Welcome to
our interactive guide
It's your democracy
Click here to begin and find out which politician to contact about what issues
Who's Who
The policymakers who affect your practice
Click on each tab to learn more
MSP
Councillor
MP
What's your problem?
Tell us more
MP
It looks like an MP might be best placed to help
Budget decisions made in the UK Parliament affect the amount of money Scotland gets. So, if your issue is about the overall amount of money Scotland is getting from the UK Government to run services, it's your MP who is best placed to raise that issue.
The SASW/BASW position
BASW's 2024 UK Manifesto calls for investment in community services; this will lead to Barnett consequentials, meaning Scotland would receive additional resources. Click to read
Click to email your MP
MSP
It looks like an MSP might be best placed to help
The funding local councils receive is primarily decided by the Scottish Government. Councils set their own council tax levels, but usually about 82% of the funds a council needs to fund local services, including social work, come from the Scottish Government block grant. Your MSP is best placed to challenge decisions made by the Scottish Government, as they sit in the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood.
The SASW/BASW position
SASW is calling for a rethink of local funding, reform of council tax and multi-year budgets for local councils. Click to read
Click to email your MSP
Cllr
It looks like a Councillor might be best placed to help
Local Councillors decide how to spend the money they have, from local taxation and the Scottish Government block grant, on funding local services. There are some caveats; some services are 'Ring-fenced', which means that they must be funded by Councils. If you are unhappy about local funding decisions, or individual choices like closing a care home, or shutting a day care, one of your councillors is usually best placed to support you.
The SASW/BASW position
SASW is calling for national terms and conditions to support social workers in every local authority. Click to read
Click to email your Cllr
Cllr or MSP
It looks like a Cllr or MSP might be best placed to help
Local Councillors decide how to spend the money they have, from local taxation and the Scottish Government block grant, on funding local services. There are some caveats; some services are 'Ring-fenced', which means that they must be funded by Councils. If you are unhappy about local funding decisions, or individual choices like closing a care home, or shutting a day care, one of your councillors is usually best placed to support you. However, you may with to also raise an issue like lack of care availability with your local MSP.
Click to email your Cllr
Tell us more
MP
It looks like an MP might be best placed to help
Foreign policy is reserved to the UK Government. This means disaster response, humanitarian crises, armed conflict and policies on foreign aid, etc., are all decisions made by the UK Government. Your MP is usually best placed to challenge decisions the UK Government makes, as they will sit in the House of Commons in Westminster.
The SASW/BASW position
International issues are complex and fast-moving. Click on the text to get in touch with our dedicated International Committee to see more of our recent positions and work. One of our asks is to return foreign aid to 0.7% of GDP. Click to read
Click to email your MP
MP
It looks like an MP might be best placed to help
Immigration, like foreign policy, is reserved to the UK Government. Anything to do with Immigration, Asylum, UASC support, NAAB or other issues are decisions made by the UK Government. Your MP is usually best placed to challenge decisions the UK Government makes, as they will sit in the House of Commons in Westminster.
The SASW/BASW position
Our asks include scrapping the NAAB, fair settled status arrangements for social workers, and repealing the 2023 Migration Act. Click to read
Click to email your MP
MSP
It looks like an MSP might be best placed to help
The vast majority of legislation and policies around domestic issues, such as housing, health and education, which are parallel to and affect social work in Scotland, are made by the Scottish Parliament. Your MSP is best placed to challenge decisions made by the Scottish Government, as they sit in the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood.
The SASW/BASW position
We are calling on the Scottish Government to implement a Minimum Income Guarantee amongst other anti-poverty actions. Click to read
Click to email your MSP
MSP
It looks like an MSP might be best placed to help
The vast majority of laws affecting social work in Scotland are made by the Scottish Parliament right here in Scotland. Your MSP is best placed to challenge decisions made by the Scottish Government, as they sit in the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood. If the law is related to immigration or foreign policy, then your MP is usually the best person to help you.
The SASW/BASW position
We are calling on the Scottish Parliament to focus on quality over quantity when it comes to legislation. We are clear that the main barriers facing services are resource, not law. Click to read
Click to email your MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament
MSP
- Works in the Scottish Parliament, Holyrood, and is responsible for devolved policy issues, which include most social work issues.
- Can help with local issues, casework, and national policy.
- Has an official MSP email address and office.
- Is obliged to respond to any enquiry from a constituent. (MSPs can refuse to take a matter up if, for example, they disagree with it politically, but they must explain that.)
Elected Councillor
MP
- Works in the UK Parliament, Westminster.
- Is primarily responsible for reserved issues, for social work that mainly means immigration, but overall budget issues affect the amount of money Scotland gets. So, MPs still have a role to play in Scottish services.
