Strengthening Scottish Social Security
Strengthening Scottish Social Security is a two-year project, funded by The Robertson Trust, that brought together the expertise of parents, carers, frontline advisers and welfare rights workers in Scotland.
Utilising participatory methods, the project explored why some families on a low income are excluded from or not benefiting fully from Scottish child payment and other Scottish family payments.
A final report setting out setting out the gaps and barriers to accessing support and corresponding policy recommendations developed by the project team and participants will be published here shortly.
Postcards to the Powerful (November 2025)
The project used creative participatory methods to bring parents and carers together to share their lived experiences of struggling to access benefits and develop policy recommendations for the Scottish government. Postcards to the Powerful showcases the messages and stories that participants wanted to share with decision makers with a view to ensuring more low-income families can access Scottish child payment.
What it Means to Miss Out (November 2025)
The project worked with Magic Torch comics and a group of participants to explore the complexity of navigating the benefit system and missing out on payment for their children due incorrect advice or policy gaps. What it Means to Miss Out brings to life the impact of missing out on benefits in the participants' own words and makes the case for why the project's policy recommendations should be prioritised.
Children's Benefits in Scotland: clearing up confusion to maximise take up - briefing (February 2025)
Families are missing out on benefits they are entitled to because of confusion about eligibility. This briefing raises the alarm about several myths and misunderstandings concerning Scottish child payment that advisers commonly hear from families.
Scottish Child Payment: The Gaps - briefing (July 2024)
Scottish child payment was introduced by the Scottish government in 2021 and the evidence is clear it is proving effective in reducing child poverty in Scotland. However, the eligibility rules for Scottish child payment means that it does not provide support for all families on low incomes.
This briefing identifies gaps where families are missing out on Scottish child payment altogether or are unable to rely on it consistently, and makes recommendations about how to fix this.
What it Means to Miss Out.pdf
Storyboards about the impact of missing out on Scottish child payment
Postcards to the Powerful.pdf
Messages and stories that participants wanted to share with decision makers.
Scottish Child Payment - The Gaps
This briefing identifies gaps where families miss out on Scottish child payment or are unable to rely on it consistently.
Clearing up confusion to maximise take up
Briefing highlighting that some families miss out on the benefits they are entitled to because of confusion about eligibility.
Contact
If you would like to discuss the project recommendations please contact: [email protected]