WITH the Holyrood election less than a month away, now would be a good time to look at the future of welfare provision in Scotland going forward from the pandemic.
One of the consequences of Covid has been a five-fold increase in claims for Universal Credit (2019: 20,000 claimants, 2020: 110,000 claimants), which rolls five different benefits (Housing, Employment (ESA), Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits and Income Support) into one. Despite many hours spent at Westminster amending legislation regarding Universal Credit, trying to make it fit for purpose, it remains unfit for purpose.
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With the massive increase in claims for welfare due to the pandemic and with welfare mainly reserved to Westminster (only 15% of welfare spend in Scotland is devolved to Holyrood), we must give welfare provision its rightful place at the top of the agenda and in a prominent position on party manifestos. Our new government at Holyrood must learn lessons from the pandemic regarding security of income for thousands of hard-working families, which leads me onto the provision of some form of a Universal Basic Income (UBI).
A UBI has been aired by Nicola Sturgeon as something that could be piloted in Scotland, so I am hopeful that it will feature in recovery plans. Going forward from the pandemic, making a real difference in communities, encouraging a more socially just society, a caring for each other as clearly demonstrated during the pandemic, can only come about in Scotland with full welfare powers devolved to Scotland.
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In the last three years Social Security Scotland has been established, with bases in Glasgow and Dundee, dealing with eleven benefits which have been devolved, creating thousands of much-needed jobs, so just think of the jobs that could be created if we were dealing with our own welfare needs here in Scotland.
Scotland’s devolved government knows Scotland’s welfare needs best, so full welfare powers devolved to Scotland can’t come quick enough for all those in Scotland who through no fault of their own, but as a result of the pandemic are now dependant on welfare.
Catriona C Clark
Falkirk
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