SNP candidate for Renfrewshire North and West Natalie Don has highlighted a new survey from Social Security Scotland which reveals that more than four in five clients feel Scotland’s social security agency treats them with dignity, fairness and respect and shows that “people in Scotland shouldn’t be forced to accept toxic Tory policies.”
Over 3,000 clients took part in Social Security Scotland’s client survey - with 90% of people rating their overall experience as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.
Some of the feedback included clients describing their experience as “compassionate,” “1st class” and an “accessible and professional service.”
This is in stark contrast to the UK Government, that has been condemned by the UN’s special rapporteur. The UN have described the Conservative led UK Government’s handling of the welfare state and extreme poverty as an “ideological project causing pain and misery”. The Rapporteur has said that UK Ministers are in a “state of denial” over the impact poverty is having on one in five people in the UK.
SNP Candidate Natalie Don said:
“It is refreshing to see such positive feedback on Scotland’s social security system. Here in Scotland we have made a conscious choice to build a system that is built on the requirements of those who need it most, based on actual lived experience of poverty, and engagement with local communities across Scotland.”
The Scottish Government have already introduced game-changing policies to tackle poverty and support some of the most vulnerable families, including the Scottish Child Payment, the Best Start Grant and the Job Start Payment. It really is eye opening when you compare this with the countless Tory welfare cuts, callous disability assessments, DWP administrative errors, sanctions and completely out of touch and broken policies such as Universal Credit.”
“Right now the latest effort from the Tories is hanging on with everything they can to refuse people the £20 increase to Universal Credit they have received during the pandemic. They want people on the poverty line to be worse off, get into debt and need to go to food banks as has been outlined by the United Nations.”
“People in Renfrewshire North and West shouldn’t be forced to accept these disgraceful welfare decisions forced upon us by Boris Johnson. Scotland’s future can be your choice, with the full powers of independence, Scotland can continue to improve on our own social security system that is built on dignity, fairness and respect for everyone.”
