Pension Age Winter Heating Payment: Island Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA)

Monitoring and Review

73. Section 97(2) of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 requires Scottish Ministers to inform the Scottish Commission on Social Security (SCoSS) of these proposals in the form of draft regulations. The Scottish Ministers provided draft regulations to SCoSS shortly before laying this draft instrument in compliance with section 97(2).

74. As the exceptional circumstances require this instrument to be laid as a matter of urgency, it has not been possible to meet SCoSS requirements for the necessary time to scrutinise and publish a report on the regulations.

75. As such we are laying this draft instrument under section 97(9)(b) of the Act without a report from SCoSS having been prepared. The Scottish Ministers will respond to that report when it is published in accordance with section 97(10) of that Act. SCoSS has been informed of the urgent nature of these regulations, resulting from the UK Government’s recent decision to restrict eligibility to WFPs, and it is content to scrutinise the regulations retrospectively.

76. Policy development will continue to explore the potential longer-term development of PAWHP post-launch.

77. The Scottish Ministers have also committed to engaging with, and reporting regular progress to, the Islands Strategic Group to ensure that those representing the interests of island communities and others with experience of the current system, are fairly represented in the development and delivery of the Scottish social security system.