Latest news with #Shirley-AnneSomerville
Scottish Sun
15 hours ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Major update on £450 a month benefit available to thousands of Scots
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE SCOTTISH Government has issued a major update on a £450 a month benefit that is available to thousands of adults. The Adult Disability Payment helps anyone who has a disability, terminal illness, or long-term health condition that affects their everyday life. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Ministers have shared a major update on the benefit Credit: Getty It is open to Scots aged between 16 and state pension age, and the payment is made up of two parts. These are daily living and mobility, and people may qualify for one or both parts. Scots may qualify for the daily living part if you need help with things like preparing food, taking nutrition (eating and drinking), managing therapy or monitoring a health condition and washing and bathing. While the mobility part refers to whether you need help with planning and following a journey or moving around. Depending on which parts you qualify for, you could get anywhere between £116.80 and £441.60 a month. But now, the SNP has vowed not to cut the payment as Labour announced plans to slash overall welfare payments. It comes as ministers look to cut the increasing welfare bill by clawing back billions of pounds of benefits. On Wednesday, the UK Government revealed its plans to slash benefits further in the House of Commons. The new plans will see changes made to a number of different benefits - including personal independence payment (PIP) and universal credit. The criteria for PIP is expected to become stricter, while those on UC will see the sickness-related element cut. Millions hit by benefit cuts as Rachel Reeves warns 'if you can work, you should work!' in bid to fix 'broken system' UC will also not be issued to anyone until they reach 22 years of age. Most Scots who claim sickness benefits do so through the Adult Disability Payment, which is devolved, rather than through PIP. But the cuts mean that there is likely to be less money available for Scottish benefits. However, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville promised that the Scottish Government "will not let disabled people down or cast them aside", according to the Daily Record. She said: "The reforms do not reflect the Scottish Government's values. "We will not let disabled people down or cast them aside as the UK Government has done. We will not cut Scotland's Adult Disability Payment. 'The UK Government should follow our lead and protect the social security safety system, rather than dismantling it. "If they do not, then disabled people can draw no other conclusion than the UK Government remain content to balance the books on the backs of the most vulnerable.' Ms Somerville also called the UK Government's plans "hugely damaging" to struggling adults, especially during the current cost of living crisis. Who can apply for Adult Disability Payment YOU must be between 16 and State Pension age to apply for this benefit. You may qualify for the daily living part if you need help with: preparing food taking nutrition (eating and drinking) managing therapy or monitoring a health condition washing and bathing managing toilet needs or incontinence dressing and undressing communicating verbally reading and understanding signs, symbols and words engaging socially with other people face to face making budgeting decisions You may qualify for the mobility part if you need help with planning and following a journey or moving around. Do not apply if you get Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults. You would get these from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). You can apply for Adult Disability Payment if you: live in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Gibraltar have spent a major part of your life in Scotland You need to apply for Adult Disability Payment even if you get Child Disability Payment. You can apply any time from when you are 15, soon to turn 16, until your 18th birthday. If your application is successful, you will not have any gaps between payments. Branding it a "damaging policy", she said, "I strongly urge them to scrap their harmful proposals." She added: "With around half of all children in poverty in Scotland living in a household with a disabled person, the changes threaten to undermine the progress that we are making to reduce child poverty, and the work of the UK Government's Child Poverty Taskforce. 'That the UK Government is prioritising deep cuts to disabled people's support is made even worse by their failure to abolish the two-child limit, which is estimated to have pushed more than 35,000 children into poverty since July last year." UK Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall told the Daily Record: 'Our social security system is at a crossroads. Unless we reform it, more people will be denied opportunities, and it may not be there for those who need it. 'This legislation represents a new social contract and marks the moment we take the road of compassion, opportunity and dignity. 'This will give people peace of mind, while also fixing our broken social security system so it supports those who can work to do so while protecting those who cannot – putting welfare spending on a more sustainable path to unlock growth as part of our Plan for Change.'
