Social security benefits to rise

The Scottish Government has announced that a range of social security benefits will rise by six per cent next month in response to the cost of living crisis.

The Job Start Payment, Young Carer Grant, Funeral Support, Best Start Grant and Carer’s Allowance Supplement were due to be uprated by 3.1 per cent for 2022/23.

However, the Scottish Government is now proposing the increases should be almost doubled to six per cent.

The Child Winter Heating Assistance, which was due to rise by five per cent, will also increase by six per cent.

But the new Adult Disability

Payment, which has replaced Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in Scotland, and Child Disability Payment, which replaced Disability Living Allowance for Children In November, will not increase by the proposed increment.

DWP and HMRC payments may be early for some people next month due to the Easter bank holidays.

The Scottish Government said these new disability benefits will rise by 3.1 per cent in line with the equivalent benefits – PIP and DLA for Children which are still administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) under agency agreement.

It said: “This is to avoid creating a two-tier system where individuals paid by Social Security Scotland are paid more than clients whose cases have not yet transferred to the Scottish system.”

Commenting on the increase, Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson, said: “We are acting urgently in response to growing pressures on the costs of living, which were already rising and have now increased significantly again due to the illegal war in Ukraine.

“We will provide additional support as quickly as possible by further increasing several forms of devolved social security benefits and assistance.”