UK Government social security reforms: letter to Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

To: Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall

From: Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville

I write following the debate in the Scottish Parliament in which the members voted overwhelming in favour of the motion that calls on the UK Government to immediately scrap its damaging social security reforms announced in the ‘Pathways to Work’ Green Paper.

These plans are being carried out in pursuit of the UK Government's self-imposed 'fiscal rules'. Your own analysis shows that 250,000 people – including 50,000 children –will be pushed into relative poverty by 2029/30. You expect 3.2 million families to lose out financially, with an average loss of £1,720 per year. Ninety-six percent of those families losing out include a disabled person.

It is therefore reckless and totally unacceptable for the UK Government to press ahead with these proposals. Not least the expected severe impact these measures will have on all our efforts to end child poverty, completely undermining the work of the Child Poverty Taskforce.

I therefore reiterate the call of the Scottish Parliament and urge you to immediately scrap these damaging social security welfare reforms.