ALLIANCE’s work in Social Security review of 2019

The ALLIANCE review of engagement in social security policy in 2019.

The ALLIANCE has long supported the development of devolved social security in Scotland, a call detailed in our response to the post-2014 independence referendum Smith Commission call for views.  Over the last five years, we have sought to offer advice to Social Security Scotland (this link will take you away from our website), who will now administer these entitlements, on the views of our members and practical ways in which the social security system can be improved for disabled people, people with long term conditions and unpaid carers. 2019 was another pivotal year in the development of Scotland’s new system, as applications for a range of entitlements for parents of young children and a new young carers grant were opened to the public.

Over the last twelve months the ALLIANCE has continued to offer advice on a range of issues including on the role of specialist advisors, their people strategy and how lived experience can support the future learning and development of staff administering these entitlements. We continue to be active and engaged members of Social Security Scotland’s Operations and Inclusive Communications sub-groups.

Much of our policy work in this area, however, has focused on the range of disability-related entitlements still to be devolved to Scottish Parliament control. In Summer 2019, we published a response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on how they anticipate these entitlements will be run, highlighting our members’ views on the importance of adequate supporting information when making entitlement decisions. During the consultation period we were delighted to welcome the Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP to meet some with ALLIANCE members, answer questions and discuss their concerns.

The ALLIANCE also supported the Scottish Government’s attempts to realise major commitments in the Social Security (Scotland) 2018 Act (this link will take you away from our website). This included offering views to shape the development of the social security advocacy service standards and guidance to remove time limits on terminal illness automatic entitlements. Both will be implemented alongside the roll out of Child Disability Payment in June 2020 (this link will take you away from our website), and with working age and older people’s entitlements to follow in 2021.

The ALLIANCE has also worked closely in partnership with a range of partner organisations throughout the year. Most notably, the Scottish Campaign on Rights to Social Security (formerly SCoWR) re-launched (this link will take you away from our website), focused on a set of principles for change to realise the human rights of people who use social security entitlements. We also continued to be an active member of the Disability and Carers Benefits Expert Advisory group (this link will take you away from our website), which advises the Cabinet Secretary on how new entitlements should be managed. As part of this group’s work we participated in a range of stakeholder engagements and met with members of the Welsh Assembly to discuss the ripple effect of devolution of social security in Scotland on other areas of the UK.

In the coming years there will be further opportunities to influence the social security landscape in Scotland, notably beyond the “safe and secure transition” of the newly devolved entitlements. The ALLIANCE aims to continue to be part of this debate – putting forward ideas for a future social security system that puts people’s rights and outcomes at the centre.

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