Early Warning System (Scotland)

Early Warning System in Scotland

EWS

The Early Warning System (EWS) was set up by CPAG in Scotland to collect and analyse case evidence about how changes in the benefit system are affecting the wellbeing of children, their families and the communities and services that support them.

We analyse queries made to our advice service, submissions from frontline workers, including welfare rights advisors, housing officers and support workers.

In partnership with Dr. Morag Treanor of the University of Edinburgh, we have also been working with a group of low income families over a number of years to gain an in-depth understanding of how poverty and benefit changes are affecting child and family wellbeing.

The cases and research are enabling us to develop and share our knowledge on the impact of changes to the benefit system and to identify how policies and services in Scotland can continue to contribute to delivery of better outcomes for children.

Read all our Early Warning System (Scotland) briefings

Go to policy briefings and consultation responses informed by Early Warning System evidence

Submit your cases

For further information about the Early Warning System findings or contributing case studies, please contact:

Kirsty McKechnie

Tel: 0141 611 7091

Email: kmckechnie@cpagscotland.org.uk

This project is supported by Children, Young People & Families Early Intervention Fundervention Fund, managed on behalf of the Scottish Government by CORRA foundation.

Submit case studies

Latest from the Early Warning System in Scotland

Latest findings from the Early Warning System – July/August 2020

This briefing includes issues with UC calculations, tax credit claimants migrating to UC prematurely, disabled people financially disadvantaged by the lack of work capability assessments being carried out and migrants experiencing hardship due to restrictions on benefit entitlement.

Mind the Gaps: Social security during the pandemic

21 August 2020

We have seen a significant government response to the financial hit many have faced because of the coronavirus – from the job retention scheme and self-employed income support scheme to the increase in universal credit (UC) and tax credits. While many families will have benefited from the stability and certainty these welcome interventions have given them, they have not been comprehensive. We are always most worried about the people who fall through the gaps.

Benefit cap Benefit levels Blog Children’s benefits Coronavirus Disability benefits Early warning system Early warning system (Scotland) Free school meals Sanctions and conditionality Tax credits UK Universal credit Work and pay

Mind the gaps - briefing 12

This is the twelfth in a series of regular briefings, Mind the Gaps, which highlight some of the gaps in support that exist for children and families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Evidence of these gaps is drawn from our Early Warning System (EWS) which collects case studies from frontline practitioners working directly with families on the problems they are seeing with the social security system.

Briefing Coronavirus Disability benefits Early warning system Early warning system (Scotland) Tax credits UK Universal credit Work and pay