STV News
a day ago
- Business
- STV News
FM to face questions over winter fuel payment recovery from better-off pensioners
John Swinney is set to face questions from opposition parties at First Minister's Questions on Thursday, following the Scottish Government's announcement that new winter fuel payments will not be issued on a universal basis. On Wednesday, the Scottish Government set out plans for a slightly more generous winter fuel payment, with some households receiving up to £5 more than other areas of the UK. The benefit will be made available to all Scottish pensioners with an income below £35,000. However, Scottish ministers said they are in discussion with the UK Government to recover payments from pensioners with income over £35,000 a year through the tax system – matching the UK government system. Speaking to STV News on Wednesday, social justice secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said ending the universal aspect of the benefit would ensure the payments were helping those with the greatest need. The First Minister is likely to face scrutiny for the decision on Thursday. Tory MSP Maurice Golden is also set to challenge the First Minister to respond to reports that up to 100 truckloads of Scotland's waste will be moved each day to England as a result of the landfill ban on biodegradable waste. The Scottish Tories have been critical of the reports, calling on the SNP to 'get a grip of this situation' before the ban comes into force in December. The First Minister will also be asked about the Government's most recent position on University funding. Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy is preparing to ask the First Minister about his Government's up-to-date position on funding Scotland's universities. The question comes less than 24 hours after MSPs were told Scotland's colleges have been left in a 'fragile' state following years of underinvestment. Angela Cox, chair of the Colleges Principals Group at Colleges Scotland, told Holyrood's Education Committee on Wednesday that the further education sector was 'hanging on by our fingernails'. FMQs will be streamed live from Holyrood at noon on Thursday. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
New welfare reforms update for people on Adult Disability Payment
The DWP is set to transfer PIP eligibility and assessments from November next year. The Scottish Government has announced it will not mirror the planned changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in Adult Disability Payment (ADP). The latest Social Security Scotland figures show that at the end of April there were 476,295 people receiving financial support of up to £187.45 per week through the devolved disability benefit. Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has urged the UK Government to protect and enhance social security rather than making UK Government published the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill on Wednesday, which includes the details of the first set of changes to ill-health and disability benefits. The Bill will provide 13-weeks of additional financial security to existing claimants affected by changes to the PIP daily living component, including those who lose eligibility to Carers Allowance and the carer's element of Universal Credit. Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: 'The UK Government's proposed reforms will be hugely damaging to those who rely on social security support, particularly during the ongoing cost of living crisis. These plans have yet to be passed at Westminster, so there is still time for the UK Government to step back from this damaging policy and I strongly urge them to scrap their harmful proposals. 'The UK Government's own analysis highlights how the proposals will push 250,000 more people across the UK into poverty - including 50,000 children. With around half of all children in poverty in Scotland living in a household with a disabled person, the changes threaten to undermine the progress that we are making to reduce child poverty, and the work of the UK Government's Child Poverty Taskforce. 'That the UK Government is prioritising deep cuts to disabled people's support is made even worse by their failure to abolish the two-child limit, which is estimated to have pushed more than 35,000 children into poverty since July last year.' She added: 'The reforms do not reflect the Scottish Government's values. We will not let disabled people down or cast them aside as the UK Government has done. We will not cut Scotland's Adult Disability Payment. 'The UK Government should follow our lead and protect the social security safety system, rather than dismantling it. If they do not, then disabled people can draw no other conclusion than the UK Government remain content to balance the books on the backs of the most vulnerable.' Proposed PIP changes and online consultation Proposed package of reforms to overhaul the welfare system, include: Ending reassessments for disabled people who will never be able to work and people with lifelong conditions to ensure they can live with dignity and security. Scrapping the Work Capability Assessment to end the process that drives people into dependency, delivering on the UK Government's manifesto commitment to reform or replace it. Providing improved employment support backed by £1 billion including new tailored support conversations for people on health and disability benefits to break down barriers and unlock work. Legislating to protect those on health and disability benefits from reassessment or losing their payments if they take a chance on work. To ensure the welfare system is available for those with the greatest needs now and in the future, the UK Government has made decisions to improve its sustainability and protect those who need it most. These include: Reintroducing reassessments for people on incapacity benefits who have the capability to work to ensure they have the right support and are not written off. Targeting PIP for those with higher needs by changing the eligibility requirement to a minimum score of four on at least one of the daily living activities to receive the daily living element of the benefit, in addition to the existing eligibility criteria. Rebalancing payment levels in Universal Credit to improve the Standard Allowance. Consulting on delaying access to the health element of Universal Credit until someone is aged 22 and reinvesting savings into work support and training opportunities through the Youth Guarantee. DWP also launched an online consultation on the new proposals to coincide with the publication of the Green paper. The consultation can be completed by anyone and is open until June 30, 2025 - you can find full details on here.
