However, social security remained a reserved matter of the UK Government through the Department for Work and Pensions.

The Smith Commission following the ‘No’ vote to independence in the 2014 referendum recommended that authority over several areas of social security be transferred to the Scottish Parliament under a revised devolution settlement for Scotland.

[4] This Bill was passed on 25 April 2018 and received Royal Assent on 1 June 2018 as the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018.

[8] Child Disability Payment was launched as a pilot in Dundee City, Perth and Kinross, and the Western Isles in July 2021 and rolled out to the rest of Scotland in November 2021.

Adult Disability Payment rolled out in phases across Council areas from March 2022 and launched nationally in August 2022.

The benefit will be launched as a pilot in Argyll & Bute, Highland, Aberdeen City, Orkney and Shetland from 21 October 2024.

[15] The Scottish Government has taken over several benefits for people and families on low incomes from the Department for Work and Pensions.

Scottish Child Payment provides support for families on low incomes with children under 16 years old and in receipt of certain means-tested benefits, such as Universal Credit, Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, and certain legacy benefits.

[17] It was first introduced for eligible families with children under six, with applications open from November 2020 and first payments made in February 2021.

Labour's Chancellor Rachel Reeves insists they will not make unfunded spending commitments.

Social Security Scotland pays this automatically every six months, in June and December, without the need for applications.

This payment launched in September 2018 and will run until Scottish Government plans for a new Carer's Allowance are in place.

Social Security Scotland operates from the headquarters Agnes Husband House in Dundee and a large office on High Street, Glasgow.

[32] Now delivering twelve benefits as of March 2023, the Scottish Government committed £5.2 billion to Social Security policy for financial year 2023–24.