Alys Mumford from Engender says there is a principle around individual entitlements and women should have autonomy over their own finances.

Image source, bbbc

Ms Mumford says women are more likely to be economically dependent on men in Scotland and more likely to be victims of abuse.

She says refugee women and disabled women often have no access to their own finances, there are real practical examples where women are put in danger.

Kayleigh Thorpe from Enable Scotland agrees that a national body could help delivery of benefits.

Ms Thorpe says a "new agency gives an opportunity for a new ethos and a new culture".

She also agrees local authorities will have a key role to play.

John Dickie says there needs to be a national delivery agency for the devolved social security.

However there are really important roles for local government and the third sector in supporting the system.

Conservative MSP Adam Tomkins stresses that not all social security powers are being devolved only some are.

Mr Tomkins says the DWP and Job Centre Plus will continue to be key.

Nicola Dickie from COSLA says the delivery of benefits will be absolutely critical.

Rob Gowans from Citizens Advice Scotland agrees it is complex with multiple agencies having to be dealt with.

Mr Gowans says the agencies must confer with each other. 

Scottish Green MSP Alison Johnstone says most people seem to find it challenging accessing the current benefits system and asks if there should be a system in place where people are considered for all benefits when they apply.

Kayleigh Thorpe says Enable Scotland would be in favour of automatic entitlement and a more joined up system.

Ms Thorpe says this would make things a lot easier for benefit recipients and advisors. 

Rob Gowans says it is an extremely complicated system and there are benefits people may not realise they are entitled to.

He says the Citizens Advice Bureau would be behind anything that makes the system easier. 

Reevel Alderson
BBC Scotland Home Affairs correspondent

The Scottish government had limited powers over welfare until 5 September: 

• the Scottish Welfare Fund, which includes crisis and community care payments. These allow ministers to make small payments to alleviate short-term needs - or to provide goods such as washing machines and cookers to people who need to establish themselves in a home because, for example, they are fleeing domestic abuse or leaving prison.
• council tax reduction.
• discretionary housing payments. These have been used to reduce the effects of the so-called "bedroom tax" although they were not specifically designed for this.

Image source, Getty images

On 5 September the Scottish Parliament took on new powers which allow it to adapt the existing UK welfare system more closely to Scotland’s needs.

The new benefits for Holyrood will not be introduced immediately.  MSPs now begin the process of legislating for the new powers. 

So it will take a while before it all comes to fruition. Once there is legislation, they will be able to change:

• benefits in devolved areas such as health and education. The Scottish government has already said it wants to introduce early years and maternity allowances.
• topping up benefits. These could affect a range of benefits including Universal Credit, tax credits and Child Benefit. New powers mean Scotland could make changes to the timings of payments for Universal Credit and alter employment support as well. Poverty campaigners are calling for child benefit to be increased by £5 a week, which the Poverty Alliance said could reduce child poverty by 14%.
• The Scottish government said the changes to its welfare powers will mean it will control more than 15% (£2.7bn) of social security spending. The rest remains at Westminster. Ministers maintain that means they cannot redress all of the unfairness within the current system, but it is a start.

Alys Mumford from Engender says sanctions hit lone parents particularly hard, the majority of which are women.

Kayleigh Thorpe from Enable Scotland says people with learning disabilities are being asked to sign up to conditions they do not fully understand due to fewer staff.

Rob Gowans from Citizens Advice Scotland says gaps in income are a big concern with last year around 7,000 people being referred to food banks from CAS.

Mr Gowans says sanctions are one reason for that and there must be continued awareness raising for the Scottish Welfare Fund and the crisis grants it can supply. 

SNP MSP Ben Macpherson raises the issue of the sanctions regime.

John Dickie from Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland (CPAG) says clearly far too many families with children are being sanctioned ending up in hardship and having to use food banks.

Sanctions remain reserved but there are things the Scottish government could do to minimise their impact, he says.

Mr Dickie says it can ensure employability programmes are designed to meet peoples' needs.

Carer's Scotland, external exists to make life better for carers. Across Scotland today, more than 759,000 people are carers supporting a loved one who is older, disabled or seriously ill. Three in five of us will become carers at some point in our lives and, within our lifetime, there will be 1 million carers in Scotland.

