Benefit Take Up Fund

Funded by the Scottish Government, work is progressing on an exciting project aimed at ensuring people living with a sensory impairment are aware of the significant changes happening in the field of social security in Scotland and what this means for them.

A number of benefits offered through the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) have been devolved and will be delivered by Social Security Scotland going forwards, along with a number of brand new benefits.

These benefits will be introduced in stages.  Some are already available including the Best Start Grant, Funeral Support Payment, Young Carer Grant and the new Job Start Payment.  Others, including Disability Assistance and Carer’s Assistance, are planned to roll-out over the next two years.

We will shortly be launching a series of factsheets in accessible formats to help people with a sensory impairment better understand what benefits have been (and will be) devolved, if they are eligible for these, how to apply and where to get further information and support.

We will also be running awareness raising sessions over the coming months for colleagues from other sensory impairment organisations, local authorities and for individual’s living with a sensory impairment themselves to make sure that as many people as possible are aware of the benefits they may be entitled to and how to access these.

The project is being led by Visibility Scotland in collaboration with VisionPK and seescape.

Natasha Johnston, Project Lead for our Benefits Take Up said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with seescape and VisionPK to ensure that people with a sensory impairment are able to access information on the benefits available from Social Security Scotland in a format that suits them.  By working with colleagues across the sensory impairment sector in Scotland we hope to reach as many people as possible to raise awareness of the benefits available and encourage uptake.”

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