Russell Findlay wants benefits to be cut in Scotland

Russell Findlay said spending was out of control and people’s claims were taken at face value.

The opposition leader called for cuts to the benefits budget to enable taxes to be reduced.

Findlay kicked off the Tories' Scottish Parliament election campaign this week and said a lower benefits bill could fund tax cuts.

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Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, he said: “One pound in every seven that the Government spends is on social security.

"Surely, that is unsustainable. We're the only party that is even talking about that, let alone being honest enough for the public to say that Scotland cannot afford to keep spending social security the way they are."

In Glasgow, UK Government statistics show there were just over 20,000 people claiming unemployment related benefits in November 2025.

The total was 20,585 and in five of the city’s six constituencies the number had fallen in the last year.

The city also had a higher rate of people claiming the benefits at between 4% and 5.5% compared to 3.9% for the UK overall.

The claimant count is the number of people claiming unemployment related benefits. This includes those who were claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, or were claiming Universal Credit and are required to seek work

Findlay said workers were watching earnings "disappearing into Scottish Government coffers" while the "benefits bill rises beyond all recognition".

He said: "We've got a benefit system in Scotland that isn't only growing out of control in terms of scale but an approach which seems to be that all claimants are taken at face value.

"There's a sort of light-touch approach been deployed by the Scottish Government and this is a fraudster's charter."

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: "Scotland's social security system provides vital support to families across the country - helping people with the cost of living and ensuring child poverty is significantly lower in Scotland than in the rest of the UK.

"Russell Findlay and the Tories should have the courage to tell us exactly what they mean - what support families currently receive under the SNP do they want to get rid of? Winter heating support for pensioners? Support for disabled people?

"At a time when people are struggling, the Tory plan to take support away would be a disaster - and this is why nobody in Scotland takes them seriously."