Vulnerable claimants face double blow over broadband access to new benefit
SCOTS benefit claimants could be hit twice by Tory plans to force them online to access support, the SNP warned.
And, embarrassingly, Tory MSPs helped to raise the problem facing people in rural areas with patchy broadband.
Some of these areas, including in the Highlands, are already in the fully digital universal credit welfare scheme as part of UK benefit reform.
The SNP’s Clare Adamson has asked UK benefits chief Esther McVey to intervene.
In a letter, the MSP warned: “It is irresponsible to roll out universal credit in areas where there are such connectivity issues.”
Adamson, convener of Holyrood’s social security committee, said the UK Government should increase their three per cent contribution to the broadband improvement programme in Scotland.
She said: “Otherwise, I’m concerned that universal credit claimants in these areas will face serious hardship through no fault of their own.”
During a debate on digital connectivity earlier this month, Tories blamed the SNP Government for poor progress in superfast broadband.
Finlay Carson, who represents Galloway and West Dumfries, said the SNP had “failed to prioritise” roll-out in parts of Scotland with poor connectivity.
Then Highland Tory Edward Mountain claimed one in five constituents in the region doesn’t have superfast broadband. However, both regions already have, or are about to get, the full digital version of universal credit.
The Department for Work and Pensions said they will respond to Adamson.