The Smith Commission and beyond: the devolution of housing benefit to the Scottish Parliament

Any additional powers devolved to the Scottish Parliament must be devolved in a holistic manner. This must be driven by a will to link up extra powers with devolved areas to reduce poverty and inequality generally and to tackle homelessness and housing need specifically.

Further devolution must be matched with fiscal and economic powers. The Scottish Parliament must be fully responsible and accountable for any additional social security powers devolved to it.

Full devolution of housing benefit provides the opportunity to shift the balance in spending from demand-side to supply-side housing subsidies. Devolution of housing benefit should be driven by a will to, over time, shift housing subsidies from housing benefit to house building with transitional protection for current housing benefit claimants.