welfare, debt and income maximisation purposes as Scotland remains in Phase 3 of its coronavirus lockdown. From 24 August organised outdoor contact sports, some outdoor live ev