Social Security Experience Panels - ethnic minorities: report

Footnotes

^1. This may be either because a group is not well represented among Experience Panel members, or because the topic is one that should be approached with particular sensitivity. 

^2. Our ‘Who is in the Panels’ reports show Experience Panel membership by protected characteristics. Across all ‘About You’ surveys that have been asked to panel members between 2017 and 2020, two per cent of respondents have identified as a ‘non-white minority ethnic group.’

^3. It should be noted that some of this confusion about the responsibilities of different bodies between the UK Government and Scottish Government was expressed in the earlier focus groups which were conducted in 2018. These focus groups in 2018 took place in the context where Social Security Scotland was yet to publicly open as an agency.

^4. For example, find ‘Our Charter’ – translated into different languages

^5. Focus Groups were held in: Aberdeen (7), Glasgow (8), Kilmarnock (2), and Dundee (where 3 focus groups took place across 2 events). 

^6. Focus groups were conducted with the support of interpreters and note-takers in English, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Nepalese. 7 focus groups were conducted in English. 8 focus groups were conducted in a mixture of Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, and Bengali. 4 focus groups were conducted in a mixture of Cantonese and Mandarin. 1 focus group was conducted in Nepalese.  

^7. Across the fieldwork, in both 2018 and 2019, participants discussed a problem of being confused about the responsibilities of different public bodies. However, it should be noted that some of this confusion about the responsibilities of different bodies was expressed in the earliest stages of fieldwork in 2018. Focus groups in 2018 took place in the context where Social Security Scotland was less visible, as it was yet to publicly open as an agency.

^8. When a client challenges a decision, both the Department for Work and Pensions and Social Security Scotland have processes in place for decisions to be internally reviewed. For DWP, these internal review processes are called ‘mandatory reconsiderations.’ For Social Security Scotland, reviewing a decision internally is known as a ‘redetermination.’

^9. Other Experience Panels research projects have explored panel members’ views on different methods of communication, including video technology, in more detail. In particular, for more insights please see the findings from ‘Inclusive Communication’ report.

^10. For example, find ‘Our Charter’ – translated into different languages