Recruitment bid to shape new welfare system
THOUSANDS of people on benefits are being sought to help shape Scotland’s new devolved welfare system.
Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman has launched a recruitment drive for the “experience panels”, saying they will “help us understand the changes that need to be made” when Scotland is responsible for some benefits.
Control over 11 benefits, worth just over £2.7billion in total, is being transferred to Edinburgh as part of the devolution of powers in the 2016 Scotland Act.
Holyrood ministers have already staged a three-month consultation as part of work to develop a new social security system.
Ms Freeman said: “At the start of this process I said I wanted Scotland’s social security system to treat people with fairness, dignity and respect, and key to that is having people who use the current one right alongside us as we design and build our system.
“What we want is a system that works for people rather than one that tests their ability to fill out long and complicated forms. Our experience panels will help us understand the changes that need to be made to design Scotland’s social security system so it works for people and Scotland.
“The system we are build- ing will make a real and positive difference to the 1.4 million people who rely on this critical financial support.
She was speaking as she met members of the Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA) at the city’s Calton Heritage and Learning Centre.
Disability campaigner Chris Baird said the “number one” problem disabled people face in the current benefits system is “hostile attitudes”.