Social Security Experience Panels: meeting people's needs - report

Report on findings from research with Social Security Experience Panels members on how Social Security Scotland can support clients’ accessibility, disability and other needs.


Annex A: About survey respondents

Where possible, information from the survey was matched to information from the 'About Your Benefits and You' and 'Social Security Experience Panels: Who is in the panels and their experiences so far' surveys.[8]   The demographic data collected in these surveys was linked to the information supplied previously by participants.  Linking was not possible where there was missing or unclear information.  The following demographic information is included to give context to the findings from the survey. 

Two thirds of survey respondents (66 per cent) who we have demographic information for identified as either 'female' or 'woman or girl'.  One third (32 per cent) identified as either 'male' or 'man or boy'. 

Table Annex A1: Gender of survey respondents (n=197)
Gender %
Woman or girl 66
Man or boy 32
Other or Prefer not to say 2
Total 100

Almost half of respondents (48 per cent) were aged 45 to 59, over a third (38 per cent) were aged 60 to 79 and 15 per cent of respondents were aged between 25 and 44.

Table Annex A2: Age of survey respondents (n=198)
Age %
Under 25 0
25 – 44 14.6
45 – 59 47.5
60 – 79 37.9
80 or over 0
Total 100

Most respondents (85 per cent) had a disability or long term health condition.

Table Annex A3: Disability status of respondents (n=200)
Disability status %
Disabled 85
Not disabled 15
Total 100

More than half of respondents (60 per cent) had chronic pain and/or a mobility impairment (60 per cent).  Over half of respondents (58 per cent) had a physical disability and around a third had a mental health condition (36 per cent).  Almost two thirds (65 per cent) reported having another kind of long term health condition. 

Table Annex A4: Disability types of respondents (n=199) [9]
Disability Types %
Has chronic pain 60.3
Has a mobility impairment 59.8
Has a physical disability 58.3
Has a mental health condition 35.7
Has another kind of disability or long term health condition 65.3

Less than half of respondents (42 per cent) said they were a carer.  Of respondents who said they were a carer, 88 per cent cared for an adult friend or relative. Around one third (36 per cent) were a carer due to old age and almost a quarter (24 per cent) cared for a disabled child.

Table Annex A5: Caring status of respondents (n=198) [10]
Caring status %
Not a carer  56.6
Carer 42.4
Prefer not to say 1
Total 100
Table Annex A6: Who do respondents care for? (n=84)

Care status

%

Cares for an adult

88.1

Cares for a child

23.8

Carer due to old age

35.7

Survey respondents took part from 29 of 32 local authority areas in Scotland. The majority lived in an urban area (78 per cent).[11]

Table Annex A7: Location of respondents (n=205)
Location %
Urban 78
Rural 22
Total 100

Survey respondents who took part had experience of claiming or helping someone else to claim a wide range of benefits.  The most common benefits claimed by survey respondents were Personal Independence Payment (65 per cent) and Disability Living Allowance (57 per cent).  The least common benefits claimed were for Healthy Start (1 per cent) and Funeral Expenses (6 per cent).

Table Annex A8: Respondents benefit experience (n=213) [12]
Benefit %
Personal Independence Payment 65.3
Disability Living Allowance 57.3
Carer's Allowance 31.0
Winter Fuel Payment 31.0
Cold Weather Payment 28.2
Attendance Allowance 15.5
Discretionary Housing Payment 15.5
Scottish Welfare Fund 11.3
Sure Start Maternity Grant 15.5
Severe Disablement Allowance 12.2
Industrial Injuries Disability Benefit 11.9
Universal Credit 11.3
Funeral Expenses 6.1
Healthy Start 0.5

Contact

Email: SocialSecurityExperience@gov.scot

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