Recommendation 57

As discussed in Chapter two, there are different policy approaches and choices relating to reducing poverty through social security policies. This diversity creates different benefit administration and communication processes and responsibilities. We heard from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, that ‘We can make things work behind the scenes—and we certainly should do—to ensure that this is seamless for people and is not complicated for them any more than it needs to be, but they will still, I think, have a very different service experience when they approach the agency and when they approach the DWP.’124 The Joseph Rowntree Foundation stated in their written evidence that ‘the different policy choices in Scotland are positive and command public support. However, divergence also creates challenges: firstly, complexity – particularly for claimants but also for advice agencies seeking to advise them and each tier of the system (local, Social Security Scotland and DWP).’125 A consistent message that we heard in our evidence was that people experiencing poverty ‘do not care where their money comes from; they just care that they are getting it’126 so they can pay their essential bills and make ends meet. Reducing the complexity for people experiencing poverty