First Minister signals opposition to Westminster sanctions in new bill

SCOTLAND’S SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM will oppose Westminster’s sanctions regime on claimants wherever possible, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has signalled. 

Report urges Scottish Government to adopt policy of non-compliance with the DWP

HOLYROOD should take advantage of new devolved powers to curtail the benefit sanctions regime, a new report has suggested.

The report, commissioned by the Scottish Greens, has suggested that the Scottish Government could exploit a loophole in the powers being transferred to the Scottish Parliament to limit the number of benefit sanctions applied.

Mass closure of job centres to hit local communities, MPs warn 

TEN VITAL JOB CENTRES, six in Scotland’s biggest city, will be closed by the Tory Government in the latest round of austerity cuts to public services. 

The hammer blow to those seeking support for work or social security support comes as a result of the latest review of services - and the desire to centralise services despite warnings from employees and local MPs. 

Rally calls for action from MSPs to resist the harm of Tory sanctions 

CAMPAIGNERS for a more just social security system rallied outside the Scottish Parliament today [Thursday 27 October] inspired by the message of Ken Loach's new film 'I, Daniel Blake’.

Reform supporters were supported by a cross-party group of MSPs, who gave their support to doing as much as possible to reform the social security system in Scotland when further powers are devolved over the next year. 

Jobseekers tell Scottish parliament how they were reduced to tears and bullied in job centres

MSPs heard personal accounts of the culture of fear and bullying in job centres from people on the Department of Work and Pension's (DWP) welfare-to-work programme.