The Disability Assistance (Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance) Regulations 2025: business and regulatory impact assessment

3. Consultation

In July 2016, the Scottish Government launched a public consultation to support the development of a framework that would become the Social Security (Scotland) Bill. There were more than 500 formal written responses in total with an even split between responses from organisations and individual respondent. Of these responses, more than 200 relating to questions on disability benefits were received. Respondents were also invited to comment on a partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment.

The independent analysis of the responses along with the Scottish Government response were published on 22 February 2017,^[10] in addition to the Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment that was published to accompany the Social Security (Scotland) Bill.

The Scottish Government set up Social Security Experience Panels, with over 2,400 people across Scotland registered as panel members when the Panels opened in 2017. The Panels involved people with lived experience of the benefits that the Scottish Government has executive and legal competence for. In July 2019, recruitment to the Experience Panels was reopened. The Scottish Government have been working with relevant stakeholders to specifically identify disabled people from seldom heard groups for further engagement.

A specific survey regarding the case transfer process was sent out to Experience Panel members in February 2019. 559 responses were received and a summary of these responses was published^[11].

We have also undertaken engagement with stakeholders during the development of Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, through the Ill Health and Disability Benefits Stakeholder Reference Group as well as the independent Disability and Carers Benefits Expert Advisory Group.

The Disability and Carers Benefits Expert Advisory Group. was chaired by Dr Jim McCormick and comprised of individuals with significant practical experience of the social security system in the United Kingdom, from a range of professional backgrounds. It was independent of the Scottish Government. The Group’s role was to advise Scottish Ministers on specific policy options for disability assistance and carers benefits due to be delivered by the Scottish Government. On 9 December 2022, the Group shared advice on Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, and Scottish Ministers responded on 22 March 2023.^[12]

The views of people with lived experience have been captured through a range of ongoing user research and specific stakeholder engagement activities since 2022. This engagement has provided stakeholders the opportunity to feed into the development of Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, including the Equality Impact Assessment and the drafting of regulations. Such engagement has also provided the Scottish Government with the opportunity to engage specifically with particular groups that would be impacted by the proposed policy.