government publication

The impact of the Bedroom Tax in Scotland: interim report (fourth report of session 2013-14)

The removal of the spare room subsidy, also known as the bedroom tax or under occupation penalty, came into force on 1 April 2013. The aim of the policy was twofold: to reduce housing benefit expenditure, and to use existing public sector housing stock more efficiently.

The government estimated that 80,000 claimants in Scotland would be affected by the bedroom tax, with an average weekly loss of £12. This represented approximately 33% of the working age housing benefit claimants in Scotland.

The expert working group on welfare

The Expert Working Group on Welfare was established to review the Scottish Government's work on the cost of the current benefits system, their plans for delivery of benefit payments in an independent Scotland, and provide views on transitional issues that would be relevant to the continued delivery of benefit payments in the event of independence.

This report presents a preliminary forecast of benefit spending in Scotland through to 2017-18 that covers the actual costs of the payments to individuals, and the costs to government of administering these payments.

Draft self-directed support statutory guidance on care and support

Document that contains draft statutory guidance on the values, principles legal duties and powers associated with social care assessment, support planning and review. The guidance covers adults, children, young carers and adult carers. It has been developed by Scottish Government with contributions from a joint working group of key partners which included the Association of Directors of Social Work, Self Directed Support Scotland, Independent Living in Scotland, the Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland and the Carer’s Trust.