Consultation on Social Security in Scotland

Date: 24th August 2016
Category: Social security

The Scottish Government is publishing a consultation on social security in Scotland, to gather views and inform future decisions, including the development of the forthcoming Social Security Bill.

Specific areas on which Scottish Government are consulting which are expected to be reflected in the Bill include:

- Fixing the Scottish Government's principles for social security in legislation, including the principle that people should be treated with dignity and respect;

- Delivering on the Scottish Government's policy commitments, including its commitments to: increase Carer's Allowance to the level of Jobseekers Allowance, and replace Sure Start Maternity Grants with a new, expanded Best Start Grant; and

- Taking a Scottish approach to important social security matters such as helping to ensure that the user's experience reflects Scottish Government's principles, reviewing and appealing decisions and taking care of each individual's information and personal data.

Throughout the consultation document, Scottish Government refers to its paper, 'A New Future for Social Security in Scotland' which was published in March. This paper set out a participative commitment to determine how best to use the new social security powers which will be devolved by the Scotland Act 2016.

• Download the consultation paper here.
• Access more information here.