Welfare

Eilidh Whiteford Almost half of all sanctions imposed on the UK government’s Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) have been overturned when reviewed, according to official figures.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has admitted using made-up stories from fictional claimants to demonstrate the positive impact of benefit sanctions. The revelation comes in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from Welfare Weekly, which questioned whether the comments used i

Alex Neil New powers to make changes over how Universal Credit is paid will eventually affect over 700,000 households across the country, according to the Scottish Government.

Darren Millar An influential assembly committee has called on the Welsh Government to look again at whether it should follow the Scottish model of ‘bedroom tax’ mitigation.

Paul Gray An independent advisory committee has called for an urgent and robust review of the UK government’s benefit sanctions regime amid concerns that it is failing to help jobless claimants.

Alex Neil Around 120,000 children will be cast adrift if the UK government changes its definition of child poverty, social justice secretary Alex Neil has claimed.

MPs have backed UK government plans for £12 billion in welfare cuts. The vote on the second reading of the Welfare Reform and Work Bill, which includes plans to limit child tax credit to two children, passed by 308 to 124 in the House of Commons last night.

Roseanna Cunningham Scotland’s fair work and social justice ministers are to press UK ministers to fully honour the Smith recommendations on powers over welfare and employability.

George Osborne Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne is expected to announce today that his planned £12 billion cuts to the UK's welfare budget will be spread over a longer period of time.

John Swinney MSP Deputy first minister John Swinney has written a letter expressing his concerns over planned UK government cuts to tax credits.

Michael McMahon Women are being hit hard on multiple fronts by changes to the benefits system, according to a report published by Holyrood’s Welfare Reform Committee.

George Osborne UK ministers are considering forcing all housing benefit recipients to contribute towards their rent as part of efforts to save billions from the welfare bill, according to reports.

The Church of Scotland has joined with other churches and charities calling on the UK government to set up a full, independent review of the benefits sanctions system. In the 100 days since the House of Commons work and pensions select committee called for a review the government has given no indica

CIH Scotland is seeking input from its members on how they think new powers in the Scotland Bill can improve social security in Scotland. The Scottish Parliament’s Welfare Reform Committee has launched a call for evidence on the practical implementation of powers relating to social security covere

Angus Robertson Amendments to the Scotland Bill which would effectively give the Scottish Parliament the power to design its own welfare system have been rejected by the UK government.