Benefits & Social Security

Universal Credit – the UK government’s flagship welfare policy – is a new payment to replace several existing benefits, including housing benefit and child tax credits, with one single monthly payment.

At Westminster, SNP MPs will continue to push the UK government to stop ignoring the overwhelming evidence that Universal Credit is causing unnecessary hardship to thousands of families across the country. We want Tory Ministers to halt this rollout until these fundamental flaws in the system are addressed.

We know that funeral costs can push people into poverty – that’s why we’re taking decisive action to tackle this growing issue. The SNP Scottish Government published a Funeral Costs Plan, which commits to a variety of actions to help tackle funeral poverty and make more affordable funeral options available. You can read the plan…

While we agree with the equalisation of the State Pension Age, we do not support the unfair manner in which these changes were made in the 2011 Pensions Act. Around 3.9 million women were affected by the accelerated pace and many will receive their pension years later than expected. This is a mess of the…

We will continue to argue for a fairer pensions system. SNP MPs will oppose plans to increase the State Pension Age beyond 66. We will support the establishment of an Independent Savings and Pension Commission, to ensure pensions and savings policies are fit for purpose. The remit of the Commission should include consideration of the…

The punitive benefit sanctions regime is causing hardship and pushing people into poverty, debt, crisis and towards foodbanks and emergency aid. The SNP will continue to call for the current sanction regime to be scrapped.

The Tories have cut taxes for the wealthiest in our society, while cutting support for the disabled and low income working families. According to the Resolution Foundation, the UK is on course for the biggest increase in inequality since the days of Margaret Thatcher. SNP MPs will vote against further cuts to social security. We…

Families are no longer eligible for child tax credits for their third child as a result of UK Government welfare cuts. The Rape Clause requires women to prove they’ve been raped in order to qualify for child tax credits for a third or subsequent child. We believe that it is unacceptable for women to have…

In the last five years we have built a new social security system, with dignity, fairness and respect at its heart. In just two years since we began making payments, Scotland’s social security system has made a real impact on the lives of hard-working families across the country. Social Security Scotland currently administers 10 benefits…

No. We will protect disability benefits, not cut them, and will ensure that they remain non-means tested. To take forward the new powers, we will establish a Scottish Social Security Agency with dignity and respect at its heart and we’ll also ensure that the transition to new benefits system is smooth for everyone.

Social Security Scotland made its first payments in September 2018, delivering the Carer’s Allowance Supplement. This increases the Carer’s Allowance by 13 per cent.

We have built Scotland’s new social security system with, for and around the people who use it. At its heart are the principles of dignity, fairness and respect and a belief that social security is an investment in our people. These principles will underpin the disability benefits which will be introduced in the next parliament. Child…

The SNP Scottish Government has taken steps to mitigate the worst aspects of Westminster’s welfare reform. Since 2013, the Scottish Government has spent over £100 million a year to protect people from the worst aspects of Tory welfare cuts. We are fully mitigating the Bedroom Tax in Scotland, and we have pledged to abolish the…