Social Security Experience Panels - re-determinations and appeals, fraud and special measures for COVID-19: main report

Background and methodology

Background

The Scottish system of social security is founded on dignity, fairness and respect; and it takes a rights-based approach to delivering devolved welfare powers.

The principles which guide the Scottish social security system are set out in the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018. These principles include the following ones: opportunities are to be sought to continuously improve the Scottish social security system in ways which put the needs of those who require assistance first, and the system is to be efficient and deliver value for money. The Scottish Government set up the Scotland's social security system: enhanced administration and compensation recovery consultation to gather views on a number of proposed changes aimed at addressing these principles. Therefore, these proposals aim to improve the experience of clients and the efficiency of the system.

The proposed changes set out in the consultation are wide ranging. A number of the proposals have relevance or possible impacts on future Social Security Scotland clients, including re-determinations, determinations after an appeal is lodged; alternatives to prosecution for low-value fraud; and special measures for late re-determinations, appeals and applications.

The aim of this research was to understand the views of Experience Panels members on the proposals of the topics mentioned above which were included in the enhanced administration and compensation recovery consultation. The views of panel members on some of these topics have previously been explored in earlier Experience Panels research.

Methodology

The Scottish Government is becoming responsible for some of the benefits previously delivered by the DWP. As part of the work to prepare for this change, the Scottish Government set up the Social Security Experience Panels. Panel members are people from across Scotland who have recent experience of at least one of the benefits coming to Scotland.

Over 2,400 people registered as Experience Panels members when it launched in 2017. The Scottish Government is working with panel members to design a new social security system that works for the people of Scotland, based on the principles of dignity, fairness and respect.

Experience Panels members were invited to take part in focus groups and interviews^[1] to give their views on proposed changes on:

• Re-determinations and appeals processes
• Alternatives to prosecution for low-value fraud
• Special measures for late re-determinations, appeals and applications^[2]

The research with Social Security Experience Panels members took place between October and November of 2022. In total, 61 research participants took part in 5 focus groups and 35 individual interviews.

This research project included a second stage with Social Security Scotland's Client Panels members to explore their views on late applications. In total, 340 Client Panels members responded to the survey.

Participation in research with Experience and Client Panels members is optional.

The data have been analysed by Scottish Government researchers. It is important to note, that the findings contained in this report only represent the views of panel members who took part in the project. Assumptions cannot be drawn on the wider applicability of these findings to panel members as a whole or for those with experience of the social security system in general.

Interviews and focus groups

All active Experience Panels members were invited to take part in focus groups and interviews between October and November of 2022.

A total of five focus groups with 30 participants^[3] took place in Glasgow. Furthermore, 31 individual interviews were carried out with Experience Panels members. Of those interviews, 26 were carried out remotely by telephone or video call. The remaining 5 interviews were conducted face-to-face in Inverness.

Quotations from the focus groups and interviews are used to illustrate the findings discussed in the report. Edits to improve readability were made as appropriate. Those who took part in an interview or focus group are referred to as participants throughout the report.

Where possible, information from participants was matched to demographic information supplied previously by Experience Panels members. Linking was not possible where there was missing or unclear information. The following demographic information is included to give context to the findings of this report. A full breakdown is provided in Annex A.

More women than men took part in this research: three-fifths of participants (60 per cent) identified as female, woman or girl. The majority (86 per cent) said they were heterosexual or straight. Nearly one in ten (8 per cent) were from a minority ethnic group. Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) cared for an adult or child with long term health condition, or an adult who needs support due to old age.

Two-fifths of participants (40 per cent) were aged 45 to 59 and 44 per cent were aged 60 to 69. A large majority of participants (89 per cent) said they had a disability or long-term condition. Over three quarters (77 per cent) lived in an urban area.

Survey with Client Panels members

At the end of the focus groups and interviews, a sample of 2,453 Client Panels members were invited to take part in a survey about whether late applications to Social Security Scotland should be accepted in a range of different circumstances. This sample was selected to include Client Panels members who had experience of Social Security Scotland benefits which have a deadline for applying. This survey built on the findings from the focus group and interview data relating to special measures for late applications introduced due to COVID-19.

Established in 2020, the Client Panels are made up of people who have applied for or received a payment from Social Security Scotland and opted in to taking part in research. The survey ran between December 2022 and January 2023. A total of 340 panel members completed the survey. Throughout the report, Client Panels members who completed the survey are referred to as respondents or survey respondents.

Where possible, information from survey respondents was matched to demographic information supplied previously by Client Panels members. Linking was not possible where there was missing or unclear information. The following demographic information is included to give context to the findings of this report. A full breakdown is provided in Annex B.

The majority of respondents (79 per cent) identified as female, woman or girl. Most respondents (88 per cent) said they were heterosexual or straight. A little under a fifth of respondents (17 per cent) were from a minority ethnic group, with 82 per cent identifying as white. Just over a third of respondents (35 per cent) cared for an adult or child with long term health condition, or an adult who needs support due to old age.

A little over half of respondents (54 per cent) were aged 35 to 44 and a quarter (25 per cent) were 25 to 34. Just over a third of respondents (36 per cent) said they had a disability. The majority (87 per cent) lived in an urban area.