Understanding and interpreting information – including supporting information
This guidance is for case managers working for Social Security Scotland. In this chapter, the case manager will be referred to as “you”. Social Security Scotland will be referred to as “us” or “we”.
In this chapter, the term ‘individual’ can refer to both the individual who is the recipient of the benefit and the individual who is acting on behalf of the recipient i.e. their third-party representative or appointee. Where the guidance refers to contacting the individual, this could be their third-party representative or appointee. You should use the information provided on the application or review form to decide who would be the appropriate contact on a case-by-case basis.
Related reading
- Supporting Information Chapter
- Can I make a robust determination with the information available?
- Confirmation from a professional
- Additional supporting information
- Lack of confirmation from a profession and good cause
- Gathering supporting information
- Principles of decision making
- Making robust decisions
- Other decision-making tools
What is meant by ‘information’
This guidance should be used to help you understand and interpret any information provided throughout the application or review process. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Any supporting information, including the statement of support, provided at application stage or gathered after the application has been submitted
- The application forms
- Information gathered in follow up phone calls with the individual
For more information on how to interpret information in the PADP application form, including how to apply the information to PADP criteria, you should refer to the decision making guidance on ‘The PADP application form and how to interpret it’, ‘PADP rates & criteria’ and ‘PADP determinations and awards’.
Supporting information
Although this chapter should be used to understand and interpret all information you will use to make a decision, it makes frequent reference to supporting information. You should ensure you are familiar with supporting information by referring to the Supporting Information decision making guidance.
Supporting information is information from:
- professionals
- the individual’s wider support network
It’s added to the information provided by the individual in their application or review form. It is used to support an individual’s application or review. It also helps:
- build a picture of how an individual’s disability or condition impacts their life
Confirmation from a professional can only come from a professional. Where needed, the key role of this type of supporting information is to broadly confirm the individual’s conditions, disabilities or needs.
Additional supporting information is used to establish an individual’s entitlement and care needs. It can come from the client’s wider support network or a professional. Its purpose is to add detail to the application or review form by describing the individual’s care needs on a day-to-day basis.
Supporting information, including confirmation from a professional, should be used to support an individual’s application or review. It should not be used to “evidence” or “prove” every detail of what the individual has described.