Commenting ahead of today’s Westminster debate on Child Poverty in Scotland, CAS expressed concern about proposed changes to the rules around benefit backdating, arguing that financial hardship and eviction would be the “inevitable consequences”. The changes, which would see the maximum period of backdating for pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit reduced from 12 to three months, are due to be introduced from October this year. 

Instead, CAS is calling on the Government to support the Scottish Affairs Committee’s call for increased resources to tackle child poverty and highlights the need to simplify the tax and benefits system to ensure more people are aware of their entitlements. 

Speaking ahead of the debate, Kaliani Lyle, chief executive, CAS, said the proposed changes “punishes people we should be doing more to help.” 

She continued: “Many people are unaware they are entitled to housing benefit – or unaware there has been a mistake in their claim.  It regularly takes longer than three months for problems to emerge. These changes mean that the Local Authority can make a mistake and if it takes six months or more to resolve, the client will be liable for some of the rent arrears, as their housing benefit award can no longer be backdated more than three months.” 

Last year £1,890m of housing benefit and £1,960m of council tax went unclaimed. Lyle said that in the past year more than 30 per cent of the problems they dealt with related to social security benefits, and the 12 month backdating period “plays a critical role in bringing about positive outcomes for CAB clients.” 

She added: “I hope that the Secretary of State will reconsider these changes in light of the impact that this could have on already vulnerable people and the wider implications that this has in relation to tackling child poverty. If adults are unable to access the benefits to which they are entitled, inevitably, the welfare of their children will be affected.”