- Has different constituency boundaries from Scottish MSPs.
- Rules about how and when they must respond are set out differently from MSPs, but they are still expected to engage with constituents.
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
Councillor
- Cllrs are responsible for local council services, setting council budgets, and supporting constituents with issues affecting them that the council is responsible for.
- Like with Holyrood and Westminster, Council budgets are largely dictated by the Scottish Government, and councils have a legal duty to set a balanced budget.
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament or Elected Councillor
Member of Parliament
It's your democracy
George Hannah
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Transcript
Welcome to
our interactive guide
It's your democracy
Click here to begin and find out which politician to contact about what issues
Who's Who
The policymakers who affect your practice
Click on each tab to learn more
MSP
Councillor
MP
What's your problem?
Tell us more
MP
It looks like an MP might be best placed to help
Budget decisions made in the UK Parliament affect the amount of money Scotland gets. So, if your issue is about the overall amount of money Scotland is getting from the UK Government to run services, it's your MP who is best placed to raise that issue.
The SASW/BASW position
BASW's 2024 UK Manifesto calls for investment in community services; this will lead to Barnett consequentials, meaning Scotland would receive additional resources. Click to read
Click to email your MP
MSP
It looks like an MSP might be best placed to help
The funding local councils receive is primarily decided by the Scottish Government. Councils set their own council tax levels, but usually about 82% of the funds a council needs to fund local services, including social work, come from the Scottish Government block grant. Your MSP is best placed to challenge decisions made by the Scottish Government, as they sit in the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood.
The SASW/BASW position
SASW is calling for a rethink of local funding, reform of council tax and multi-year budgets for local councils. Click to read
Click to email your MSP
Cllr
It looks like a Councillor might be best placed to help
Local Councillors decide how to spend the money they have, from local taxation and the Scottish Government block grant, on funding local services. There are some caveats; some services are 'Ring-fenced', which means that they must be funded by Councils. If you are unhappy about local funding decisions, or individual choices like closing a care home, or shutting a day care, one of your councillors is usually best placed to support you.
The SASW/BASW position
SASW is calling for national terms and conditions to support social workers in every local authority. Click to read
Click to email your Cllr
Cllr or MSP
It looks like a Cllr or MSP might be best placed to help
Local Councillors decide how to spend the money they have, from local taxation and the Scottish Government block grant, on funding local services. There are some caveats; some services are 'Ring-fenced', which means that they must be funded by Councils. If you are unhappy about local funding decisions, or individual choices like closing a care home, or shutting a day care, one of your councillors is usually best placed to support you. However, you may with to also raise an issue like lack of care availability with your local MSP.
Click to email your Cllr
Tell us more
MP
It looks like an MP might be best placed to help
Foreign policy is reserved to the UK Government. This means disaster response, humanitarian crises, armed conflict and policies on foreign aid, etc., are all decisions made by the UK Government. Your MP is usually best placed to challenge decisions the UK Government makes, as they will sit in the House of Commons in Westminster.
The SASW/BASW position
International issues are complex and fast-moving. Click on the text to get in touch with our dedicated International Committee to see more of our recent positions and work. One of our asks is to return foreign aid to 0.7% of GDP. Click to read
Click to email your MP
MP
It looks like an MP might be best placed to help
Immigration, like foreign policy, is reserved to the UK Government. Anything to do with Immigration, Asylum, UASC support, NAAB or other issues are decisions made by the UK Government. Your MP is usually best placed to challenge decisions the UK Government makes, as they will sit in the House of Commons in Westminster.
The SASW/BASW position
Our asks include scrapping the NAAB, fair settled status arrangements for social workers, and repealing the 2023 Migration Act. Click to read
Click to email your MP
MSP
It looks like an MSP might be best placed to help
The vast majority of legislation and policies around domestic issues, such as housing, health and education, which are parallel to and affect social work in Scotland, are made by the Scottish Parliament. Your MSP is best placed to challenge decisions made by the Scottish Government, as they sit in the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood.
The SASW/BASW position
We are calling on the Scottish Government to implement a Minimum Income Guarantee amongst other anti-poverty actions. Click to read
Click to email your MSP
MSP
It looks like an MSP might be best placed to help
The vast majority of laws affecting social work in Scotland are made by the Scottish Parliament right here in Scotland. Your MSP is best placed to challenge decisions made by the Scottish Government, as they sit in the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood. If the law is related to immigration or foreign policy, then your MP is usually the best person to help you.
The SASW/BASW position
We are calling on the Scottish Parliament to focus on quality over quantity when it comes to legislation. We are clear that the main barriers facing services are resource, not law. Click to read
Click to email your MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament
MSP
Elected Councillor
MP
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
Councillor
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament or Elected Councillor
Member of Parliament