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
SNP Government promises not to cut Adult Disability Payment after UK benefit changes
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said the Scottish Government "will not let disabled people down or cast them aside". The SNP Government has promised not to cut the Adult Disability Payment (ADP) after Labour published its plans to slash welfare. Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said the Scottish Government "will not let disabled people down or cast them aside". The UK Government published its plans to cut benefits in the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon. Somerville said: 'The reforms do not reflect the Scottish Government's values. We will not let disabled people down or cast them aside as the UK Government has done. We will not cut Scotland's Adult Disability Payment. 'The UK Government should follow our lead and protect the social security safety system, rather than dismantling it. If they do not, then disabled people can draw no other conclusion than the UK Government remain content to balance the books on the backs of the most vulnerable.' The UK Government's bill will tighten the criteria for personal independence payment (PIP) as well as cut the sickness-related element of universal credit (UC) and delay access to those aged 22 and over. The vast majority of people in Scotland on sickness benefits are on the devolved ADP rather than PIP. But the cuts mean Scotland is likely to be have less money available. Somerville added: "The UK Government's proposed reforms will be hugely damaging to those who rely on social security support, particularly during the ongoing cost of living crisis. "These plans have yet to be passed at Westminster, so there is still time for the UK Government to step back from this damaging policy and I strongly urge them to scrap their harmful proposals. 'The UK Government's own analysis highlights how the proposals will push 250,000 more people across the UK into poverty - including 50,000 children. "With around half of all children in poverty in Scotland living in a household with a disabled person, the changes threaten to undermine the progress that we are making to reduce child poverty, and the work of the UK Government's Child Poverty Taskforce. 'That the UK Government is prioritising deep cuts to disabled people's support is made even worse by their failure to abolish the two-child limit, which is estimated to have pushed more than 35,000 children into poverty since July last year." The Labour Government is set for a stand-off with its own MPs over the cuts, with many opposing them. UK Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said: 'Our social security system is at a crossroads. Unless we reform it, more people will be denied opportunities, and it may not be there for those who need it. 'This legislation represents a new social contract and marks the moment we take the road of compassion, opportunity and dignity. 'This will give people peace of mind, while also fixing our broken social security system so it supports those who can work to do so while protecting those who cannot – putting welfare spending on a more sustainable path to unlock growth as part of our Plan for Change.'
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
Winter fuel payments Scotland: Who is eligible for the payments? How much will they get?
Take a look at the details of the Scottish Government's new winter fuel payment scheme. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Scottish Government has released the details of its new winter fuel payment after pledging to match the UK government's scheme. Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville insists pensioners on lower incomes will now be better off than those in the rest of the UK. However, it appears those on higher incomes may now see their payments taken away completely. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Scotsman takes a look at what the decision means for Scottish pensioners. The Scottish Government has unveiled its winter fuel payment scheme. How much will pensioners receive? All pensioners with an income of less than £35,000 will receive £203.40 per household. If the household includes someone over the age of 80, this will rise to £305.10. What about those on higher incomes? It is understood the payments will now no longer be universal and pensioners with an income over £35,000 will receive nothing. Initially the Scottish Government had pledged that all pensioners would receive at least £100. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Liz Smith, the Scottish Conservatives' social security spokeswoman, said: 'The SNP, like Labour, shamefully betrayed pensioners by axing universal winter fuel payments, before being forced into a humiliating climbdown by the public outcry. 'This latest announcement means that hundreds of thousands of Scots will not have the payment even partially restored - despite John Swinney's promise that they would. This latest slap in the face will not be forgotten or forgiven by the pensioners affected.' How many pensioners will be eligible? The Government estimates around 720,000 Scottish pensioners will benefit from this announcement. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad How does this compare to England and Wales? Pensioners in England and Wales with an income less than £35,000 will receive £200, and if they are over the age of 80 they will receive £300. The difference between the Scottish and English schemes is negligible. However, the Scottish Government can technically now claim they are offering more than the UK government is. What happens now? The Scottish Government will now withdraw its previous proposals, which are being considered by the Scottish Parliament. Work will also go on behind the scenes to ensure those on higher incomes do not receive this payment. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ms Somerville said: 'We are in discussion with the UK government to extend the proposed arrangements in England and Wales to recover payments from those pensioners with an individual income of more than £35,000 through the tax system. Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville | Jane Barlow/Press Association 'The intention is that the payment will be recovered automatically, and pensioners will not need to register with HMRC for this or take any further action. 'This approach ensures a higher level of support, which those most in need will receive.' What happened to winter fuel payments? One of the first things the Labour UK government did after winning last year's general election was axe universal winter fuel payments. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Chancellor Rachel Reeves said it was necessary to restrict the payments to those in receipt of pension credit only after discovering a £22 billion black hole in the public finances. There was an immediate outcry, with the SNP branding the decision a 'betrayal'. The Scottish Government immediately said it would mitigate the cut and continue to provide universal winter fuel payments to pensioners.
