The Disability Claim Form

The motion

That the Parliament notes that the 5th issue of Inform, Citizens Advice Scotland’s Quarterly Social Policy Briefing, identifies social security benefits as the biggest category of problems dealt with by bureaux, with 133,272 enquiries; further notes that, of these, disability benefits amounted to 20,244 enquiries, income support 16,524 and housing benefit 12,274; recognises that disability benefits are a particular concern because of the complexity of the form and because decisions are sometimes contradictory, leading to some entitlements being removed altogether; notes that applicants may be charged up to £40 by their GP for a medical assessment; notes that the complexity of the application system is evidenced by the 10,510 repeat enquiries which bureaux dealt with in this area; commends the citizens advice service on representing 638 clients at disability appeals tribunals, two thirds of which had positive outcomes, and urges the Scottish Executive, against this background, to make representations to Her Majesty’s Government requesting that the application system be reformed without delay.

No recorded vote on this motion. Most motions are never debated, and many that are debated are agreed without a division. Vote records are published from 2011.

SNP 18 LD 1 SSP 1

Party shown is each supporter’s party when the motion was published.

No contribution in the Official Report cites S1M-01943 by reference.