In April 2020, the Scottish Government took over responsibility for social security payments.
Initially most social security payments were still administered by the UK's Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). However, Social Security Scotland, set up in September 2018, is scaling up. It will ultimately take responsibility for the administration of a range of new social security benefits.
The Committee wants to see that this transition happens smoothly. As a result it will be looking closely at the performance of Social Security Scotland and the delivery of new benefits throughout the session.
This short animation, taken from SPICe's analysis of the social security budget for 2024-25, shows the extent of the changes to social security administration in Scotland.
In November 2021 the Committee made its first visit to Social Security Scotland's new office in Dundee. This allowed the Committee to see how the agency was scaling up ahead of the doubling of the Scottish Child Payment and the formal introduction of the Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payments.
The Committee is particularly interested in the rollout and development of certain benefits, including:
In March 2024, the Committee agreed to run a mini-inquiry on how effective the Scottish Child Payment is in reducing child poverty.
The Committee is also looking at new social security benefits for older people in Scotland.
On Thursday 30 September 2021 the Minister for Social Security and Local Government (Ben Macpherson MSP) advised the Committee that VoiceAbility had been awarded a four-year contract to run an independent advocacy service. The service aims to support disabled people so that they can understand and access Social Security Scotland benefits.
Watch the Minister talk about awarding VoiceAbility the contract
Read about it in the Official Report of the meeting
The service started in January 2022, aiming to support anyone who self-identifies as disabled, as well as the parents, guardians or carers of disabled children.
On Thursday 24 November 2022, we met with representatives from VoiceAbility to scrutinise the progress of their service.
Issues related to this inquiry were discussed at the following Committee meetings:
The Committee has sent and received the following correspondence during the inquiry:
The Cabinet Secretary’s response to the Committee’s letter on the Inquiry into the effectiveness of the Scottish Child Payment.
Citizens Advice Scotland's supplementary briefing
Submission by Kate Andersen, Ruth Patrick, Kitty Stewart, Emma Tominey
Submission by Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG)
Update to the letter to the Committee on 21 August 2023
Following the meeting on 29 June 2023, Social Security Scotland provided some additional information.
Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, 8 June 2023
Letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, 27 April 2023
Letter from VoiceAbility, 19 December 2022