Ruth Maguire MSP welcomes new support available to help disabled people in Cunninghame South access Scottish social security.
Disabled people are now able to access a new advocacy service to get help, when applying for Scottish social security benefits.
The support is available to disabled people applying for any of Social Security Scotland’s current and future benefits including Child Disability Payment and Adult Disability Payment.
It also covers advocacy support for disabled people to access payments for families with children, people who need help to pay for a funeral, carers and young people entering the workplace.
This service will be delivered by the charity VoiceAbility and is entirely independent of the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland.
The Scottish Government has committed up to £20.4 million over the next four years to the provision of the new Independent Advocacy Service.
To enable them to deliver this service, VoiceAbility will create up to 100 new advocacy jobs across the country over the next four years, with a head office and dedicated training centre in Glasgow.
Commenting on the new support available Ruth Maguire MSP said:
“I welcome the launch of this new independent advocacy service, provided by VoiceAbility.
Disabled people in Scotland must be able to access the financial support, they are entitled to, with dignity and respect; this service will help to achieve this.
I anticipate this support will be of great benefit to my constituents, many of whom, have previously encountered challenges accessing benefits administered by the UK Government DWP.
This new service in Scotland is free to anyone who identifies as disabled and requires support to communicate. I would encourage constituents who could benefit from this support to contact VoiceAbility by calling on 0300 303 1660 or by visiting voiceability.org. “
ENDS
Ruth Maguire MSP 