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

Culture

72. Stakeholders have identified potential cultural barriers to applying for Pension Age Disability Payment. This is because of the close-knit nature of island communities. Although there is research that evidences the positive impact of the support provided by close-knit communities, certain barriers may also be present.

73. It is possible that the stigma attached to identifying as disabled could act as a barrier to people applying for Pension Age Disability Payment. The need for privacy and dignity is emphasised by disabled people in remote and island communities.

74. Dignity, fairness and respect underpins how Social Security Scotland will deliver Pension Age Disability Payment, including protecting the privacy of individuals. For instance, Social Security Scotland’s Local Delivery team will share locations with other services so that they are based where individuals currently go to ensure that they can access advice and support in existing island locations. This should help to reduce the stigma of seeking support when applying for Pension Age Disability Payment.

75. Access to information on Pension Age Disability Payment will also be reflective of culture and lived experience. Social Security Scotland will create a range of Pension Age Disability Payment stakeholder resources and content in accessible formats.

76. Such resources will be proactively supplied to relevant stakeholder organisations through the National Engagement Team for organisations to distribute to people in local communities. Social Security Scotland proactively translates information resources into Gaelic, which may be beneficial to some island communities, particularly those residing in the Western Isles, Highlands and Argyll and Bute.