devolution

Improving social outcomes in Scotland: Devo Plus proposals for welfare devolution and reform

One of a series of papers prepared in the context of our second 'conversation', funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), on issues related to possible constitutional change in Scotland.

It summarises proposals for welfare devolution and how the provision of welfare can be simplified in order for users to better understand the source of the benefits they receive, and the constitutional rationale behind them.

Devolving housing benefit: a discussion paper

CIH Scotland and the SFHA commissioned the authors to write a short discussion paper that considers the scope and implications of devolving UK-reserved Housing Benefit (HB) to Scotland. The first section outlines the policy context and the second section explores the practicalities, risks and challenges of devolving housing benefit under current constitutional arrangements (that is, with social security treated as a reserved function).