Social Security Scotland's research indicated that the barriers to benefit uptake were universal across very different demographic groups. Many people felt they either weren’t or didn't want to be the type of person who receives benefits.
Social Security Scotland wanted to challenge the notion of what this ‘type’ of person is. For that, we didn’t need another campaign promoting an individual benefit. We needed to address the wider, systemic and societal barriers. We had to remind people that benefits are entitlements not handouts, that they’re about empowerment and not dependence.
One in four people in Scotland receive financial support. That’s a quarter of the country. And it’s a reminder that at some point, any one of us might need help.
This insight became the creative foundation of our campaign. Benefits give people the stability to keep going when life changes, helping families, carers, disabled people, the young and the old to find their footing in difficult times. Our campaign drives home that social security is not something that’s reserved for ‘others’ – it’s a system that stands beside all of us when we need it most.
