An independent Scottish Government pledges to abolish the bedroom tax, stop PIP and Universal Credit roll out and embed equality and human rights in Scotland's written constitution.
"Scotland’s Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland", published by the Scottish Government, outlines the case for independence prior to the Scotland’s referendum on 18 September 2014. Its plans for the following are:Benefits
- abolish the “bedroom tax” within the first year of the first independent Scottish Parliament
- halt the further roll out of Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments in Scotland
- ensure that benefits and tax credits increase at least in line with inflation to avoid the poorest families falling further into poverty
Child care
- increasing female and parental participation in the workforce through a transformational expansion in childcare provision. By the end of the first independent Scottish Parliament, every three and four year old and vulnerable two year old will be entitled to 1,140 hours of child care a year. This is the same amount of time as children spend in primary school in a year (the equivalent of 30 hours per week over 38 weeks).
Human rights
- The Scottish Government is proposing that equality and human rights should be embedded in Scotland's written constitution. Existing legislation, protection and rights will be maintained on independence. Changes will be subject, as now, to consultation and democratic decision-making, including equality impact assessment.
Income tax
- The first steps towards a fairer tax system by ensuring that basic rate tax allowances and tax credits rise at least in line with inflation, and ending of the married couples tax allowance and abolishing the Shares for Rights scheme
Minimum wage
A Fair Work Commission and a guarantee that the minimum wage will rise at least in line with inflation. Over the last five years, this would have improved the earnings of the lowest paid Scots by the equivalent of £675.Pensioners
- set up an Independent Commission on the State Pension Age to consider the appropriate State Pension Age for Scotland over the long term – life expectancy in Scotland is lower than for the rest of the UK
- uprate the State Pension by the triple lock from 2016. This means that pensions increase by average earnings, CPI inflation, or 2.5 per cent – whichever of these is highest – and provides protection for the value of pensions over time
- ensure that from 6 April 2016, new pensioners will receive a Scottish single-tier pension, set at the rate of £160 per week – £1.10 a week higher than the rate currently expected for the UK
- retain the Savings Credit (the full Savings Credit payment is currently £18 per week for a single person) benefiting around 9,000 low income pensioners
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