Priorities:

1. Delivering a national system available to all that need it  
2. Smooth transition, clear timescales and communication  
3. Consideration of support individuals impacted by UK welfare reform   

Read the full submission here. , external

Simon Hodgson from Carers Scotland says there is enough post code lottery in support and the same benefit entitlement delivery must be across the whole of Scotland.

Mr Hodgson says creating two systems could double the number of people you have to speak to to get a benefit.

He says you should just be able to go to one person for all benefits and there is a danger in this new system.

The transition period is key and it must work for people says Mr Hodgson.

He says there must be clarity about when changes will happen as misinformation can cause people a lot of stress. 

Enable Scotland, external are a charitable organisation founded in 1954 by the parents of children who had learning disabilities in order to ensure that people who have learning disabilities have the same choices and opportunities in life as everyone else. 

Priorities:

1. To implement a connected and responsive social security system that facilitates complete access to all personal entitlements   
2. To improve access to the social security system by embedding a properly funded advice sector 
3. To improve the claim and decision making processes for disability benefits to improve accuracy of decision making  
4. To remove the suspension of the payability of disability benefits when a claimant has been in hospital for 28 days   

Read the full submission here, external.

Kayleigh Thorpe from Enable Scotland says it is important to look at social security entitlements that already exist and not just the new ones in isolation.

Ms Thorpe says it is about embedding the new benefits into the current system so that there is less disruption as it becomes increasingly complex.

Engender, external says women are twice as dependent on social security as men, with 20% of women’s average income coming from benefits and tax credits as opposed to 10% for men. 

The committee should focus on: 

1. GENDER MAINSTREAMING throughout social security

2. UNIVERSAL CREDIT PAYMENTS to be automatically paid to individuals not to one member of a household

3. ADEQUACY OF INCOME powers over social security could be used to advance gender equality

Read the full submission here., external

Alys Mumford from Engender says it is seen as regressive to have a household payment as it can disadvantage women and be dangerous.

Ms Mumford says she wants to see gender equality in Scotland's new social security system.

The Child Poverty Action Group, external suggests the committee should focus on:  

1. The Social Security (Scotland) Bill as the development of devolved social security will be a key focus.

2. Consideration of delivery of devolved benefits and the outcome of Stage 2 of the Scottish Government’s option appraisal for delivery should be a priority. 

3. The planned Child Poverty Bill for Scotland proposes enshrining ambitions to eradicate child poverty in legislation

4.  The roll out of universal credit – ongoing Introduction of the new benefit cap – November 2016 

5. Introduction of the new benefit cap – November 2016 

6.Two child policy – April 2017 

Read the full submission here, external.   

John Dickie from Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland (CPAG) says the administrative delivery is absolutely key.

Mr Dickie says he welcomes the Scottish government's consultation on the new powers.

He says he is disappointed the consultation does not look at the power to top up UK benefits. 

Citizens Advice Scotland, external suggests the Committee examine the following:  

• Ways of ensuring claimants have a positive experience of the new Social Security Agency, particularly in relation to communications methods, and communications approaches (how dignity and respect is reflected in practice). 
• Use of medical assessments and existing medical evidence in determining disability benefit awards. 
• The potential role of funeral payments in tackling funeral poverty. 
• Inter-governmental co-operation and practical possibilities and limitations around the use of Universal Credit flexibilities.  
•   The impact, and likely impact, of the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016, and associated changes, such as the reduction of the Benefit Cap and the removal of the ESA Work Related Activity Group announced in the UK Government’s 2015 Summer Budget and Autumn Statement. 
• Emerging issues from the rollout of Universal Credit across Scotland, including the six-week waiting period for a first payment; digital support for claimants; and issues caused by the ‘Full Service’ in Musselburgh and Inverness. 
• The impact of an increasing number of people experiencing gaps in income which cause them to require crisis assistance from a food bank. 
• Use of medical evidence in support of ESA and PIP claims.   

  Read the full submission here., external

Rob Gowans from Citizens Advice Scotland says the new powers in the social security bill must be a priority.

Mr Gowans says the new system must work well for people.

He says we must not lose sight of the system that already exists.