Independence: what you need to know

Social security

The Scottish Government has already established Social Security Scotland and delivered a radically different system to tackle the worst impacts of UK Government cuts and to tackle inequality and child poverty.  

Independence would let future Scottish Governments create their own benefits system which is based on our existing principles of dignity, fairness and respect.  

This would support: 

• reform of Universal Credit to make it fairer 

• the ability to protect pensioners 

• disabled people and unpaid carers 

• measures to tackle child poverty 

As a priority, this Scottish Government would make the social security system fairer by: 

• scrap the young parent penalty and the benefit cap 

• reduce the debt burden on families, replacing budgeting loans with grants 

• end benefit sanctions 

These changes aim to reduce poverty and provide better support for families, carers, and disabled people. 

Find out more:

• Building a New Scotland: Social security in an independent Scotland