Annual Report shows how we are supporting people across Scotland  

We have helped nearly one million people across Scotland in 2024-25, providing vital financial help through 15 benefits.

The publication of our Annual Report and Accounts for 2024-25 shows our payments have helped 960,000 people with the cost-of-living, including support to heat their homes and feed their families.

Our annual Client Satisfaction Survey , which is published alongside the Annual Report, highlights that 91% of respondents who had interacted with Social Security Scotland staff agreed they were treated with kindness. In total, 84% of respondents said their experience with staff was ‘very good’ or ‘good’ and 87% felt they were listened to.

Social Security Scotland Chief Executive, David Wallace, said:  

   “Putting our clients first remains at the heart of everything we do. We have made significant progress in improving the experience of our clients through reduced call waiting and processing times.

“I was particularly pleased to see that 91% of respondents to our most recent client survey said they were treated with kindness. We remain focused on ensuring people get the money they are entitled to while continuing to treat people with dignity, fairness and respect.” 

Adult Disability Payment supported more than 465,000 disabled people while Child Disability Payment was paid to 97,000 children and their families.

Julie Beamish is a mum of four. Two of her daughters, Leila, 17, and Anna 28, have a rare genetic disorder which means both are developmentally delayed with complex needs. Both are non-verbal and use wheelchairs.

Leila receives Child Disability Payment and Child Winter Heating Payment while Anna receives Adult Disability Payment from Social Security Scotland.

Julie, a former paediatric nurse, cares for her daughters full-time. She said:

“The payments make the difference between surviving and not surviving because the costs that you have with any child with complex needs is way higher than your average child without these needs.

“Leila has two tubes for feeding and drainage and has a feeding pump that has to be in use all the time or on charge. She's got a hospital bed that needs to be electric to adjust the height or the positioning of it and an overhead hoist to help her get in and out of bed that is also electric.

“Anna’s got an electric bed as well and she goes through clothes at an alarmingly high rate because she drools a lot and when she gets distressed, she rips her clothes and chews on them.

“The price of everything has basically doubled. I am obviously conscious of money all the time and you have to cut back on things that are not necessary. The payments just make enough of a difference that you can do a little extra for them.

“You want your child to have the same quality of life as anyone else.”

Jane Geddes’s son Euan, 17 has cerebral palsy which impacts all four limbs. He is non-verbal and is in a wheelchair

Euan receives the highest rate of Child Disability Payment from Social Security Scotland and has also received Child Winter Heating Payment.

“Euan is immobile and because he doesn’t move around, he gets colder than the rest of us. Because he is in a wheelchair, he can’t move himself to where it is warmer.

“That means that our gas central heating is set at a higher temperature and because he is in the house more due to a lack of social opportunities and it is getting colder outside, the heating is on for longer during the day.

“We are also using electricity for his day-to-day needs, be it for the lights which are on a lot more to his track hoist to help him in and out of his wheelchair, in and out of bed.”

The Annual Report shows that more than 200,000 families on low incomes received Scottish Child Payment which as of 31 March 2025 is benefitting more than 326,000 children up to 15 years old.

Winter Heating Payment was paid to more than 468,000 people and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment was also introduced, replacing the UK Government’s Winter Fuel Payment.

Pension Age Disability Payment was rolled out across the country giving help to more than 1,200 older disabled people and those with a long-term health conditions. Carer Support Payment helped more than 77,000 unpaid carers who provide essential support for others in 2024-25.