Scotland Welfare Rights Conference 2025

About this course

Our annual face to face conference returns to the University of Strathclyde's Technology and Innovation Centre, 99 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1 RD on Thursday 19 June 2025. 

About the conference

CPAG in Scotland’s annual Welfare Rights Conference is the key event for advisers and others to stay updated on Scottish and UK social security. This year, meet leading experts, policy makers, and politicians to learn about the latest developments, and join us in debates on social security policy and its impact on child poverty.

The conference features workshops on legal updates on Scottish social security, the latest on transfers to disability benefits, forthcoming improvements to carer benefits, migrant rights, housing cost support, tribunal representation, and universal credit migration. We look forward to a lively and informative day!

There will also be an exhibition area with a variety of helpful organisations to engage with: view this years exhibitors so far.

Programme 

You can attend two from a choice of seven expert workshops, both selected at the time of booking.  Once you have added your booking to the shopping cart, proceed to the checkout where you can select an AM and PM workshop. 

A conference ticket also includes refreshments, lunch and all conference materials. 

Workshops

ESA to UC – the final countdown

Frances Ryan Welfare Rights Adviser, CPAG in Scotland

Mark Willis Welfare Rights Adviser, CPAG in Scotland

This year sees the last stage of managed migration, as all remaining old-style income-related ESA claimants are being notified to claim UC. The most vulnerable or hard-to-reach claimants may be at risk as time runs out. This workshop will help prepare you and your clients for this process, with a focus on: 

• Enhanced support journey 
• Hospital inpatients, care homes, supported accommodation and appointees 
• Transitional elements 
• Permitted work  
• Changes affecting ESA after migration 

Housing costs – increasing support and reducing rent arrears

Barbara Donegan Welfare Rights Adviser, CPAG in Scotland

Kirsty McKechnie Early Warning System Project Manager, CPAG in Scotland 

Housing costs are often our single biggest outgoing, yet meeting these costs has become increasingly difficult for benefit claimants. This workshop looks at ways to maximise assistance from benefits and other payments.  It will also highlight situations which often cause housing debt, such as moving home at short notice.  What strategies can we identify to address such problems, and what impact will the proposed mitigation of the two-child limit have on renters and homeowners? 

Improving carer benefits

Angela Toal Welfare Rights Adviser, CPAG in Scotland

Paul Traynor Head of External Affairs (Scotland), Carers Trust 

This workshop will look at planned changes to Scottish carer benefits, including the carer additional person payment, Scottish carer supplement, and an extension to the young carer grant. We will discuss issues arising with carer support payment, such as its interaction with universal credit, and the rules around entitlement for those in education. There will also be an opportunity to hear about and discuss the priorities for unpaid carers for future improvements to carer benefits in Scotland. 

Migrants’ rights now

Henri Krishna Welfare Rights Adviser, CPAG in Scotland

Ali Lord Welfare Rights Adviser, CPAG in Scotland

Migrant groups’ rights vary depending on immigration status. Some have full access to benefits and some only have very limited access. Individual benefit rules can also limit access. 

This workshop will provide an overview of the rights of migrant groups now. It will highlight the types of immigration status and benefit rules that may restrict access to benefits. It will also look at recent changes to the law, policy and current problem areas.  

Moving to Scottish benefits – an update  

Moira Escreet Welfare Rights Adviser, CPAG in Scotland

David Hilber, Team Leader, Case Transfer Policy, Scottish Government

Kyle Murray, Team Leader, Procedural and International Policy, Scottish Government 

Many disability and carer benefits have already been transferred to Social Security Scotland. The launch of Scottish adult DLA and pension age disability payment means there are more to come. This workshop will provide an update on the progress of case transfer, look at the process for moving people on to these new benefits and consider the implications for claimants and advisers. We will also highlight planned changes, with a particular focus on people moving to Scotland from other parts of the UK.   

Scottish social security – legal updates

Alison Gillies Welfare Rights Adviser, CPAG in Scotland

Jon Shaw Welfare Rights Adviser, CPAG in Scotland

The Scottish government is making important changes to the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018, aiming to fix some known issues with the system. At the same time the Upper Tribunal for Scotland is deciding more cases, setting out how the rules should be interpreted.  This workshop will get you up to speed on the latest developments. It will look at changes to the Act, themes in the most recent caselaw, and practical issues for advisers resulting from Social Security Scotland’s interpretation of the regulations. 

Tribunals and claimant credibility

Simon Osborne Welfare Rights Adviser, CPAG

First-tier Tribunals can disbelieve what a claimant tells them. They can also use their observations of the claimant during the hearing to inform their decision, including where that is to the claimant’s disadvantage. When can a tribunal do these things? What protections are available for claimants? What can representatives do? This workshop looks at: 

• The sceptical tribunal – rejecting evidence and drawing inferences from observations at the hearing 
• Case law from the Upper Tribunal 
• The role of the responsible rep 

Exhibition space

We will have an exhibition space hosting exhibitors showcasing their work, products and services. View this year's exhibitors.

The exhibition package includes;

• One exhibitor place
• Attendance at all conference sessions including an AM and PM workshop
• A 4 foot table, table cloth and chair
• Lunch and refreshments

The cost of an exhibition package is £385 (plus VAT). Please note each additional person wishing to attend must book a separate delegate place. If you are interested in exhibiting at our conference please email [email protected]

'Really informative stalls from many different organisations and good speakers and workshops'

'As always, the calibre of speakers for both the main session and the plenary session was great'

'Informative sessions, great networking opportunities'