Disability Assistance for Older People (Scotland) Regulations 2024: Island Communities Impact Assessment

Monitoring and review

105. Monitoring the impact of Pension Age Disability Payment in island and remote rural communities will be a continuous process and, where any unintended consequences are identified, steps will be taken to improve the service. Our published evaluation strategy demonstrates our commitment to evaluating the impact of changes made in the devolution of all disability benefits and Communities Analysis Division within Scottish Government will consider the requirements for Pension Age Disability Payment in the development of evaluation plans post-2025.^[35]

106. On-going stakeholder engagement with key organisations will also provide the Scottish Government with an opportunity to monitor the impact of the policy.

107. The 2018 Act places a duty on Scottish Ministers to report annually to the Scottish Parliament on the performance of the Scottish social security system during the previous financial year. The report is to describe what Scottish Ministers have done in that year to meet the expectations set out in the Charter.

108. Scottish Ministers have also committed to engaging with, and reporting regular progress to, the Islands Strategic Group to ensure that those representing the interests of island communities and others with experience of the current system, are fairly represented in the development and delivery of the Scottish social security system.