Scottish Campaign on Welfare Reform

CPAG in Scotland along with Citizens Advice Scotland, Poverty Alliance, One Parent Families Scotland and others coordinate the Scottish Campaign on Welfare Reform (SCoWR). SCoWR was set up in 2006 to highlight the concerns of this diverse coalition of organisations in Scotland to the UK Government’s Welfare Reform proposals.

To date over forty organisations in Scotland, including Oxfam, Barnardos, Children 1st, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Unison, the STUC and Scottish church groups have signed up.

• Find out more about SCoWR and show your support by joining the campaign (528 PDF file)
  

Campaigning

In April 2009, SCoWR issued a briefing in advance of the Lords second reading of the Welfare Reform Bill, calling for a delay in Scotland in the introduction of the Bill’s provisions relating to 'work for your benefit' and the abolition of income support until such time as adequate affordable childcare is in place.

In February 2009, SCoWR issued a briefing supporting amendments to the Welfare Reform Bill tabled by John Roberston MP at Committee Stage in the House of Commons seeking, at the very least, Ministerial commitment not to introduce new “work for your benefit” or “work related activity” conditions until such time as Ministers are satisfied adequate, affordable and flexible childcare exists across Scotland.

In January 2009, SCoWR issued a briefing in advance of the second reading of the Welfare Reform Bill highlighting our concerns that the proposed reforms to welfare provision will fail to tackle poverty and, in some cases, may even exacerbate it.

In October 2008, SCoWR wrote to the Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions at the conclusion of the UK Government’s Green Paper on Welfare Reform ‘No-one written off: Reforming welfare to reward responsibility’. The letter highlights that the proposals could push poor people further into poverty, at a time when they are already bearing the brunt of a downturn in the UK economy, and expresses concerns on four particular issues:

• the increase in conditionality attached to benefits entitlement
• the inadequacy of current levels of benefit
• fears about the adequacy of resources available to support the proposals
• a lack of consideration for devolved aspects of welfare reform

Previously, SCoWR sent a letter to all Scottish MPs [186 KB PDF] in 2006, lobbying them on three areas of particular concern:

• Compulsion of individuals
• Adequacy of benefit levels
• Resources available for reform

In addition a postcard (view postcard 975 KB PDF) campaign was launched highlighting key concerns about the proposals and urged individuals to use the postcard to contact their MPs. In 2007 the coalition also responded to the Green Paper 'In work, better off' (52 KB Word doc)

Press Releases

• Scottish parents 'penalised' by UK Welfare reforms 24.02.09
• “Re-think welfare reforms in face of jobless rise” demand campaigners 12.11.08
• “Punitive and undignified” – Welfare Reforms risk hurting the poorest, warn anti-poverty groups 22.10.08 (70 KB Word doc)
• Making Welfare Work? Welfare Reform proposals "found wanting", say campaigners as consultation closes 31.10.07
• Welfare reforms risk hurting the poorest, warn anti-poverty groups 18.04.06 (44 KB Word doc)
• Scottish coalition continues to target MPs to support campaign on Welfare Reform: Photocall 29.05.06 (37 KB rtf file)
  

Media Coverage

SCoWR has received extensive media coverage on Scottish television, radio and in national, local and specialist press. See for example:

• Glasgow tests benefits 'revolution' in drive to get thousands back to work 11.12.08
• Coalition to fight welfare reforms 24.10.08
• Welfare reforms risk hurting the poorest 18.04.06
• Coalition claims back-to-work reforms could force people into poverty 18.04.06
• Groups form coalition against welfare reforms 21.04.06
• Fighting a Scottish campaign for the 21st century 21.04.06

For more information on the Government's Welfare Reform proposals see www.cpag.org.uk/welfarereform/

For more details on the SCoWR contact:
John Dickie,
Head of CPAG in Scotland,
jdickie@cpagscotland.org.uk
Tel: 0141 552 3656