WHAT SCOTS CAN CLAIM
The Scottish Government is setting up a social security system to administer new benefits devolved from UK control. Here is
what the new Social Security Scotland agency is planning. DISABILITY BENEFITS FUNERAL SUPPORT Personal PAYMENT Independence This replaced the DWP scheme in Payment (PIP), September last year. It gives one-off Disability Living payments – on average £1372 – to Allowance for people on low-income benefits Children (DLAC) needing help to pay for a funeral. and Attendance Allowance are transferring to the JOB START Scottish Government from April. This new benefit will be worth either
Benefits will carry on as normal £250 or £400 for young people aged through the new Social Security 16 to 24 who have been out of work for Scotland agency at first, with potential six months or more. changes as they bed in. The higher amount is for young
No one transferring from the UK adults with children. Department for Work and Pensions It will be available later this year. has to re-apply.
Most of the initial commitments SCOTTISH CHILD cover the way benefits are PAYMENT administered, including fewer The first £10 weekly payments, from face-to-face assessments and the the end of the year, will be for children promise of a “fairer” system. under six whose
The timetable has slipped and the parents are in receipt complex work has been blamed for of qualifying benefits, soaring set-up costs. such as Universal
The Child Disability Payment takes Credit. It will expand over from DLAC from summer. to cover under-16s
Disability Assistance for Working in 2022. Age People will be in place from early 2021 to replace PIP but is unlikely to WINTER FUEL AND be complete for four years. COLD WEATHER
Disability Assistance for Older PAYMENTS People will replace the Attendance A Scottish replacement is coming this Allowance early next year. summer. It will be for people on Child
Disability Payment, who will be CARER’S ALLOWANCE eligible for the first time. SUPPLEMENT Everyone else will have access A new benefit supporting from the end of 2021. 91,000 carers with an extra Cold Weather Payments, still £442 a year in 2018-19, to be determined, will go to uprated to £452.40 people on low incomes in this year. receipt of other benefits
Meanwhile, a Young if the temperature Carer Grant is worth drops below freezing for £300 for carers aged 16 seven days. to 18 who don’t already get the allowance. UNIVERSAL CREDIT
SCOTTISH CHOICES BEST START GRANT While not gaining control of the full This replaces the Sure Start Maternity benefit, Scots claimants can be paid Grant for low-income families. twice a month instead of monthly. And Claimants get £600 for the first child Universal Credit’s housing element and £300 for subsequent children. can be paid directly to landlords.
A new early learning payment is worth £250 around the time a child THESE BENEFITS STAY starts nursery. IN UK CONTROL
The same amount can be obtained ● Universal Credit, which replaces through a school-age payment. Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment
Parents don’t need to take up Support Allowance, Income Support, a nursery or school place to get Working and Child Tax Credits and the money. Housing Benefit.
A UK voucher scheme is being ● Maternity Allowance replaced by a Best Start Foods ● Child Benefit chip-and-pin card, giving low-income ● Pension Credit families more choice to buy ● State Pension healthy food. ● Bereavement Benefits.