Child Winter Heating Assistance name change: FOI release

Information requested

A breakdown and total cost of the decision to change the name of child winter heating assistance to child winter payment. I’d like this to include the cost of any fees for external consultants, the amount spent on user testing, and the amount budgeted for awareness raising of the name change, and any other costs associated with the development and implementation of this policy.

Response

1. In relation to 4 of your questions, we do not hold the information. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. As way of explanation, I provide the following to each of your questions: 

• A breakdown and total cost of the decision to change the name of child winter heating assistance to child winter payment.

The change of name from Child Winter Heating Assistance to Child Winter Heating Payment was a part of a wider change to agree the name of the Winter heating payments. The activities to change documentation to Child Winter Heating Payment were handled as business as usual tasks and work was included as part of normal duties. It is not standard practice for civil servants to record time spent or cost individual activities. No separate costs were incurred as all costs were met within the existing budgets.

• Include the cost of any fees for external consultants.

There were no fees for external consultants.

• The amount spent on user testing.

There was no user testing undertaken on this change.

• Any other costs associated with the development and implementation of this policy.

There were no separate costs associated for this change and were covered within existing budgets.

2. Regarding your query on any other costs associated with raising awareness of the change, I have the following:

The factsheet for clients on the benefit was updated. Updating the English version was done inhouse at no cost. The translated versions were outsourced, which cost £1492.96 excl. VAT, and £1791.55 incl. VAT.

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