I joined SCoSS in 2019 when there were just five Scottish social security payments, not the fifteen or so we have now. As I am now in my final year on the SCoSS Board, it is interesting to look over the progress we have made during that time. Social Security Scotland had just been set up to get ready for the big transfers of people’s disability and carer benefits from the DWP. Our job at SCoSS was to scrutinise the legal rules that would say how these benefits work in Scotland, before the regulations were passed to the Scottish Parliament and became law.

We had to think how the rules would work in practice – would they be fair, would they support people the way that was intended and were they firmly based on human rights, dignity and respect. SCoSS has five members. We do have different work and life experience to draw on, but we rely very much on hearing from disabled people and carers.

A standout example for me was going out to meet unpaid carers to hear what they thought about the new Carer Support Payment which would bring in quite a few changes. They were generously open about their experience of caring for loved ones, and what helped or hindered them balancing that with other important things in life. Their insights really informed our thinking, especially about the needs of young carers. Our report took their views into account and directly influenced the Scottish Government. Thanks to them, our scrutiny was well informed and the policy and the end result for carers was all the better.

Now, with Scotland’s new social security system established, we’ll still be doing the job of scrutinising regulations – benefit rules are always changing. But our work is shifting more to our role in making sure the commitments to people in the Social Security Charter are met. We’ve started undertaking research on how people actually experience the system day to day. With my background in welfare rights, I’m very committed to helping make the system work well for people. It’s been a privilege to be part of SCoSS from the beginning and I’m grateful to have had the chance to be part of the start of this next chapter during my final year as a member of the Board.

Judith Paterson, Member of SCoSS