Leading bodies publish manifestos calling for radical overhaul of political system for one which puts people first

The next UK government must devolve more powers to communities to ensure a fair and sustainable approach to welfare, care and the economy, leading third sector bodies have said.

As the General Election campaign heats up, Social Enterprise Scotland (SES) and the Health and Social Care Alliance (Alliance) both launched their manifestos calling on politicians to in the general election to commit to greater public participation in politics and democracy.

Both organisations believe the new UK government should build on the Smith Commission and continue to increase autonomy in Scotland from Westminster’s bonds.

And both organisations are calling for changes to the welfare system as one of the biggest issues currently affecting Scots.

The Alliance is calling for a halt to the roll-out of Universal Credit and a halt to further transfers of people currently receiving disability living allowance (DLA) to new personal independence payments (PIP) while the Smith Commission’s recommendations are implemented.

In terms of Employment Support Allowance, it wants changes to reflect a fairer system that doesn’t take punitive action against the most vulnerable.

The manifesto states: “The application of sanctions to people who live with long term conditions or are disabled should be narrowed to extreme disengagement from work related activity.

It adds: “The level of benefit for people on Employment Support Allowance, both in the work related activity group and the supported group, should be protected from any further decreases in the welfare budget.”

It also wants to see human rights preserved – after the coalition government vowed to abandon European human rights legislation.

Ian Welsh (pictured top left), the Alliances’ chief executive, said: “The General Election may have major implications for Scotland’s standing within the European Union.

“We are concerned that a significant risk exists to the level of protection for human rights for people in Scotland.”

The care body also states it would like to see more tailored supported work programmes, appropriate to Scotland.

And there should be a concerted effort to increase apprenticeship opportunities to disabled young people and those who live with long term and multiple conditions.

SES, Scotland's support body for social enterprisesm echoes some of these demands in its manifesto for the general election.

It calls for a welfare system that joins-up practical job skills and physical and mental health to gradually get people back to work.

Social security should be localised with integrated and preventative services, so that welfare is tailored to local needs and run by local social enterprises.

And it wants to see all employment and employability services run by community-based social enterprises and not by remote big businesses.

A “humane level of benefits” for vulnerable and excluded groups who are not fit to work must be preserved on top of this.

These moves could lead to a radical overhaul of the current social system that would place communities at the centre of economic recovery, according to the body.

Fraser Kelly, SES chief executive (top right), said: “The context of the 2015 UK election is one where social enterprise must be top of the agenda.

“We need to reclaim policy debate to focus on equality, opportunity and local, sustainable economics, not austerity and the attacks on vulnerable people that are widely seen to dominate Westminster politics.”

Kelly added public awareness for social enterprise had to increase if development of the sector was to succeed.

“Public and media awareness and the increasing importance of prioritising ethical retail are vital,” he said.

“The policies we propose would help towards creating a better, happier and more equal social enterprise society.”

Scottish Environment Link, the umbrella body for environmental charities in Scotland, has also published its manifesto saying there must be a move from a position where economic growth is given primacy.

Specifically, Westminster should adopt a "national performance framework" which would replace gross domestic product as the main tool for measuring growth, its manifesto states.