Welfare

The UK government has won a challenge against a ruling that its benefit cap unlawfully discriminates against lone parents with children under two. Court of Appeal judges yesterday ruled in favour of the Work and Pensions Secretary by a two-to-one majority.

Jeane Freeman Key benefits will be future-proofed to ensure they hold their value in real terms under Scotland’s new social security system, social security minister Jeane Freeman has said.

The Scottish Government's Social Security Bill has been strengthened by a round of amendments at committee level. Amendments brought forward by Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman allow for people to receive short-term assistance payments while redeterminations or appeals are undertaken.

Jeane Freeman The Scottish Government has extended its flexible Universal Credit options to all recipients in full service areas to help more people manage their money.

Low income families have received awards of more than £148 million since the creation of the Scottish Welfare Fund in April 2013. The Scottish Welfare Fund comprises community care grants and crisis grants.

Jeane Freeman A new independent scrutiny body that will hold Scotland’s social security system to account is to be created by the Scottish Government.

Alison Johnstone MSP Green MSP Alison Johnstone has lodged a series of amendments to the Scottish Government's Social Security Bill which are designed to ensure that everyone receives the payments they are due.

Jeane Freeman Anyone applying for social security assistance under Scotland’s new system will have a right to have someone with them during assessments or meetings, under new plans by the Scottish Government.

Ashley Campbell Housing delivery, homelessness, standards and much more - as we enter 2018, CIH Scotland policy expert Ashley Campbell explores what to look out for.

More than one million calls to the Universal Credit helpline have been abandoned without claimants getting an answer within a 12-month period, according to new statistics. Figures obtained by Labour MP Jim McMahon through a parliamentary question, and reported by ITV, show that 1.3 million calls wer

Government changes to Universal Credit which will make it easier for direct payments to be made to landlords have been welcomed by the Residential Landlords Association (RLA). The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed to the trade body that landlords will no longer need tenants’ con

Legislation to set up a Scottish social security agency passed its first hurdle at the Scottish Parliament yesterday as MSPs unanimously agreed the general principles of the Social Security (Scotland) Bill. During the debate, cross party consensus was given for an additional principle in the Bill re

Jeane Freeman The Scottish Government has repeated its commitment to allow Scotland’s new social security system to be open to independent scrutiny.

Changes are needed to ensure that the Scottish Parliament can scrutinise the detail of how Scotland’s new social security system will operate, according to a report issued by Holyrood’s social security committee. The committee’s report follows consideration of the Social Security Bill, which p

A new group is to be established by Stirling Council to ensure residents on Universal Credit continue to be supported. Universal Credit was piloted in Stirling in May 2015 for a small percentage of residents, and fully implemented in June this year for anyone of working age on a low income in or out