Scottish child poverty campaigners “seriously concerned” about Cameron’s welfare proposals

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland today expressed “serious concerns” about proposals for welfare reform reportedly to be unveiled in a major speech by David Cameron tomorrow. According to media reports the Conservative leader will announce proposals for a "three strikes and you're out" rule for Job Seeker Allowance (JSA) claimants who turn down reasonable job offers alongside moves to increase testing for those claiming Incapacity Benefit (IB).

But according to the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland the proposals risk damaging the welfare safety net, undermining family security and plunging children and families into deeper poverty.

The Head of CPAG in Scotland, John Dickie, said

“Any family could find themselves needing the security of welfare support whether as a result of job loss, bereavement, illness or disability. Politicians should not seek to refocus the welfare system in response to abuse and fraud that hardly exists. Instead they should set out how they will improve the benefit safety net and tackle the lack of childcare, job insecurity, low pay and discrimination that actually prevents people moving into work.”

CPAG in Scotland believes the reported proposals are based on fundamental misconceptions about the benefit system. According to Mr. Dickie;

“Benefits are not easy to claim despite the impression given by some politicians. There are hardly any people getting benefits they are not entitled to, and those benefits are already hopelessly inadequate. The DWP requires people to jump through major hoops to demonstrate their entitlement, JSA claimants can already lose their benefit if they refuse reasonable offers of employment and IB claimants are subject to some of the strictest requirements in Europe, including assessment by DWP appointed doctors.”

Media contacts:
John Dickie, Head of CPAG in Scotland on 0141 552 3656 mobile 07795 340 618

Notes for editors

1. For media reports see: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=506465&in_page_id=1770 and http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7173453.stm