Social Security Experience Panels - About Your Benefits and You: quantitative research findings

Annex A: Quantitative questions included in 'About Your Benefits and You'

Section 1. Your experience of benefits

The first set of questions will ask you more about your experience of the current benefit system.

• Q1 & Q2 ask about your own experience of applying for or receiving benefits.
• Q3 & Q4 ask if you have experience of applying for or receiving benefits on behalf of someone else.

Q1. I am currently…

Q2. In the past, I…

Q3. I am currently helping someone else…

Q4. In the past I helped someone else…

• Apply
• Get
• Challenge
• Appeal

Please tick all that apply on each line:

• Disabilty Living Allowance
• Personal Independence Payments
• Attendance Allowance
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• Carer's Allowance
• Funeral Expenses Payments
• Sure Start Maternity Grants
• Cold Weather Payments
• Winter Fuel Payments
• Discretionary Housing Payments
• Scottish Welfare Fund
• Universal Credit

Section 2. The current system, what works well & what could be better

Q5. Overall, how would you rate your experience of applying for or receiving benefits? Please tick one box only.

• Very good
• Good
• Average
• Poor
• Very poor

Q9. What are the top 3 things that the Scottish Government should improve about the benefit system?

Please tick the three that you think are the most important.

• General enquiries about benefits
• Advice and support about claiming
• Applying for a benefit
• Being kept up to date about your claim
• Being told the results of your application
• Making changes to your information after the result
• Making a complaint
• Having a claim reconsidered or going to appeal
• Something else - please tell us in the text box below

Section 3. About you

The information will help find out if different groups of people have different experiences of the benefits system.

You do not have to answer any questions that you don't want to. If you would prefer not to answer any question, then you should skip it and go to the next question.

These questions will ask about you first then about your household and if you care for someone else.

• Q12, Q13 & Q14 ask about you personally
• Q15 &Q16 ask about who lives with you
• Q17, Q18, Q19 & Q20 ask about the people you support or care for.

Q12. What was your age on your last birthday?

Please tick one box

• 15 or under
• 16 - 24
• 25 - 44
• 45 - 59
• 60-79
• 80 or over
• Prefer not to say

Q13. Are you male or female?

Please tick one box

• Male
• Female
• Other
• Prefer not to say

Q14. Do you have any of the following conditions which have lasted, or are expected to last at least 12 months or more?

Please tick all that apply.

• A physical disability
• Chronic pain lasting at least 3 months
• Another long-term condition
• Mental health condition
• Deafness or severe hearing impairment
• Blindness or severe vision impairment
• A learning disability
• None of the above
• Prefer not to say

This is a standard question asking in other surveys. We are asking this question so we can better understand if people with different conditions have different experiences of the benefits system. Your answer will only be used as part of the Experience Panels research and will not be used for any other purpose.

About the people who live with you

Q15. Including yourself, how many adults (aged 16 or over) are living in your household?

Please tick one box.

• One adult
• Two adults
• Three adults
• Four adults
• Five adults
• More than five adults (if so how many)

Q16. Including yourself, how many children (aged under 16) are living in your household?

Please tick one box.

• One child
• Two children
• Three children
• Four children
• Five children
• More than five children (if so how many)

About the people you support or care for

Q17. Do you look after, or give regular help or support to family members, friends, neighbours or others because of either a long-term physical/ mental ill-health/ disability; or problems related to old age?

Please tick one box.

• Yes
• No
• Prefer not to say

Q18. Which of the following do you give regular help or support to? Please tick all that apply.

• A child or children with long-term physical/ mental ill-health/ a disability
• A adults or adults with long-term physical/ mental ill-health/ a disability
• An adult or adults who needs support due to old age
• Someone else (if so who)

Q19. Does the person/ people you give regular help or support to have any of the following conditions which have lasted, or are expected to last at least 12 months or more?

Please tick all that apply.

• A physical disability
• Chronic pain lasting at least 3 months
• Another long-term condition
• Mental health condition
• Deafness or severe hearing impairment
• Blindness or severe vision impairment
• A learning disability
• None of the above
• Prefer not to say

This is a standard question asking in other surveys. We are asking this question so we can better understand if people with different conditions have different experiences of the benefits system. Your answer will only be used as part of the Experience Panels research and will not be used for any other purpose.

Q20. In total, how many hours each week approximately do you spend providing this regular help or support?

• Up to 4 hours a week
• 5-19 hours a week
• 20-34 hours a week
• 34-49 hours a week
• 50 or more hours a week
• It varies