Social Security Experience Panels: Employment Injury Assistance

What is the Industrial Injuries Scheme?

The Industrial Injuries Scheme (IIS) gives financial support to people who have become disabled or have developed a long-term health condition as a result of their work. The main benefit under IIS is Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB).

The Scottish Government is planning to replace IIS in Scotland. To do this, The Scottish Government has committed to introducing a new benefit called Employment Injury Assistance which will be delivered by Social Security Scotland.

Since April 2020, the Scottish Government has been responsible for the IIS in Scotland. It is currently delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) due to an agreement with the Scottish Government. This ensures that people continue to receive the payments they are entitled to when they need it.

This has meant that the Scottish Government have had to take time to think carefully about Employment Injury Assistance. This has taken longer than we planned due to the pandemic and other benefits we have had to prioritise such as Adult Disability Payment and Scottish Child Payment.