Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Paragraph: 22
The evidence we have seen from the inquiry has highlighted evidence of somewhat different approaches...
Conclusion
The evidence we have seen from the inquiry has highlighted evidence of somewhat different approaches adopted by the governments but these differences were not jeopardising the devolution of welfare to Scotland and both governments are striving to treat claimants fairly and with respect. Our Committee was happy to see that despite political differences between the governments there is also mutual respect and that both governments are working towards the safe and secure devolution of welfare benefits to Scotland. We note the Scottish Government’s Social Security Charter as an alternative way of administering social security in Scotland. We will observe with interest how this difference will manifest in practice.
Paragraph Reference:
22
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
I am grateful to the Scottish Affairs Committee for the work undertaken in this inquiry. The report is an important contribution which will inform the development of social security in Scotland. As described in the detailed annex accompanying this letter, the Scottish Government has already made significant progress in many of the areas covered in the Committee’s recommendations. I welcome the report’s recognition of the commitment of both the Scottish and UK Government to the successful delivery of the devolution of social security. That will continue to require constructive joint working between the Governments, including the provision by the Department for Work and Pensions of the data required to support the roll-out of Scottish Child Payment to 6–16 year olds, as covered in the Committee’s recommendations. We are content to support the recommendation in the report that this commitment to joint working be publicly restated The Scottish Government recognises the importance of social security in helping to tackle poverty and inequality in Scotland and we are committed to developing a social security system with the core principles of fairness, dignity and respect. Using the powers available we have pursued ambitious policies to provide people with the support they need. Since we passed the Social Sec Act in 2018 we have launched ten Scottish benefits, including the “game-changing” Scottish Child Payment. This includes seven new benefits with the remainder providing more generous support than under the benefits they havereplaced. The next step in the programme is, as you know, the delivery of disability benefits, starting with the introduction of our eleventh benefit, Child Disability Payment in 3 local authority areas later this month ahead of full national rollout in autumn. This is a replacement for the UK Government’s Disability Living Allowance for childrenand will be followed in 2022 by the delivery of Adult Disability Payment, which replaces the UK Government’s Personal Independence Payment. These new benefits will fully embody the person-centred approach to delivery of devolved benefits informed by extensive user research and co-designed with the people of Scotland. That research shows that face to face assessments cause anxiety and stress to clients and these will therefore form no part of our assessment processes. In response to the Committee recommendation on this issue, further information on the processes for these new benefits is included in the annex. In addition to these changes in approach we are also providing a range of options for clients on how to apply for benefits and actively making people aware of these. COVID-19 however obviously had a major impact upon the timetable for the devolution of benefits and both Governments agreed the need for a temporary pause in the programme in the earlier stages of thepandemic. Work of course did not stop in the face of the pandemic. We continued to deliver existing benefits and introduced three new benefits, Job Start Payment, Child Winter Heating Assistance, and the game changing Scottish Child Payment. All are designed to make a direct and significant impact to the lives of thousands of households. Significant progress Welfare policy in Scotland: UK and Scottish Government Responses to the Committee’s Second Report 11 has been made since work restarted and I am confident that we will continue to make rapid progress to complete the programme as well as delivering on our wider manifesto commitments, including starting work towards a Minimum IncomeGuarantee. Over the course of the pandemic a decision was taken by the Department for Work and Pensions which mean they are no longer in a position to support the process of ‘household matching’ of data on reserved benefits via the Seasonal Payments System when the winter benefits are devolved. Whilst I fully recognise the Department for Work and Pensions will not have taken that decision lightly, this process is a significant feature of how these benefits need to be administered when we assume responsibility and require us to build a new system here inScotland. This was not something we had previously planned for. I am taking this into account in agreeing the timetable for the remaining devolved benefits beyond Child Disability Payment and Adult DisabilityPayment. As noted above the attached annex includes more detailed responses on the recommendations in the Committee report. I hope these are helpful and look forward to working with the Committee as you consider the devolution of social security in the future. SHONA ROBISON Recommendation(s) We recommend that DWP and Social Security Scotland work together to promote benefit up-take across all benefits in Scotland. Jobcentre staff in Scotland should be aware of the principles of both the DWP customer charter and the Scottish Social Security Charter to provide information, signposting and advice on how to apply for reserved benefits as well as Discretiona