Benefits to rise in line with inflation

Key benefits administered by Scotland's new welfare system will rise in line with inflation.

Amendments to the Social Security (Scotland) Bill mean that disability and employment injury benefits will be annually uprated to ensure they hold their value in real terms.

The measure will be extended to carers' assistance when the Scottish social security agency takes over delivery of the payment, Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman said.

The Bill, which has reached stage two at the Scottish Parliament, will give the Scottish Government the power to deliver 11 devolved benefits through the new agency.

Holyrood's Social Security Committee has been considering a series of amendments to the legislation.

Ms Freeman said: “Today I was delighted to ensure that my commitment to annually uprate disability and employment injury benefits was placed in legislation and that this is extended to carers' assistance too.

“In Scotland, 600,000 people are in receipt of disability benefits and I want to ensure they hold their real-terms value.

“In addition I also brought forward amendments to ensure the value of all devolved social security benefits was reviewed every year.

“I am delighted to see cross-party consensus on this issue to back Scotland's disabled people and carers and ensure this guarantee to future-proof disability and employment injury benefits and carers' assistance.”

Labour amendments to deliver a child benefit top-up of £5 per week were rejected.

The party argued the move would lift tens of thousands of children out of poverty, but the committee voted against it.

Scottish Labour's social security spokesman Mark Griffin said: “Labour's amendment would have delivered a child benefit top-up of £5 a week, which would help families right across Scotland.

“The SNP and the Tories had the chance to lift 30,000 children out of poverty - but instead they aligned to stop it."