‘Benefits’ may stop when new powers are devolved

Ministers are considering scrapping the use of the word benefits when they take charge of some parts of the social security system.

Responsibility for ill health and disability benefits is being devolved to MSPs. The SNP Government has already made clear its ambition to place “dignity, fairness and respect” at the heart of the new social security system.

Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman said: “I do think there is value in looking at whether or not we continue to use the word ‘benefit’, because there is an implication in there that is the rest of us doing something nice for somebody else, when, actually, what we have said consistently, as a Government, is that social security is an investment we make collectively in ourselves.

“Part of how you make dignity, fairness and respect real, as opposed to just fine words, is about the culture that the organisation that will deliver those benefits embraces, and how people receive that in their dealings with that organisation.

“There are some things you can do to affect quite quick cultural change, and part of that is around language and thinking, so there is value in looking at whether or not we don’t simply call these payments, as opposed to benefits, or some other word.”