Benefit claimants ‘cash prize’ proposal

Benefits claimants in Scotland who try the hardest to find work should be rewarded with cash lottery prizes, according to the leader of a think tank.

Ryan Shorthouse, director of Bright Blue, an independent think tank for liberal conservatism, said there could be rewards as well as penalties for those claiming the new Universal Credit payments.

Writing in the Scotsman, Mr Shorthouse said: “At the moment...there is only the penalty of being sanctioned and losing your benefit income for not fulfilling conditionality requirements. Scotland...could also reward people for consistently meeting the most demanding jobseeking requirements. In fact, to further incentivise the right behaviour, why not introduce a lottery for Universal Credit claimants? Those that consistently meet the most demanding conditionality requirements could be entered. Then...a handful of them could win a financial prize.

“Second, Scottish Universal Credit claimants should receive a supplement on their basic amount if they have a longer history of work.”

Bright Blue Scotland is due to launch soon.