Best Start Grant: Service Level Agreement between the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Scottish Ministers

8. Service Delivery Standards

8.1 The Services will be delivered in accordance with the Service Delivery Standards set out below:

8.1.1 DWP will deal with customer enquiries relating to BSG Pregnancy and Baby Payment, by sign posting customers to Social Security Scotland as detailed in Annexes 1(a) to 1(c).

8.1.2 DWP and Social Security Scotland Agent to Agent enquires will follow the process as detailed in Annex 1(b). Contact will be made through secure e- mail inbox.

8.1.3 Social Security Scotland will contact DWP for BSG Pregnancy and Baby Payment enquiries detailed in Annex 1(d). Contact will be made through secure e-mail Inbox, to:

8.1.3.1 Confirm if the interest relates to a Sure Start Maternity Grant (SSMG) claim or award and the status of the award when Social Fund interest is identified in [Redacted], detailed in Annex 1(d).

8.1.3.2 Confirm the award status when clerical cases are identified in the [Redacted], detailed in Annex 1(e).

8.1.3.3 Share appointee information with DWP when there is a potential impact on a shared client as detailed in Annexes 1(f) to 1(j).

8.2 DWP will contact Social Security Scotland to confirm if the interest relates to a BSG claim or award and status of the award when BSG is identified as detailed in Annex 1(b). The enquiries will be through secure e-mail inbox.

Social Security Scotland Inbox: [Redacted]

DWP Single Inbox: [Redacted]

8.2.1 Where a new appointee or a change to appointee is identified, Scottish Ministers and DWP will follow the processes to provide each other with relevant information, as detailed in Annexes 1(f) to 1(j).

Social Security Scotland Inbox: [Redacted]

DWP Single Inbox: [Redacted]

8.2.2 The turnaround time for responding to secure e-mail enquiries relating to the processes, as detailed in Annexes 1(a) to 1(n), will be as soon as reasonably practical and within 5 working days. For any enquiries, which are complex and are off-system the turnaround time will be 10 working days.

8.2.3 The agent-to-agent e-mail service will be available from 8.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday excluding Public and Privilege Holidays.

8.2.4 Misdirected post (including clerical claims) received in error will be returned to sender within 24 hours or as soon as reasonably practicable.

8.3 DWP will supply to Scottish Ministers a monthly Data & Analytics data file containing all Scottish Universal Credit Live Service cases that have a child under six years old, which will enable Scottish Ministers to assess eligibility and invite claims by Scottish residents to BSG. Further details are set out in the [Redacted] Data Sharing Agreement as referenced in Section 4 (Derivation) of this Agreement.

8.4 Escalation will be between SPoCS, at team management level, between Social Security Scotland and DWP operational teams in appropriate cases including, but not limited to, where:

8.4.1 Service Delivery Standards have not been met.

8.4.2 There are exception cases where the normal Service Delivery Standards would have an unacceptable impact on the customer.

8.4.3 Social Security Scotland business continuity plans are invoked which would impact a higher number than anticipated enquiries to DWP.

SG Escalation SPoC: [Redacted]

DWP Escalation SPoC: [Redacted]

8.5 Scottish Ministers and DWP will confirm with either party the [Redacted] cases as detailed in Annex 1(o) and 1(p).

Social Security Scotland Inbox: [Redacted]

DWP Single Inbox: [Redacted]

8.5.1 The turnaround time for responding to dedicated email enquiries relating to [Redacted] will be 2 working days, as detailed in Annex 1(o) and 1(p).