Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 2
2
We recommend that DWP and Social Security Scotland work together to promote benefit up-take across...
Recommendation
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 Discretionary Housing Payments and the Scottish Welfare Fund. Similarly, Social Security Scotland should signpost clients towards UK Government benefits. The Committee recommends the DWP contribute to a review with the Scottish Government, Social Security Scotland and local stakeholders to determine how to do this in practice. This should be discussed at the next available opportunity in the Joint Ministerial Working Group between the governments. (Paragraph 23) Intergovernmental working and data sharing on social security in Scotland
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
DWP delivers reserved benefits in Scotland and is temporarily delivering some devolved benefits under Agency Agreements on behalf of the Scottish Ministers. We will continue to ensure benefits are delivered effectively with appropriate sign-posting. These initiatives include: • DWP, in partnership with the Scottish Government, has developed a toolkit for Work Coaches to signpost people towards Scottish Government benefits administered by Social Security Scotland. • Links between GOV.UK and MYGOV.SCOT ensure cohesion between services for people when looking for the right benefits online. The first UK Government regular-payment benefit to be replaced by Scottish Government provision is Disability Living Allowance for children, which was replaced by the Child Disability Payment initially in Dundee City, Perth and Kinross and Western Isles from 26th July 2021 (applications for children living elsewhere in Scotland will open in Autumn 2021). • DWP and the Social Security Scotland have recently established a regular Operational Reference Group to look at ways to continuously improve the benefit experience of DWP and Social Security Scotland’s shared customers. The Group will review service delivery issues arising from people looking to access DWP/ Social Security Scotland benefits and consider any improvements for future benefit delivery. DWP staff in Scotland are focused on delivering a user-centred service. They have access to, and are fully aware of, the DWP Customer Charter and the Scottish Social Security Charter. With respect to the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare, it is co-chaired by the Secretary of State for Scotland and the relevant Cabinet Secretary in the Scottish Government, and attended by DWP Ministers, with the primary purpose of allowing Ministers to oversee, engage with and review progress on the implementation of the devolution of social security powers1 set out in the Scotland Act 2016. Its role is not operational.