A survey asking people about their experience with the benefits system has been launched by the Scottish Affairs Committee.
They are investigating the effect of the benefits system on people’s lives and on levels of hardship in Scotland.
Since the coronavirus pandemic hit the UK, the number of people claiming Universal Credit in Scotland has almost doubled to 474,000. The crisis has also caused delays in the rollout of Social Security Scotland’s replacement for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and the start of Child Disability Payments.
The Committee hopes the responses to the survey will shed light on whether the benefits system is working for people in Scotland and to expose problems they are experiencing.
The results will inform MPs about how to direct their ongoing probe into the impact of welfare policy in Scotland and anyone who has applied or has considered applying for any benefit scheme is encouraged to take part.
The survey is anonymous, although some responses may be published or read out in a public Committee meeting, or in the House of Commons - so don’t share any personal information.
There are nine questions in the survey, which is open until February 15,2021, and it should take around 10 minutes to complete.
Questions in the 'Is the benefits system in Scotland working?' survey cover:
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which benefits are being claimed
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how long it took to receive a payment
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how applicants found the process of applying for benefits
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whether communication about the benefit was easy to understand
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whether the money received is enough for basic needs
Pete Wishart, Chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee said: “Hundreds of thousands of people across Scotland rely on the benefits system to support their income. For some, it ensures they do not face insufferable hardship.
“It’s a priority of the Scottish Affairs Committee to ensure that this system works properly for people in need. That’s why it’s absolutely crucial that we get feedback from those with direct experience of the social security system to help us identify where the system is working, and where it is not.”
So, whether you’ve applied, are claiming benefits or have been put off the whole process, the Committee wants to hear from you.
Mr Wishart added: “The information you give us will help us understand the difficulties faced by people seeking financial assistance. With your help we can recommend practical steps that the Government could take to make the social security system more effective.”
You can take the survey online here.
