Applications are assigned to local authority by postcode using a Scottish Government lookup file.

For some applications, the postcode will not match to the lookup file. This can be because the postcode is not in a Scottish local authority, or because the postcode has been introduced too recently to appear on the lookup file, for example if a property is in a new development.

For postcodes that could not be matched to a Scottish local authority, the postcode area was used to check whether the postcode was in Scotland or elsewhere.

Non-matching postcodes from Scottish border postcode areas (postcodes starting ‘DG’ and ‘TD’) were also checked individually and assigned to Scottish local authorities as ‘non-Scottish postcodes’ manually.

Postcodes are linked to client profiles and data extracts are automatically updated in the case of a client changing address.

As a result, postcodes reflect the latest address of clients and may not be the same as the address at the time of application.

Therefore a small number of addresses may not reflect the correct local authority at the time of application, decision or payment.

A small number of applications did not include address information and therefore could not be matched to a local authority or country.