Financial help for families who need it most

When the Scottish Parliament reconvened in 1999, it was a chance for our country to shape itself differently; tailored to the needs and ambitions of people who live here.

We have since gone through an evolutionary process with devolution, where Holyrood has received further powers in order to enable MSPs to make a wider range of decisions affecting the dayto-day lives of Scots.

In the last parliamentary session, MSPs agreed the first mode of national taxation set in Scotland in over 300 years.

Scottish Income Tax as a result is fairer and more progressive than elsewhere in the UK, with the majority of Scots paying less in income tax here than they would in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland - all the while enabling us to raise the additional revenue needed to commit record amounts of funding going to our NHS, or pay our nursing and healthcare staff more in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK.

Over the past few years, Scotland has also had devolved to its parliament further powers over social security.

For a long time, decisions over welfare made in Westminster haven’t reflected the needs and values of many people.

The Scottish Government set up Social Security Scotland, a new organisation that will handle the - albeit limited powers Holyrood has over welfare. However this will be managed differently, with fairness, dignity, and respect at the heart of what Social Security Scotland does.

This week, parents of children with disabilities can begin to apply to Child Disability Payments.

These payments, administered by Social Security Scotland, will provide families with support for the extra costs that can accumulate when caring for a disabled child.

It is the first of three complex disability benefit being rolled out by the Scottish Government and replaces the UK’s Disability Living Allowance for children.

Those who already receive DLA payments for a child need not apply for Disabled Child Payments, across the country around 52,000 recipients of DLA are being transferred automatically over to

Social Security Scotland, which the aim to have this completed by spring 2023. Those affected by this will be told when this is happening, and their payments will be transferred safely and securely from the DWP to Social Security Scotland.

This transfer has already begun, with those aged

16 or over, or those with terminal illness being selected first.

This means that families will begin to benefit from a much more simplified and less stressful system of support than they have otherwise been used to.

For too many, the stresses of ensuring they are doing right by their child can be overwhelming, the last thing anyone needs is further such stress in simply gaining access to the benefits they are entitled to.

To help ensure this is the case, for the first time anywhere in the UK, disability benefit applicants can apply online, as well as by post, on the phone, or face to face - ensuring that everyone is able to access this important support.

This is the beginning of a better way for doing things in Scotland when it comes to supporting families of disabled children.

Next year, Social Security Scotland will begin rolling out the Adult Disability Payment in much the same way.

These processes can take time to get right, but getting it right is important when we’re talking about lifeline support mechanisms for vulnerable people.

People can find out more by visiting mygov.scot.

You can also phone 0800 182 2222.