The Disability Assistance (Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance) Regulations 2025: equality impact assessment

3. Who was involved in this Equality Impact Assessment?

This Equality Impact Assessment has been developed based on extensive processes for engaging on the development of impact assessments for Scottish disability benefits to date, involving officials from within the Scottish Government and with a range of external stakeholders, as well as the wider public.

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.^[11] This received more than 200 responses to questions relating to disability benefits with an even split between organisational and individual responses. In particular, comments were invited on a partial Equality Impact Assessment which represented the Scottish Government's work on the impact of social security policy on people with protected characteristics prior to the consultation.

There were 521 formal written responses submitted overall, of which 241 were from organisations and 280 from individual respondents. Of the 241 organisational responses, 81 were received from stakeholder groups relating to children and young people, equalities and human rights, disability and long term conditions, and carers. The independent analysis of the responses along with the Scottish Government response were published on 22 May 2017.^[12] In addition, the Equality Impact Assessment that was published alongside the Social Security (Scotland) Bill in 2017 was used to inform this Equality Impact Assessment for Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance.^[13]

The Consultation on Disability Assistance was published on 5 March 2019. In line with the principles of dignity, fairness and respect, the Scottish Government sought the views of the people of Scotland on the proposed disability assistance benefits to replace those delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions. The consultation closed on 28 May 2019, having received 263 replies, of which 74 were from stakeholder organisations and 189 were from individuals. An analysis of responses was published in October 2019.^[14] Targeted consultation with stakeholders representing people with protected characteristics was undertaken during the consultation period.

In December 2022, the Disability and Carers Benefits Expert Advisory Group (DACBEAG) shared advice on Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance with the Scottish Government.^[15] The Scottish Government has also held engagement sessions to gain insight from specific stakeholder for Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, including with the Ill Health and Disability Benefits Stakeholder Reference Group (IHDBSRG) and welfare rights advisors from the Child Poverty Action Group.