New powers over welfare but how will parties make sure Scotland benefits?

The economist John McLaren, in a report for Unison yesterday, analysed the impact of UK Government austerity policies and found that better off areas had suffered less than the poorest ones, while specific groups such as single parents have suffered disproportionately.

The next Scottish Government will have powers to change some of this, with powers to vary elements of the new benefit Universal Credit, end the bedroom tax, increase Carers' Allowance and even create new benefits of its own.

Those who have spent time at Holyrood vocally opposing George Osborne and David Cameron's austerity programme as misguided now have a chance to do something about it. It should be said that the SNP claim that many significant policy areas - such as controversial sanctions imposed on benefits claimants for failing to jump through hoops - are retained at Westminster, leaving MSPs with one hand tied behind their back.

Decisions on 85 per cent of UK welfare spending will continue to be made in London, according to the SNP.

Nevertheless, the SNP's proposals are perhaps the most advanced. A new social security agency pledged by the Scottish Government last month will administer payments, and the SNP says it will introduce clear timescales for decisions and a transparent appeal procedure. If returned to government, the SNP will ditch the bedroom tax and mitigate concerns about universal credit by allowing the benefit to be paid direct to social landlords and the frequency of payments to be varied. The Party will restore benefits to 18-21 year olds, and increase Carers' Allowance to the level of Job Seekers' Allowance.

Perhaps most significantly the party has insisted that it would ensure principles of fairness, dignity and respect are at the heart of the social security system. This applies equally to the responsibility for employability, which is also being devolved. The next Scottish Government will be able to create an alternative to the loathed Work Programme, although with millions less to spend than expected, due to late cuts imposed by George Osborne.

There isn't any sign in the manifesto of the pledge from last year's Westminster campaign to support a cost of living increase for all welfare benefits and tax credits, but nobody is making such bold statements this time around.

Indeed there is a familiar look to a lot of the other parties' policies. All are thinking of increasing Carers' Allowance in some form, most pledge to reform Universal Credit in similar ways. The SNP and Labour both plan to abolish the '84 day rule' which sees benefits stopped for disabled people who are hospitalised for lengthy periods.

Labour would design a new social security system for Scotland and scrap the bedroom tax, while the Greens plan plenty of reform - a redesigned carers' allowance, a new Scottish benefits system established once a social security commission has ruled on the principles behind it. A redesigned not-for-profit work programme would see employability support provided by the voluntary sector.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats say their redesign will be founded on respect for people's dignity, will be accessible and fair and geared to the needs of Scotland. It will scrap the bedroom tax, and stop the constant reassessment of people with long term conditions. It will allow Universal Credit to be paid to landlords.

Only the Scottish Conservatives stray much from this common path, pledging only to explore changes like raising carers' allowance to the level of Jobseekers' Allowance and reviewing the attendance allowance. The party stresses the welfare system should support Scotland's most vulnerable people, but prioritises help for people to get back into work.

The new powers give Scotland 'unprecedented control' the Conservatives point out, but it is no surprise that they aren't planning a major divergence from the course being steered by their ministerial colleagues in Westminster, which is perhaps no surprise.

Overall, the welfare plans of the parties are hard to distinguish between and much will depend on how they are delivered.

Charities and groups working with struggling families have broadly welcomed what is on offer, many desperate for any change after a decade of horror stories about punitive sanctions, incompetent medical assessments and thousands of people suffering cuts to benefits or losing them altogether.

Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance, says many of its key ambitions have been picked up by political parties. The Green Party's pledge to top up child benefit is highlighted as particularly welcome. However he reflects a general view that overall the proposals being made to reform welfare are underwhelming.

"There appears to be a degree of consensus from all the parties on the need to increase Carers Allowance when that power comes to Scotland. This was an important signal that where we get new social security powers, the political parties are willing to use them, " he says. "However, we would wanted to see other commitments from across all the parties to use some of the new powers more creatively.

“More could have been said on how we increase benefits for working age adults and disabled people.

How pledges to ensure the system treats people with more respect and dignity can be delivered in practice is the real test, he claims.

Many would agree. It will be a major disappointment if Holyrood ends up ensuring claimants are treated respectfully, but all that changes is that if you fail to qualify for help with your disability you are told so with a smile, or you are addressed with respect, while an adviser sanctions your benefits payment.