Social Security Benefits and tax credits - recent activity

Social security benefits and tax credits are the biggest area of concern for CAB clients. Enquiries about different benefits account for one third of all queries dealt with by the CAB service in Scotland.  Problems range from complicated application forms and difficulty understanding who is entitled to different benefits, through to helping clients appeal against decisions made by the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs.

Because social security benefits and tax credits are such a big issue for our clients, working to achieve change in this area is also a major part of our social policy work. Visit our publications homepage to find out more and see what other work we've been doing in this area.

Last year CAS produced an evidence report, Paying the price: The real costs of illness and disability for CAB clients. Based on a detailed survey of CAB clients claiming Incapacity Benefit and Disability Living Allowance, the report looks at clients' experiences of benefit claiming, as well as the impact that illness and/or disability has on employment and personal finances.  You can also read a two-page summary of the research. A briefing was held for Scottish MPS in Westminster, at which the main findings of the research were highlighted and discussed in the wider context of welfare reform.

One of our key areas of work over the last year or so has been in relation to the UK Government's proposed welfare reforms.  We produced a written consultation response to the DWP's green paper, and have also taken the lead - alongside Capability Scotland, Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland and the Poverty Alliance - in co-ordinating the Scottish Campaign on Welfare Reform (SCoWR).  Our campaigning work has resulted in some positive changes being made to the Bill by the House of Lords.  For instance, decisions on sanctions will remain with Jobcentre Plus and not be given to organisations contracted to provide back to work support.

Another key area of work has been in relation to problems with Jobcentre Plus, the arm of the DWP that provides services to people of working age. We have provided evidence to the Work & Pensions Committee about problems with telephone claims for benefits and, most recently, about problems with the social fund.

Since November 2005, CAS has been the only Scottish organisation represented on the HMRC's tax credit consultation group.  CAS contributed to Money with your name on it?, a CAB service report looking at clients' experiences of claiming tax credits, and we have produced a briefing sheet examining the interaction between tax credits and debt problems.

CAS works with the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland to administer the Scottish Social Security Consortium, a forum for voluntary organisations with an interest in social security issues.

Contact us to find out more about our social policy work.