Security Committee’.
More information on the devolution of new powers over welfare and benefits:
What
is being devolved?
As part of the Scotland Act (2016), a range
of benefits is being devolved to the Scottish Parliament. These are: Attendance
Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Personal
Independence Payment, Industrial Injuries Benefit, Severe Disablement
Allowance, Cold Weather Payment, Funeral Payment, Sure Start, Maternity Grant,
Winter Fuel Payment, and Discretionary Housing Payments.
The Scottish
Parliament will have the power to determine the structure and value of these
benefits or replace these existing benefits with new benefits, in line with the
legislative framework.
The current value of benefits to be devolved is around
£2.7bn, which accounts for around 15% of current benefit spend in Scotland.
Combined with the areas of spend the Scottish Government already has
responsibility for, the Scottish Government will be responsible for around 17%
(£3bn) of all social security expenditure in Scotland.
The Scotland Act 2016
will also devolve a range of other powers: expanded power to provide
discretionary payments and assistance (effectively an expansion of provision in
the Scotland Act 1998 that allows for the creation of crisis grants as part of
the Scottish Welfare Fund); power to top-up reserved benefits; power to create
other new social security benefits (other than pensions) in areas not otherwise
connected with reserved matters; power to legislate for welfare foods; Scottish
Ministers will have powers to vary the housing cost element of Universal Credit
for rented accommodation and change payment arrangements for Universal Credit.
The Scottish Parliament will also have powers over support for unemployed
people through employment programmes.
When
will this happen?
The Scottish and UK Governments are working
together on the time-scale for the devolution and implementation of the new powers
over benefits through the Joint Ministerial Group on Welfare. At its meeting on
16 June 2016, it agreed the commencement of eleven of the thirteen welfare
provisions in the Scotland Act (2016) (including Universal Credit and
Employment Support). This has been termed Tranche 1. The remaining two relevant
sections of the Scotland Act (2016) (Tranche 2, which comprises sections 22 and
23 and can be summarised as ‘existing and ongoing benefits’) will be commenced
at a later date.
It is important to note the following three
main planks in the devolution of these new powers:
·
commencement/transfer of powers
·
legislation
·
delivery
Tranche 1 will be commenced before UK Parliament
rises on 21st July 2016 (commencement/transfer
of powers). The Scottish
Government plans to introduce a new Social Security Bill in the Scottish
Parliament by May 2017 (legislation).
This will provide the framework for the establishment of a new benefits
delivery agency in Scotland. The plan is for the agency to become operational
during this parliamentary session. The implementation dates for any new welfare
powers will be agreed by the Joint Ministerial Group on Welfare, with the Joint
Exchequer Committee overseeing the transfer of funding
That is, the Scottish Parliament
will hold legislative competence over the new powers for a considerable period
before they are actually implemented. Even then, there is no plans for a ‘big
bang’ introduction, but rather a process of smooth transition.
What has the Scottish Government committed to?
The Scottish Government has outlined the five principles at
the heart of their approach to benefits and welfare. These are: social
security is an investment in the people of Scotland; respect
for the dignity of individuals is at the heart of everything we do; our
processes and services will be evidence based and designed with the people of
Scotland; we will
strive for continuous improvement in all our policies, processes and systems,
putting the user experience first; we will
demonstrate that our services are efficient and value for money
More specifically, the government has proposed: increasing Carer’s Allowance so that it is paid at the same level as Jobseeker's Allowance; abolishing the Bedroom Tax; giving people claiming Universal Credit the choice to be paid fortnightly, and to have direct payments made to social landlords.
The SNP Manifesto also included commitments to: creating a new Maternity and Early Years Allowance; restoring any removal of housing benefit for 18-21 year olds; increasing Carer’s Allowance for those who care for more than one disabled child to recognise higher costs; expanding Winter Fuel Payment to families with children in receipt of the highest rate of DLA. Following the election, the Scottish Government also announced a commitment to consider whether young carers needed any additional support.
More specifically, the government has proposed: increasing Carer’s Allowance so that it is paid at the same level as Jobseeker's Allowance; abolishing the Bedroom Tax; giving people claiming Universal Credit the choice to be paid fortnightly, and to have direct payments made to social landlords.
The SNP Manifesto also included commitments to: creating a new Maternity and Early Years Allowance; restoring any removal of housing benefit for 18-21 year olds; increasing Carer’s Allowance for those who care for more than one disabled child to recognise higher costs; expanding Winter Fuel Payment to families with children in receipt of the highest rate of DLA. Following the election, the Scottish Government also announced a commitment to consider whether young carers needed any additional support.
