The next Scottish Government will for the first time have a devolved welfare system.

From April 2016 the control over 11 separate government benefits will move from Westminster to Holyrood. The cost of operating these benefits will be around £2.7bn.

These welfare functions will represent around 15.3% of the total welfare spend in Scotland.

This heavy sum comes with it the opportunity to do things differently. The Scottish Government will be solely responsible for the level of these benefits and the qualification criteria for them. A Scottish social security agency, which will be independent from the UK Government's department for work and pensions, will run the system.

STV News asked pressure group the Scottish Campaign on Welfare Reform how it would like to see Scotland's newly devolved welfare system look.

Carla McCormack, policy and parliamentary officer.

With new powers on the way, this Scottish Parliament election is potentially the most exciting to date. The Scottish Campaign on Welfare Reform (SCoWR) believes new powers over social security present a new opportunity to think about the type of social security system we want, and how we ensure that provides genuine support to allow everyone to participate fully in society.

Our campaign has set out a number of recommendations based around five key principles:

Years of welfare reform have eroded our social security system, and for too many people low benefit levels are trapping them in poverty. SCoWR is calling on the next Scottish Government to commit to topping up means tested benefit rates for adults with the aim of moving towards meeting minimum income standards. SCoWR has also called for child benefit to be topped up, with the potential of lifting thousands of Scottish children out of poverty.

On disability benefits, it is clear that the assessment process is fundamentally flawed. This needs to be radically overhauled to ensure that those with stable or progressive conditions do not face unnecessary reassessment, and the assessment process must incorporate flexibility and a greater understanding when assessing those with fluctuating conditions.

There must also be greater flexibility and choice built into Universal Credit, and split payments as a default for couples.

These are only a few of our asks. Tackling poverty will require radical action, and it won't be easy, but new powers are an opportunity to improve the lives of many Scots living on low incomes, and they must be used.