Humza Yousaf to probe why ethnic minorities are less likely to be approved for benefits by Government’s welfare agency

HUMZA Yousaf is to investigate why ethnic minorities are having less success when they approach his government’s social services agency.

The First Minister’s pledge came after The Scottish Sun highlighted statistics showing those who say their ethnicity is ‘white’ have an 81 per cent approval rating.

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However, for people from other backgrounds who submitted 15,000 claims for benefits to Social Security Scotland, this dropped to 73-75 per cent.

The First Minister indicated that he was not aware of this trend and commended our “extremely insightful” report on the subject.

He said, “It’s only by uncovering these numbers that we can ask questions of ‘what lies behind’ and ‘are there structural obstacles in the way?'”

“I am absolutely committed to Social Security Scotland looking at these numbers and understanding the rationale.”

Official figures showed that those with Asian or African backgrounds were only 73 percent successful.

The £300m agency was set up to offer a range of benefits following the transfer of powers to Holyrood.

And it has been touted by SNP bosses as “more compassionate” than the Department for Works and Pensions in Westminster.

However, statistics show that people who identify their race as “white” have an 81 percent approval rating, compared to 73 to 75 percent for people of other races, who submitted 15,000 applications.

Figures in a report by Social Security Scotland show that those with an Asian or African background were only 73 per cent successful.

Mixed races had an approval rating of 75 percent, Caribbean or black 74 percent, and other races 75 percent.

The report notes that approval ratings can vary when a small number of people are involved.

However, the Asian and African groups have been described as “relatively large”.

And no explanation was given as to why their approval ratings were lower.

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