MSP ON NEW SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM
Scotland’s new social security system is due to begin making payments by the end of this week.
A total of 11 benefits are being devolved over the course of this parliament.
They include Carer’s Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independent Payments and Funeral Payments.
The new powers were delivered as a result of the Smith Commission process and Scotland Act that followed the 2014 independence referendum.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People Shirley-Anne Somerville is in charge of making sure the first part of that process runs smoothly. Here, she tells how she intends to make it a service with “people at its heart”.
is no cap on the number of children who can benefit.
This is the first step in our delivery of the Best Start Grant. By summer 2019, families will get a further £250 for each of their children at key points in their early years such as starting nursery and school.
We will get this right by designing our system with people – not for them. We are listening to people with experience of the UK system through our experience panels to carry out extensive end-to-end testing to ensure we deliver a service that meets the needs of the people of Scotland.
For example, the letter we are sending to people this week has gone through rounds of testing with carers to ensure it contains the information they need and is presented in a way that makes sense, is comprehensive and comprehensible and isn’t completely impersonal.
This Government have a clear vision of the kind of country we want to be. We are determined to make further progress on tackling inequality and reducing poverty.
Delivering our new social security system is a key part of that. We are establishing a system that is different to what people have known under the DWP. A service that is compassionate and puts people at its heart.
And the job of delivering that service based on dignity, fairness and respect begins this week.