Meeting of the Parliament 23 April 2025
Our benefits bill is not related to whether people are in or out of work—with the greatest respect to Mr Hoy, I think that he is conflating different issues. Our benefits bill is dictated by whether people are disabled, are carers or are on a low income. Unfortunately, as we often see, many of those who rely on the Scottish child payment have parents who are in employment. It is important that we bear in mind the eligibility criteria for our benefits. Of course we want to see people going into employment—that is exactly why we have put £90 million in the budget to assist with that.
It is important that we recognise the impact that mitigation has on the Scottish Government budget, amounting to £210 million this year. The modelling estimates that as we move forward to mitigate the two-child cap in 2026, that will reduce the number of children who are living in relative poverty by 20,000, which will also have an impact on our budget for social security.
We are committed to ensuring that Scotland’s finances remain on a sustainable trajectory, and we will publish our next medium-term financial strategy later next month, alongside a fiscal sustainability delivery plan. In conclusion, however, it is time for the UK Government to wake up to the reality and the impact that its reforms are already having on people in our society, in particular disabled people. That is not a viable or credible way to create a strong economy. It is not too late for the UK Government to change course and listen to the experience of those who will be impacted, and to the evidence from charities and academics, and change its mind.
I call on the UK Government to follow the Scottish Government’s lead to protect and enhance the social security safety net rather than dismantling it and stigmatising people who need support. I go back to the question that I raised at the start: what is social security for, and what is Government for? It is there to protect and to support people, and that is exactly what this Government will continue to do.
I move,
That the Parliament calls on the UK Labour administration to immediately scrap its damaging social security reforms, as announced in the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper; highlights the UK Government’s own impact analysis, which shows that 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, will be pushed into poverty under these plans, and notes the Resolution Foundation’s report that lower-income households are set to become £500 a year poorer, following the UK Government’s Spring Statement 2025.
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