Good morning, and thank you for inviting us to today’s meeting of the Social Security Committee. As we will be discussing benefit take-up issues in more detail over the next hour or so, I will not go into specific points in relation to that now. However, I thought that it may be helpful to the committee if I made some general points by way of an introduction.
First, on behalf of the DWP, we welcome the committee’s interest in the work of both the UK and Scottish Governments on the take-up of benefits. Although our evidence will focus on benefits that are reserved, their interactions with the Scottish Government’s new and existing benefits are a key element of the services that the two Governments provide to the people of Scotland.
The benefits in the reserved benefits system divide broadly between those for people who are above the state pension age and those for people below it. In both groups, personal circumstances vary. My colleague Andrew Latto will explain how we will contact people as they approach the state pension age and about pension credit, which tops up the state pension for those who are eligible.
People who are below the state pension age and who make new benefit claims tend to come to us through universal credit, and we work closely with a wide range of organisations to provide support. For example, the agreement that we have with Citizens Advice Scotland provides support under help to claim. The committee will have seen evidence of a wide range of initiatives to increase take-up from similar organisations. You also spoke this morning about the role of local authorities, and we acknowledge their valuable work.
The DWP offers advice over the telephone or face to face, and we can make special arrangements to assist vulnerable people to access our services. Our own work coaches also offer tailored help at a local level via the Jobcentre Plus network across Scotland. The DWP also offers benefits for carers and for people with additional costs that arise from disabilities or health conditions. Those are now, largely, matters for the Scottish Government. We have already worked closely with it on the carers allowance supplement, and we will continue to work with colleagues at the Scottish Government to provide a smooth transition in areas such as the personal independence payment and disability living allowance. We are acutely aware that, as further benefits become devolved, people in Scotland will be receiving benefits from both Governments, and it is incumbent on us both to ensure that the customer receives the best service possible.
In the future, many pensioners will receive a state pension from the DWP and winter heating allowance from the Scottish Government. Some will also receive disability allowance from the Scottish Government and pension credit from the DWP. Many people with disabilities and health conditions will receive universal credit or employment support allowance and disability assistance from the Scottish Government. Many carers will receive carers assistance from the Scottish Government, topped up by universal credit. As the committee can see, there is a lot of interaction between the Governments, and, as a department, we are committed to ensuring a smooth transition.
We recognise that the social security system provides crucial support for many people. It is important that access to our services is as straightforward as possible and that people do not face unnecessary obstacles in applying for benefits to which they are entitled. We look forward to answering the committee’s questions on how we can achieve that.