Spending on benefits controlled by the Scottish National Party (SNP) government has surged by nearly £2.3 billion in the past year, prompting accusations that the administration is "bankrupting Scotland" due to soaring costs. The SNP's social security agency paid out £5.8 billion to almost two million people in the last fiscal year, according to figures released by Social Security Scotland.
In the span of 12 months, the number of individuals receiving payments nearly doubled, while the total expenditure rose by 64 percent. The Scottish Conservatives have voiced significant concerns, with finance and social security spokesman Craig Hoy stating that the figures demonstrate the SNP's role in creating an "unsustainable welfare bill." He criticized the increase as unaffordable and unfair to taxpayers, adding that the trend cannot continue.
Social Security Scotland's report indicates that the total number of beneficiaries increased from 821,795 in 2023/24 to 976,320 in 2024/25, and then to 1,915,260 in the most recent fiscal year. The total value of payments saw a corresponding rise from £1.86 billion in 2023/24 to £3.58 billion in 2024/25, reaching £5.87 billion last year.
The Scottish Conservatives noted that total spending by Social Security Scotland has grown by 15,000 percent since its establishment in 2018. However, the Scottish Government contended this comparison is misleading, as the agency has since taken control of numerous newly devolved benefits. The agency has now disbursed over £12 billion to more than two million individuals since its inception.
Among the benefits administered, the adult disability payment was the most costly, with 517,835 recipients and an expenditure of £3.35 billion in 2025/26, an increase from £2.38 billion the previous year for 465,305 claimants. The surge in overall benefit claimants last year was partly attributed to the national rollout of the devolved pension age disability payment and the administration of the Scottish adult disability living allowance. Pension age winter heating payments were issued to over one million people, making it the most common payment.
A Scottish Government spokesperson defended the spending, emphasizing that social security serves as a vital safety net. The government stated it has consistently balanced its budget as required by law. The spokesperson cited an aging and increasingly unwell population, along with the UK Government's decision to raise the state pension age, as factors contributing to more individuals qualifying for the Adult Disability Payment for longer periods. The government also reiterated that comparing current spending to 2018/19 is misleading due to the addition of 16 benefits since then, compared to only two available in 2018. Additionally, the migration of Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits to the Scottish Government, including over a million one-off pension-age winter heating payments, influenced last year's figures.
