Social security consultation: easy read

Improving client experience

The Scottish Government designed the social security system with people who use the services.

Social Security Scotland is the organisation that deals with claims for assistance and pays money.

A client is a person who gets money paid to them by Social Security Scotland.

Most people who used Scotland's social security system said they were treated fairly and with respect.

We want to make this even better.

Scottish Child Payment

Scottish Child Payment supports children under the age of 6. Soon we will pay more children under the age of 16. The payment is £20 per week per child.

It will increase to £25 per week by the end of 2022. There are no limits to the number of children per family.

At the moment you can only get Scottish Child Payment if you also get some other UK benefits.

We are thinking about how to make sure we can make future changes to Scottish Child Payment. This could make it more flexible.

Q1. Would it be useful if we were able to make changes to Scottish Child Payment?

Yes

No

Please explain your answer below:

Re-determinations

Re-determinations are when people ask for a benefit decision to be looked at again.

The Social Security Scotland re-determination process is different from the DWP system. There is short-term assistance (STA). STA may be paid where a person's money is reduced or stopped. STA can be paid while they ask for the decision to be looked at again.

If a client has asked for a re-determination they cannot ask for this to stop. The decision must be looked at again

The Scottish Government wants clients to decide if a re-determination should go ahead. They can ask for the re-determination to stop and the decision will stay the same.

Q2. Do you think a client should be able to stop a re-determination?

Yes

No

Please explain your answer below:

Making an appeal

After a re-determination, if the client still disagrees, they can appeal. Clients can also appeal if Social Security Scotland does not make a re-determination in the time allowed.

Appeals are made to the Social Security Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal. The Tribunal is not part of the Scottish Government.

If a mistake or new information shows that the re-determination is wrong, an appeal must happen. We want Social Security Scotland to be able to make a new decision so that the appeal would not need to happen.

Q3. Should a new decision only be made if it can give the same result as a tribunal?

Yes

No

Please explain your answer below:

Q4. Before a new decision is made do you think that a client should be asked if they want that new decision?

Yes

No

Please explain your answer below:

Appointees

An appointee is a person who acts for somebody when they cannot make decisions for themselves.

Social Security Scotland works differently from the DWP. We cannot use the same appointee. Social Security Scotland must make its own decision about a person's appointee.

We would like to let a DWP appointee act for a person for a short time. This would be while checks are done by Social Security Scotland.

Q5. Should Social Security Scotland be able to use a DWP appointee? This would be until it finishes its appointee checks.

Yes

No

Please explain your answer below:

Challenge rights for overpayments

An overpayment is when a client is paid more money than they are due.

When Social Security Scotland sees an overpayment has happened, it will make a new decision on a client's benefit. This new decision will have re-determination and appeal rights if the client wants to challenge it.

When a client wants to challenge the decision it means that they disagree with the decision and want it looked at again.

At the moment a client who has an overpayment cannot challenge the decision about if they have to pay back the money. The Scottish Government thinks the client should have this right.

Q6. Should people have the right to challenge a decision to pay back an overpayment?

Yes

No

Please explain your answer below:

Q7. Please give your views on who should decide challenges against Social Security's decisions.

For example, whether Social Security Scotland should first look at its decision again or whether it should go to a judge in a court or tribunal.

Please give your answer below: