“INCREDIBLY worrying” figures have emerged showing not one woman in Scotland is in receipt of split payments of Universal Credit.
The benefit, which replaces six others, has now been rolled out to every area in the country after initial trials in areas like Inverness.
Paid per household, it goes into a single account and campaigners have lobbied the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to address this urgently to prevent vulnerable women and children from having their cash controlled by abusive partners.
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Women’s groups say the current set-up could isolate victims and make it financially impossible for individuals to leave harmful relationships.
Split payments can be arranged on request, but experts including Women’s Aid say this could leave women open to further danger when the move is discovered by controlling or violent men.
Now it has emerged that no women in Scotland are receiving split payments.
The confirmation comes in newly published statistics from the DWP.
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The Scottish Government is already in talks with Westminster to address the situation for claimants north of the border.
But ex-Health Secretary Shona Robison MSP says the matter is of UK-wide concern.
The Dundee City East MSP said: “The Universal Credit system leaves victims of domestic abuse open to financial control.
“It’s incredibly worrying that not one recipient of Universal Credit in Scotland receives split payments. Women’s groups have made clear time and time again that this system must be changed to protect vulnerable victims of domestic abuse from further harm.
“Our welfare system should be designed with the safety and security of those who receive support in mind.
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“While the Scottish Government have opened discussions with the DWP to change the system in Scotland, a simple amendment by the Tories at Westminster could offer protection to women UK wide.
“Alongside my SNP colleagues at Westminster, I will continue to push the UK Government to introduce separate Universal Credit payments as the default.”
In August, Work and Pensions Committee chair Frank Field said the government “must acknowledge the increased risk of harm” of Universal Credit to claimants living with domestic abuse, adding: “This is not the 1950s.”
At the time, the UK Government said it takes domestic abuse “incredibly seriously” and is “continuing work to look at how we can improve universal support”.
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