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Scotland needs a more 'coherent approach' to welfare reform
Scotland needs a more ‘coherent approach’ to mitigate the effects of welfare reform, an influential group of housing associations has said.
Ahead of appearing at the Scottish parliament’s welfare reform committee today on the 2015/6 draft budget, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) urged further devolution of welfare powers to lessen the impact of UK benefit changes.
The 2015/16 draft budget pledged continued funding for discretionary housing payments to offset the bedroom tax, the council tax reduction schemes and the Scottish Welfare Fund.
However, SFHA policy advisor said the problems needed more than a ‘one year fix’.
He pointed to a report by the Regional Economic and Social Research in June, which said that £1.6bn was being taken out of the Scottish economy by the coalition government’s changes to welfare, including sanctions and the reduction of support for people on incapacity benefits.
‘A long-term, comprehensive strategy is required in order to tackle poverty and inequality in Scotland, which is why the SFHA is calling for wider devolution of welfare powers to Scotland, in order to facilitate the adoption of a more coherent approach,’ Mr Hewer said.
Earlier this month, the SFHA called for the devolution of all social security controls, apart from pensions, in its submission to Lord Smith’s commission looking at extra powers for Scotland in the wake of the independence referendum.
