Scottish Child Payment statistics in East Ayrshire: FOI release

Information requested

Request for information 1: The number of families currently living in East Ayrshire that are in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment.

Request for information 2: The number of children living in East Ayrshire that benefit from their families receiving Scottish Child Payment.

Request for information 3: The total amount of Child Support Payment paid out to families in East Ayrshire in the period 1st October 2023 to 30th September 2024 by Social Security Scotland.

Response

Where you have requested information on “families” we have interpreted this to be “clients” (parents and carers). 

Request for information 1:

The number of clients (parents or carers) in receipt of Scottish Child Payment residing in the East Ayrshire local authority area as of 30 June 2024 is 5,115. This information can now be found in our regularly published statistics here: Social Security Scotland - Scottish Child Payment high level statistics to June 2024.

The next publication of these statistics will be on 26 November 2024 and will cover up to 30 September 2024.

Request for information 2:

An exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to the information requested because we intend to publish that information on 26 November 2024, which is within 12 weeks of the date of your request. We consider that it is reasonable to withhold the information until that date, rather than release this routinely published information before the planned publication date.

This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because it aids transparency in the business of the Agency, and this will be met by our planned publication. In the meantime, there is a greater public interest in taking the time necessary to ensure the information has been properly collated and checked before it is published as planned. Also, we see no public interest in disrupting our programme of work to release the information ahead of the intended publication date. 

Information on the number of children actively benefitting from Scottish Child Payment as at 30 June 2024 by local authority area can be found on Table 10 of our regularly published statistics, and can be found here:

Social Security Scotland - Scottish Child Payment high level statistics to June 2024

The next publication of these statistics will be on 26 November 2024 and will cover up to 30 September 2024.

Request for information 3:

We have interpreted this part of your request to relate to Scottish Child Payment as opposed to Child Support Payment (which is not a benefit administered by Social Security Scotland).

In between 01 October 2023 and 30 September 2024, £12,296,413 had been paid to parents or carers residing in the East Ayrshire local authority area for Scottish Child Payment.

Please note, the information provided is based on management information and has not undergone the same statistical rigours as our published statistics.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.