‘Benefits Scotland’ was rejected as the name of the country’s new Dundee-based welfare agency after focus groups found it too stigmatising.
Members of the public said the word “benefits” raises negative connotations of scrounging off the state.
The Scottish Government opted for Social Security Scotland as the title of the agency, which is to take control of 11 benefits from Westminster by 2021.
Referring to the benefits term, one panel member said: “We cannot have that word, it cannot be resurrected.”
Research by the Scottish Government on branding and language was carried out in November last year and June 2018 before the results were published on Thursday.
Its report said: “A number of participants felt that the word ‘benefits’ had negative connotations, that it is ‘conservative’, ‘intimidating’, that it doesn’t feel ‘safe’ or ‘comfortable’, and is associated with a lot of stigma.
“This included an association with terms like ‘hand-outs’, ‘scroungers’, ‘cheats’, ‘something for nothing’, ‘austerity’ and ‘leeching off the state’.”
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The study also found that nearly a third (32%) of experience panel members were uncomfortable with the agency using the phrase “disabled people”, preferring “people with a disability”.
Some contributors questioned why proposed male and female icons were used without non-binary ones, and why claimants with disabilities were represented by a wheelchair icon.
However, others felt it was more important the icons were easily understood than fully inclusive.
Meanwhile, Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville announced on Thursday that the next payment of its Carer’s Allowance Supplement will be made to the most carers December 14.
It will be the second payment of the supplement, which total £442 a year and are paid twice a year.
