Latest news with #EricaYoung
The Herald Scotland
05-07-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Compassion should be at the heart of welfare reform
We must remember that people affected by these issues are already struggling to cope: 67% of those seeking advice from a Scottish CAB have a disability or long-term health condition which adds significant financial and emotional cost to their lives, especially for those in remote and rural communities. People don't have enough to live on; many are grappling with debt and destitution. And such poverty is both a consequence and cause of disability and ill health, meaning the need for social security has grown alongside poverty rates. As things stand, there will be no changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) until a review has been completed in late 2026. Importantly, the UK Government has now pledged in the meantime to engage in meaningful consultation with disabled groups about future welfare provision. This is vital. It should have happened in the first place. Sick and disabled people must be able to help shape the policies that will have such a profound effect on their lives and livelihoods. We hope the review will learn from a similar review conducted into Scotland's equivalent of PIP, Adult Disability Payment. It remains unclear what impact the reforms will have on devolved social security in Scotland. Complexity could be added to the system, making it more difficult for people to claim payments they're entitled to. It is imperative the UK Government works closely with the Scottish Government to avoid this. The bill now moves to the next stage of Parliamentary scrutiny; there will be more opportunities to shape the legislation in the coming months. We remain deeply concerned about many of the changes, and the holes that they could create in the social security safety net. Holes that many could fall through, including people with fluctuating health conditions, or those who experience sudden injury or illness and are unable to work or need recovery time. Social security is an investment in all of us. It should be both a safety net and a springboard; enabling people to realise their potential and providing support during the storms of life that any of us could experience. The UK Government must work collaboratively now; to map out how social security can be reformed in a way that's not just about cost-cutting but social justice too. We're talking here about some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Compassion should not be an optional extra in this process. It should be right at the heart of it. Erica Young is part of the social justice team at Citizens Advice Scotland
The Herald Scotland
26-04-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Preparing for the arrival of Pension Age Disability Payment
The payment is available to all pension-age people living in Scotland, regardless of their financial circumstances. The 169,000 older people already receiving Attendance Allowance do not need to do anything as awards will be transferred automatically. As Scotland's largest independent advice network, we're ready to support people to navigate the change. From January-March this year, we advised 7,449 people about Attendance Allowance with seven in 10 assisted with eligibility and application process enquiries. PADP represents the maturing of Scotland's social security system. Like Attendance Allowance, the amount of PADP a person receives depends on their care needs. Care is defined as a requirement for frequent attention, or supervision, from another person. A lower payment is made if either daytime or night-time care needs are established, and a higher payment is provided if both apply. Unlike Attendance Allowance, PADP is open to anyone eligible who has a terminal diagnosis, no matter how long they're expected to live. The application is also designed to be easier to navigate, it includes prompts to help applicants understand what information to include. It is also easier for someone else, like a family member or an adviser, to help a person to put in an application. We can, and must, be ambitious for our older people. And while we largely welcome this change, we're disappointed to see that PADP excludes mobility issues. This has a huge impact on older communities. For example, our advisers have pointed out that many older people are incurring additional transport costs because they have stopped driving. There are also more older people living in rural areas, where there can be fewer public transportation and housing options. These older people are at risk of extreme social isolation. One adviser movingly recounted to me the experience of an older person who felt that their world had 'got a little smaller' since losing their leg to an amputation and lacked funds to alleviate isolation. It can be challenging to understand mobility in the context of what might be ordinarily expected as part of the aging process. From enabling work or volunteering to enjoying coffees with friends, everyone should be able to get around in older age so they can remain part of and enrich their communities and avoid isolation. Financial support for older people who have mobility needs could play a transformative role in enabling dignity, independence and allowing people to flourish throughout life. It can help older people weather storms such as bereavement and other life events. Only with a vision for social security bold as this can the goal of a Scotland in which all can thrive be realised. Erica Young is senior policy officer in the social justice team at CAS
