Chamber and committees

Is it not for me to bring in my officials if I wish to?

That is an important question, given that we are still involved in a joint delivery programme with the DWP. Case transfer is a joint project between us and the DWP. We work closely together to develop our processes and guidance to make sure that people get consistent answers to their questions. Individual client communications that have been developed by each organisation are shared to ensure that we give the same messages.

I will give an example of our joined-up approach. When an award is selected for transfer, the DWP will write to the client to let them know that their DLA allowance has been selected for transfer and will be coming to an end. We will then write to the person to introduce them to Social Security Scotland and to provide information about the transfer process. That is an example of how the two organisations will work together to ensure that people are informed and properly apprised of the process that they will be going through.

Yes. I am sorry—I should have made it clear that the agency cannot advise on entitlement, because people have to go through the process. Again—and I just want to be absolutely clear and correct with regard to my previous answer—the agency cannot advise on entitlement, because people have to go through that process.

I will bring in Kate Thomson-McDermott if she has anything further to add, but what I will say is that, through our work and engagement with stakeholders, we are doing what we can to ensure that those to whom people turn for that advice, including our independent advice service throughout Scotland, are well apprised of the process, so that they can help people make decisions according to their individual circumstances.

Kate, do you have anything to add?

We will consider the effectiveness of our communications as part of our wider evaluation of the case transfer process, which will form part of our wider published strategy for evaluating the policy impacts of the devolution of disability benefits.

We are developing plans for the case transfer evaluation, which will include a focus on individuals moving from DLA to ADP, and it is expected that the evaluation of the case transfer process will draw on data from multiple sources, including management information, Social Security Scotland research activity and qualitative evidence from those who have experience of the case transfer process. We expect to publish an evaluation report on the case transfer process in summer 2023, and are continuing to consider appropriate reporting timelines in line with our developing evaluation plans.

In terms of the statistical question, quarterly reporting of ADP statistics will begin from 14 June 2022. The content of these statistics will expand over time and we intend for information on case transfers and reviews to be included in future cycles of that reporting. As part of that, we expect to include information relating to the change in clients’ awards following post-transfer reviews.

Certainly. As you would expect, we have developed a strategic communication and engagement plan for case transfer, which covers how we plan to communicate key messages and timings, as well as our plans for stakeholder engagement, which is very important, and paid-for marketing communications activity.

In addition, we are developing a wide range of clear communications to help to support people who transfer from DLA to ADP. Those include easy-to-read notifications, so that clients know what is happening at every part of the transfer journey, and—this is consistent with the Scottish Commission on Social Security’s recommendations—a specific leaflet to explain the differences between DLA and ADP. The leaflet will also encourage people to get independent advice before making a decision to ask to have their award transferred.

We will also undertake a series of stakeholder roadshows, beginning this month, which will outline the transfer process for the group in question to our key stakeholders. In addition, there will be a stakeholder toolkit, which will include specific fact sheets, video content and frequently asked questions. We are developing specific case transfer guidance to provide stakeholders with further information on the case transfer process. That guidance will be hosted on the socialsecurity.gov.scot website.

We know that the client group that we are talking about in the context of the regulations before the committee can be particularly difficult to reach, so we will rely on our public and third sector partners to help to get the word out. As the Government undertakes that work, we encourage MSP colleagues—as we do across social security—to continue to raise awareness in their constituencies and regions.

In addition to the significant communications that we are developing, which I have just gone over, advocacy and local delivery services will be available. As colleagues know, the advocacy service is a free service that is available to anyone who identifies as disabled and requires support to engage with Social Security Scotland. That service will be available. Everyone’s circumstances are different, so we encourage everyone who is thinking about asking to have their benefit transferred to seek independent advice for their situation and circumstances.

In the current financial year, the Scottish Government is investing approximately £12 million in funding to support the provision of free welfare and debt advice, as the committee is aware, in addition to our independent advocacy service. That funding will help people to access the advice and support that they need in a way that works for them, whether that is face to face, online or over the phone. As I have mentioned, we have local delivery teams from Social Security Scotland in every authority area, and we encourage people to seek the advice and information that they need.

No one will be worse off through the case transfer process.

Certainly, I am open to coming to the committee. We had a good discussion on case transfer generally recently and I am certainly open to doing that again. Obviously, we will have different engagements—like we have today—on specific regulations, but if there is an appetite from the committee to have a similar session to the one we had previously on case transfer, which would include the process that we are discussing today, I would of course attend it.

I refer to my answer to the deputy convener, in which I set out what we will publish. Of course, the statistics that are assimilated as time progresses will be more insightful for all of us as the roll-out of case transfer is undertaken more generally. I talked about our evaluation report that is to be published in summer 2023. I would imagine that the committee would probably want to discuss that at that point.

When it to comes to increases that result in a change of a person’s conditions, we do not estimate there will be any increased cost, because our approach largely mirrors the DLA-to-PIP transition, which is covered in the funding that we receive from the block grant adjustment. However, our approach to any decreases will likely increase our costs, as we are choosing to be more generous than the DWP policy. The position with increases to a person’s payment is that they will be backdated to when the case transfer happened.

With regard to decreases, we will apply that only from the date of the review rather than the change of circumstances or case transfer. Therefore, they will apply from when the person’s review outcome is decided. Of course, if they choose to undertake a redetermination or appeal, they will get short-term assistance through that process. It would be only from the conclusion of their review that any decrease or a nil award would be applied.