Current status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of a backlog of applications to the Redress Scheme (a) how many applications are currently waiting to be assigned to a caseworker, (b) what this figure is as a percentage of the overall number of applications, and (c) how long it anticipates it will take to process those applications.
The official statistics, available at Scotland's Redress Scheme Statistics December 2021 - June 2025, provide information on applications, outcomes and payments made in the first 42 months of Scotland's Redress Scheme.
While these do not include information specifically about the allocation of applications to case workers, we recognise that many applicants are waiting too long for their applications to be progressed and an outcome to be determined.
Each application for Redress is unique. Applications progress at differing rates depending on how complete they are when submitted, the availability of information, evidence and records, and the extent of verification checks required. It is not possible to provide a timescale from receipt of an application through to receipt of payment and apology, given the unique nature of applications.
The Scottish Government is committed to minimising wait times for applicants as much as possible. Case worker recruitment is under way and I am meeting with the Scottish Government case work team and the Chair of Redress Scotland to discuss further options for the operation of the scheme.