Social Security Experience Panels: short-term assistance - report

Next Steps

The Short Term assistance project team have used the findings from this research to inspire and shape their Service Design. Here are some of the decisions that have been made to date.

Short-term assistance and client eligibility will be clearly communicated to the client. This will happen both when they are notified of a benefit decision outcome and at every stage in the challenge process.

In line with a rights based approach, the Scottish Government believes that a person should have a right to choose whether they want Short-term assistance, but that its availability will be as seamless as possible without the need to complete complicated forms. A tick box will feature in the Challenge Form to allow clients to apply for Short-term assistance at same time they are challenging their benefit decision.

The Challenge Form will include a clear statement that clients will not have to pay Short-term assistance back. This will be regardless of the decision outcome, unless it is found that the primary benefit was claimed fraudulently.

A Short-term assistance award notification will be issued to the client telling them what date they will be paid Short-term assistance from, when it will stop and that they do not have to pay it back. We are exploring the possibility of this notification being sent by texts or email followed by a letter as suggested by participants.

The Redetermination outcome letter will also advise that Short-term assistance will stop as a fresh challenge determination has been made. The Appeal form will be enclosed, which will contain a Short-term assistance tick-box.

Finally, a Short-term assistance fact sheet is being developed. Initial thoughts are that these could be used in various outlets as suggested by participants. For example, they could be distributed by Social Security Scotland’s Local Delivery team in to Community Halls, Post Offices, GP surgeries. It could also be made available online.

Once the initial service design development stage is complete, the Short-term assistance process will be tested with users before it is rolled out.