The devolution of social security benefits in Scotland
The Smith Commission
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12937526 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Paul Spicker (0000-0001-8003-3459, Bridge University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2015 |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 17-28 |
| Publication date | 2015-02-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Poverty and Social Justice (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1759-8273 • E-ISSN: 1759-8281 |
| Publisher | Policy Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1332/175982715x14226074788880 |
| OpenAlex | W2317177671 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 1 |
The United Kingdom is a unitary state, and social security benefits are some of the most centralised services in it. The powers of the Scottish Parliament in relation to benefits have been heavily restricted, to the point where they have fewer formal powers than an English local authority. Despite that, the Scottish Government has sought to use the limited authority it does have to mitigate the effect of UK welfare reforms. Following the independence referendum campaign, and the commitment of all UK parties to devolve greater powers, various options for devolution have been discussed, including powers over particular benefits. There are financial and administrative constraints to overcome, and potential problems wherever benefits interact with each other. The Smith Commission has recommended limited devolution, including a range of benefits relating to disability and elements of housing support, along with a power to create new benefits. This has to be done within a firmly hierarchical structure of authority, and there is scope for conflict as the detailed terms are negotiated and clarified
Commission · Devolution (biology · Government (linguistics · Independence (probability theory · Parliament · Political science · Politics · Referendum · Scope (computer science · Social security · Sociology · State (computer science · Unitary state · Healthcare innovation and challenges · Law · Migration, Aging, and Tourism Studies · Public Administration · Social Policy and Reform Studies
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0.44 |
| Citation span | 2017 - 2022 (6) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |