Universal Credit - mitigation of the two-child limit: consultation - easy read

Impact assessments

The Scottish Government uses impact assessments to think about the effects their ideas might have.

This section shows what we have thought about when developing the idea to mitigate the two-child cap.

Equalities Impact Assessment

This looks to see if an idea affects some people more than others.

This effect can be good or bad.

We particularly looked at the effects on people with protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010.

These are:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender reassignment
• Pregnancy or maternity
• Race
• Sex
• Sexual orientation
• Religion and belief

Women are more likely to:

• be in poverty
• use the social security system
• be lone parents

This idea should help people on Universal Credit with more than two children in their household.

DWP information says there are 30,535 families in Scotland likely to be affected by the two-child cap.

Of those families affected:

• 59% have a lone parent
• 29% have a disabled child.

Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment

This helps make sure that new ideas help the wellbeing of children and young people.

A child is anyone under the age of 18.

The Scottish Government promises to promote children’s rights as in the United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

This idea interacts with several parts of the UNCRC:

• Governments should make sure every child has the same access to their rights.

• When adults make decisions, they should think how they affect children and do what is best for them.

• Governments must make sure that children’s rights are protected.

• Parents are responsible for bringing up children. Governments must provide support to parents.

• Disabled children should enjoy the best possible life in society.

• Governments should provide social security to help families meet their children’s needs.

• Children have the right to a good standard of living.

The Scottish Government hasn’t found any bad effects of this idea on children’s rights.

Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment

This looks at the effects of ideas that might affect the public, private or third sector.

There might be some effect on the public sector, like DWP, HMRC and Social Security Scotland.

They might need to make new systems and train staff to deliver the payment.

It might affect welfare rights organisations. People might ask for advice about getting the new payment.

The Scottish Government will help with this by being clear about who can get the payment and how.

There might be a good effect on businesses as families getting the payment would have some more money to spend.

The Scottish Government plans to make sure the payment doesn't affect legal aid.

Fairer Scotland Duty Impact Assessment

This helps to think about how to reduce unequal effects caused by socio-economic disadvantage.

Socio-economic disadvantage can mean:

• Having a low income
• Having low wealth
• Living in a deprived area
• Having a background that gives fewer advantages

The Scottish Government thinks this payment will help to reduce child poverty in Scotland.

The Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan set out three main ways to reduce poverty:

• More income from employment

• More income from social security and benefits in kind

• Lower costs of living

The Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan also found 6 things that make families more likely to need social security support:

• Lone parents
• Disabled people
• Families with more than 3 children
• Minority ethnic groups
• Families with a child under 1
• Mothers under 25

Child Poverty Action Group think mitigating the two-child cap could lift 15,000 children in Scotland out of poverty.

Consumer Duty Impact Assessment

The payment will have a small effect on consumers because some people have a bit more money to spend.

The payment doesn’t change:

• Essential services people need
• Competition between shops

• The risk of people being targeted by scams

• Information people can access
• How people’s data is used
• The way people can look for advice or make complaints

Island Communities Impact Assessment

This helps to think about the effects of an idea for people living on the Scottish islands.

The idea is likely to have good effects for families in island communities.

There are 240 households who could be helped in the following islands:

• Shetland Islands
• Orkney Islands
• Na h-Eileanan Siar

We have not found any bad effects or barriers for island communities in this idea.

Question 4

Do you have any information you want to share about any other

potential effects of the idea to mitigate the two-child cap?

Answer

Agree Disagree Don’t know

Please give reasons for your answer: