Social Security
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Best Start Grant: Extra financial support for low income families
13th April 2018 by Jeane Freeman MSP
Almost at the end of the Easter holidays and I know many families are busy with activities and outings. It’s a time for lots of fun but can also end up being expensive – especially for families with more than one child. And for low income families, it can be even harder to find the money....
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Social security progress
29th March 2018 by Jeane Freeman MSP
The creation of a completely new social security service for Scotland is a major undertaking. It is the most significant transfer of powers since devolution and the programme that we have in place to deliver this is large and complex. We have our own governance structure and controls to make sure that we are on...
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Experience Panels update – we’re listening and already acting on your feedback
27th February 2018 by Jeane Freeman MSP
Ever since we began our consultation in 2016, we have been clear that our social security system would be built with the people who will actually use it. This is why we formed our innovative and unique Experience Panels last year and recruited over 2,400 people with experience of the current benefits system to help...
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Funeral Expense Assistance – illustrative regulations published
6th December 2017 by Jeane Freeman MSP
Losing a loved one is a difficult and distressing time. A time that can be made even harder if money is tight. And while it is important that where we can, we plan and save for our own funeral, not everyone can afford to put money aside to do that. So it is important that...
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Universal Credit choices – what they mean for landlords and tenants
4th October 2017 by Kevin Stewart MSP
From 4 October the Scottish Government will offer people living in Scotland and in receipt of the UK Government’s Universal Credit the choice to: be paid either monthly or twice monthly; and have the housing costs in their award of Universal Credit paid direct to their landlord. Our main focus has been on the positive...
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Universal Credit – Scottish choices
3rd October 2017 by Jeane Freeman MSP
Yesterday, in parliament I once again called on the UK Government to halt the rollout of full service Universal Credit, a fundamentally flawed system that is causing unnecessary hardship and suffering to families across Scotland. Universal Credit is failing the people it is designed to support, driving more people into poverty. The in built six...
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Working together at a local level
19th September 2017 by admin
Officials from the Social Security Directorate have been meeting with Local Authorities and third sector organisations over the last few weeks. Our commitment is to meet with all councils and to date have met with 17. Throughout our visits we have been gathering information and learning more about how services are delivered locally, this will help...
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Experience Panels Update
11th August 2017 by edwardorr
About Your Benefits & You Over 2,400 volunteers have signed up to work with us as part of the Experience Panels. We have now started our first piece of research called ‘About Your Benefits & You’. From this research, we want to learn more about our panel members, including what they think works in the...
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The role of the Disability and Carers Benefit Expert Advisory Group
12th June 2017 by jimmccormick
Guest post from Jim McCormick, chair of the Disability and Carers Benefit Expert Advisory Group With some powers over social security being devolved to Scotland, a new ecology of participation, advice and scrutiny will be needed. Recruitment to the Experience Panels of 2,000+ people who claim key benefits is the most visible early sign of...
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Best Start Grant set to replace the Sure Start Maternity Grant
28th April 2017 by Linda White
The Scottish Government will become responsible the Sure Start Maternity Grant, currently administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The Sure Start Maternity Grant is a one-off payment of £500 to help towards the costs of having your first child and available to recipients, or partners of recipients on a qualifying benefit. If...
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