Social Security Scotland Rachael McKechnie EVH Conference 27 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Social Security Scotland Rachael McKechnie EVH Conference 27 October 2018 Dignity, fairness, respect.

What We’ll Cover • What’s changing • What We’re Seeking to Achieve • Organisational Structure • Local Delivery • What’s Happening When • Next Steps for Social Security Scotland • Universal Credit Choices Dignity, fairness, respect. 2

What Benefits Are Being Devolved? For people For people For disabled needing help to needing additional people, carers and pay for specific help with housing people who are ill extra expenses costs Attendance Allowance Discretionary Housing Cold Weather Payment Payments Carer’s Allowance Funeral Payment Disability Living Allowance Personal Sure Start Maternity Independence Payment Grant Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Winter Fuel Payment Severe Disablement Allowance

Designing the System Our Clients Want A friendly, helpful, knowledgeable service POLITE , PROFESSIONAL AND FRIENDLY A system which listens and responds advice on what you are entitled to Consistent accurate information Access to independent advice and support if needed C LEAR INFORMATION ON WHAT TO EXPECT AND WHEN TRUST Accessible language and terminology A joined up approach Choice of communication channels

Social Security Scotland Act 2018 • 8 principles • Charter • Legislative duties in relation to: - Benefit take up - Independent advice - Inclusive communications - Advocacy • Independent Scrutiny

Social Security Scotland • Executive Agency • Employing 1,900 people when fully operational • Two administrative centres - Dundee Headquarters - Glasgow • Nationwide local presence being developed • Freephone number: 0800 182 2222 • 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday Dignity, fairness, respect. 6

Local Delivery Service • Face to face support in offices, outreach centres or home visits • Co-located in accessible places where people currently visit • Importance of complementing local arrangements - Overarching partnership agreement signed with COSLA - Local advice agencies and services • Developing low level design of our service Dignity, fairness, respect. 7

Timeline Benefit Client Group Implementation Date Carers in receipt of Carer’s Carers Allowance In delivery (first run September Supplement Allowance 2018) • Pregnancy and Baby Best Start Grant People on low incomes and receiving certain qualifying Payment by Christmas 2018 • Early Years and School benefits Payment by Summer 2019 • Best Start Foods by Summer 2019 Funeral Expense Assistance People on low incomes and By Summer 2019 receiving certain qualifying benefits Young Carer Grant Young people aged 16 to 17 By Autumn 2019 (or 18 and still at school) who do at least 16 hours of caring a week.

Next Steps • Recruitment • Designing our local presence • Review and improve • Incremental delivery of new benefits • Engage, engage, engage! 9

Contact: Rachael.McKechnie@socialsecurity.gov.scot 0300 244 1399 Find out more about Scotland’s new social security powers: www.gov.scot/policies/socialsecurity @ScotGovSocSec

Universal Credit Scottish choices

Universal Credit – Scotland Act 2016 ➢ Gives Scottish Ministers powers over to whom and when UC is paid ➢ Gives Scottish Ministers powers over support for costs of rented accommodation ➢ UC remains reserved to the UK Government, although the Scottish Government and DWP are working very closely together to ensure the UC Scottish choices are delivered effectively ➢ Sometimes known as the “Scottish Flexibilities”

Universal Credit – Scotland Act 2016 ➢ The Scottish Government’s priority has been to implement: ➢ payment of the housing costs element directly to landlords (social and private) ➢ more frequent payments to the claimant (twice monthly as opposed to monthly)

Universal Credit Scottish choices – Why? ➢ Aim to provide Scottish claimants with more choice in how they manage their UC account ➢ To make the changeover to the UC regime easier for individuals claiming UC in Scotland ➢ To protect tenancies and prevent homelessness ➢ To help with budgeting and reduce build-up of rent arrears

Universal Credit Scottish choices – Where are we now? ➢ From 31 January this year, the choices were made available to everyone receiving Universal Credit in full service areas across Scotland ➢ Eligible people will be offered the Universal Credit Scottish choices through their Universal Credit online account ➢ Offered in the second assessment period; interaction with Alternative Payment Arrangements (APAs) ➢ Twice monthly payments and direct payment to landlords in practice ➢ The DWP deliver the Universal Credit Scottish choices on behalf of the Scottish Government

Universal Credit Scottish choices – Where are we now? ➢ Awareness raising through leaflets, Scottish Government website and social media for Universal Credit clients; local authorities; landlords, third sector and others ➢ Over 2,500 people have taken up one or both of the choices ➢ Publish official statistics in the future ➢ Expect between 650,000 and 700,000 households to eligible for the Universal Credit Scottish choices by the end of the planned Universal Credit rollout by the UK Government in 2023 ➢ Evaluation

Scottish Flexibilities – next steps ➢ Committed to deliver split payments between a couple – working with stakeholders and users to seek views on how it could work in practice ➢ Abolishing ‘bedroom tax’ at source through UC

Scottish Flexibilities – Split Payments ➢ As part of the consultation on social security, 88% of people supported payments of UC to be split between members of a household ➢ The overarching aim of the split payments policy in Scotland is to provide an independent income to all UC claimants and to promote equality, dignity and respect in the social security system

Scottish Flexibilities – Split Payments ➢ We have been engaging with a wide range of stakeholders and users to develop policy options for delivering split payments of the UC award ➢ So far, we have found that there is strong support for split payments, but views vary on how it might work in practice, for example, whether payments should be split 50/50 or based on individual circumstances ➢ We are in regular discussions with the DWP on the feasibility, operational and cost implications of delivering split payments in Scotland ➢ Announcement in due course on how and when split payments can be delivered

Thank you Contact details ➢ Kyle Murray – Universal Credit Flexibilities – kyle.murray@gov.scot