The new benefit Universal Credit is harming vulnerable Scots according to a new report from Citizens' Advice Scotland.
The charity said the introduction of the new system had revealed major problems which must be fixed before it is rolled out to more people on benefits.
Particular problems exist with delays in payments, unfair sanctions for those deemed to have broken the rules, and technology foul-ups, CAS said, while the transfer of some welfare powers to Holyrood could also cause problems.
Universal Credit brings together job-seekers allowance, housing benefit and half a dozen other benefits into one simplified system.
However CAS has spent a year analysing the impact of the new system on Scottish Citizen's Advice Bureaux clients, and said changes need to be made.
Spokesman Rob Gowans said "Anything that seeks to simplify the system and make it easier and more efficient has to be welcomed. So we have always supported the policy and we want it to work. We also understand that any new system is bound to have teething problems, and the government was right to roll out it slowly so that these could be identified.
"We are presenting the problems we have seen, so that they can be fixed. However, in the past Ministers have been slow to act in fixing such flaws, and often deny their existence, despite overwhelming evidence. If the problems we have identified are not addressed, then the system really could cause serious detriment to some of the most vulnerable people in our society."
The CAS report lists the flaws in three categories: problems in the design of the system, problems in its administration and possible future challenges. Other concerns include a six-week wait to receive a first payment, having claims primarily submitted online when around 20% of users struggle to use the internet and 'numerous' changes made to UC by George Osborne's 2015 budget and autumn statement.
The report comes as a separate report commissioned from the Department for Work and Pensions showed that cutting benefits does not encourage people to try harder to find work. The study, carried out in Oxford by the city council and the DWP suggested that every pound docked from a long term jobless claimant’s income through housing benefit cuts, reduced their chances of finding work by two per cent.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said:“The reality is that Universal Credit, which is now available to all single jobseekers across Scotland, is revolutionising welfare, with claimants moving into work faster and earning more than under the old system.
“We are working closely with Holyrood on the transfer of a raft of new powers on tax and welfare that delivers for the people of Scotland.”
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here