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Relationship between Social Security Scotland and the DWP
02 June 2026
Lead MP
Wendy Chamberlain
Debate Type
Adjournment Debate
Tags
Benefits & Welfare
Other Contributors: 1
At a Glance
Wendy Chamberlain raised concerns about relationship between social security scotland and the dwp in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
Ms Chamberlain raised concerns about the Department for Work and Pensions systems continually failing to understand and correctly account for Scottish carers who have an underlying entitlement to the Scottish Carer Support Payment. She highlighted cases of constituents facing wrongful deductions from their Universal Credit despite not receiving the support payment, causing significant distress and financial hardship. Ms Chamberlain emphasised the need for DWP staff training on how benefits work, better communication between DWP and Social Security Scotland systems, and swift action to address systemic errors impacting carers. She stressed that unpaid carers are overstretched and should not bear the burden of correcting DWP failures each month.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Mr Shannon agreed with Ms Chamberlain, noting the importance of ensuring that vulnerable constituents receive effective service from both Westminster and Scottish Governments.
Government Response
Mr Western acknowledged the concerns raised by Ms Chamberlain. He noted that while significant progress has been made in transferring benefits to Social Security Scotland, there are ongoing issues with communication and system integration between DWP and Social Security Scotland. The Minister committed to reviewing training for DWP staff and ensuring effective signposting to Social Security Scotland where appropriate. Mr Western highlighted the Sayce review findings on carer's allowance overpayments in England and Wales, indicating a broader issue within DWP rather than solely with Social Security Scotland. He confirmed that work is underway to modernise DWP services and align Scottish mechanisms, aiming for automatic benefit offsetting by the end of this Parliament but without providing specific timelines or additional funding commitments.
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Assessment & feedback
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