Universal Credit move 'to benefit 700,000 homes'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-38781777

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The Scottish government has said up to 700,000 homes will benefit from its plans to make Universal Credit payments more flexible.

Under the plans, ministers will use new powers to give claimants the option to be paid fortnightly instead of monthly.

The government also plans to offer to pay housing benefits direct to landlords rather than via claimants.

The move is the first use of the social security powers devolved under the Scotland Act 2016.

The Scottish government announced earlier this month it would use new welfare powers to make payments of the reserved benefit more frequent and adaptable.

Responding to a parliamentary question by SNP MSP Graeme Dey, Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman said between 650,000 and 700,000 households could benefit from the changes by 2022.

Mr Dey said: "While the majority of social security powers remain reserved to Westminster, we're determined to use our powers to make the system fairer where we can.

"These reforms will provide the flexibility that claimants have told us they need, and in doing so it will help hundreds of thousands of families to manage their household budgets."

Opposition parties have claimed that the Scottish government has been too slow to make use of its new devolved powers.