Welfare

Iain Hardie explores the impact of the UK’s Universal Credit rollout on housing insecurity, examining research findings that suggest an increase in housing problems and approaches for assistance due to the policy implementation, as well as discussing the key aspects of Universal Credit that c

At least 630,000 families with children have been pushed on to Universal Credit since before the pandemic, new figures from Action for Children suggest.

An estimated 20,000 additional people will become eligible for additional help to buy healthy foods when income thresholds are removed for Best Start Foods payments. The Scottish Government benefit provides help to pregnant women or their partners as well as families with children aged up to three y

Thousands of families of disabled children and young people received an additional £214.10 to help heat their homes this winter, according to the latest official statistics for Child Winter Heating Assistance. More than 26,000 payments worth £5.7 million were made for winter 2022/2023, &

A major new study into the effect of Universal Credit on social housing tenants has revealed the detrimental impact it is having on lives and how it is driving people into debt and poverty.

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) has called for changes to the childcare element of Universal Credit to be extended to the main element of the benefit.

Twelve Scottish Government benefits including Carer’s Allowance Supplement and Best Start Grants will be increased by 10.1% on 1 April, backed by investment of around £430 million. The Scottish Child Payment was increased by 150% in 2022 to £25 per eligible child per week.

More than £3.2 million of funding has been made available to help support people in Dundee struggling with housing costs.

Support for community groups bringing people and communities together to tackle isolation has been launched.

The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has urged the UK Government to use next week’s Spring Budget to address the growing income shortfall faced by many households who rely on benefits after its upcoming UK Housing Review highlighted the impact of decisions over the pas

Midlothian’s share of the Scottish Welfare Fund has received a boost with the news that Midlothian Council is to top it up by £100,000 to help meet the growing demand resulting from the cost of living crisis. The extra money will come from protected funding the council has been awarded t

Help with heating costs is on its way to around 400,000 people on low incomes through a new Scottish Government benefit, with the first payments processed this week.

The Scottish Government is providing £8.6 million in direct support for people affected by the UK benefit cap as part of its work to tackle child poverty.

Community projects tackling poverty and disadvantage will receive £27 million funding over the next three years, the Scottish Government has announced. Food pantries which help lower food bills and cost of living advice services are among the 100 initiatives developed by local people set to re

More than £130 million has been distributed to thousands of families with disabled children since the launch of a Scottish Government benefit. The latest official figures show the families of over 54,000 children and young people were receiving Child Disability Payment in December last year.