The role of Scottish Social Security in Covid-19 recovery

Closed 14 Oct 2020

Opened 1 Sep 2020

Contact

Anne Peat

(Clerk)

Social Security Committee

SocialSecurityCommittee@Parliament.Scot

Published responses

View submitted responses where consent has been given to publish the response.

Overview

Image asking what role should social security play in Scotland's recovery from Covid-19

Thank you for sharing your views.

Your views will help us understand how Covid-19 has impacted people in Scotland and how Scottish social security can respond.

We want to understand how Scottish social security, and its part within the broader context of all UK social security, should contribute to the social and economic recovery from Covid-19 through support to those in or out of, or seeking, work with a focus on deliverable change from 2021 onwards.

  1. What will the economic downturn look like for different people in Scotland and how should Scottish social security support them through it? In the context of UK social security and of other ways of providing support, what is the role of Scottish social security in an economic recession? 
     
  2. Can, and should, Social Security Scotland do more than meet the expected increased demand for benefits and deliver on existing policy commitments? What should its ambitions be? Within the social security and borrowing powers available to Scottish Ministers what could be achieved and delivered? 
     
  3. If we look to do more, or differently, what are the relatively easier changes that could be made to Scottish benefits that would not require significant additional capacity in Social Security Scotland? 
     
  4. What changes could be made that would not require significant input from the Department for Work and Pensions (UK)? 
     
  5. What are the constraints and barriers to doing more in Scotland? 
     
  6. Should the main focus be on discretionary funds or on entitlements? In terms of recovery from Covid-19, is it more effective to provide support through discretionary funds allocated to local authorities or through demand led benefits delivered through Social Security Scotland? 

How to submit your views

Please submit your views via the submission form, linked to below.

The call for views will close on 14 October 2020.

If you need advice, please contact the Clerks on the email address:  SocialSecurityCommittee@parliament.scot

Before making a submission, please read our privacy notice about submitting your views to a Committee. This tells you about how we process your personal data.  If you are under 12 years of age, please read this privacy notice.

We welcome written views in English, Gaelic, Scots or any other language. 

Interests

  • SJSS