Increase in social security benefits

Eight Scottish social security benefits will be increased by 6% from 1 April.

Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson has announced the rise in support for low income households and carers in light of the increasing cost of living pressures.

Benefits and assistance including Job Start Payment, Young Carer’s Grant, Funeral Support, three Best Start Grants and Carer’s Allowance Supplement were due to be uprated by 3.1% for 2022/23. Subject to parliamentary approval, the increases will now be almost doubled to a 6% uprate.

Ministers have already announced that Scottish Child Payment will double from £10 per week to £20 from 1 April, a 100% increase, while Best Start Foods rose from £4.25 to £4.50 a week in August (5.88%). Child Winter Heating Assistance, which was previously set to rise by 5%, will now also rise by 6%.

Mr Macpherson said:

“We are acting urgently in response to growing pressures on the costs of living, which were already rising and have now increased significantly again due to the illegal war in Ukraine.

“We will provide additional support as quickly as possible by further increasing several forms of devolved social security benefits and assistance - enhancing our planned 3.1% uprating to a 6% rise - and this will be implemented in just over two weeks’ time.

“The Scottish Government is determined to use the powers we have to move at pace to help those who need assistance most in these challenging times. The benefits we are uprating will support those on low incomes, particularly families and unpaid carers.”

Background

Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payment will still increase by 3.1% in line with the equivalent benefits (Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment) which are still administered by DWP under agency agreement. This is to avoid creating a two-tier system where individuals paid by Social Security Scotland are paid more than clients whose cases have not yet transferred to the Scottish system.

The Scottish Government is supporting families with the rising cost of living through its £41 million Winter Support Fund and £290 million package of measures including £150 for all households in receipt of Council Tax Reduction and those in Council Tax bands A-D and devolved employment support programmes.