Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
FOI Reference: FOI/202300388064
Date received: 14 December 2023
Date responded: 9 January 2024
Information Requested
You asked for the following information covering the period from 1 November 2022 to 1 November 2023:
Request for information 1: How many applications for Adult Disability Payments were made?
Request for information 2: How many applications for Child Disability Payment were made?
Request for information 3: How many applicants for Adult Disability Payment were assisted in making their application by staff of Social Security Scotland?
Request for information 4: How many applicants for Child Disability Payment were assisted in making their application by staff of Social Security Scotland?
Request for information 5: How many applications for Adult Disability Payment were successful?
Request for information 6: How many applications of Adult Disability Payment were unsuccessful?
Request for information 7: Where applicants for Adult Disability Payment were assisted by staff of Social Security Scotland, what was the success rate as a percentage?
Request for information 8: How many applications for Child Disability Payment were successful?
Request for information 9: How many applications of Child Disability Payment were unsuccessful?
Request for information 10: Where applicants for Child Disability Payment were assisted by staff of Social Security Scotland, what was the success rate as a percentage?
Request for information 11: How many applicants for Adult Disability Payment were assisted in making applications by other (non-Social Security Scotland) advice agencies?
Request for information 12: Please provide a break down by advice agency the number of people each agency assisted in making an application for Adult Disability Payment?
Request for information 13: What was the success rate as a percentage when applicants were assisted in making an application for Adult Disability Payment by a non-Social Security Scotland Advice Agency?
Request for information 14: How many applicants for Child Disability Payment were assisted in making applications by other (non-Social Security Scotland) advice agencies?
Request for information 15: Please provide a break down by advice agency the number of people each agency assisted in making an application for Child Disability Payment?
Request for information 16: What was the success rate as a percentage when applicants were assisted in making an application for Child Disability Payment by a non-Social Security Scotland Advice Agency?
Request for information 17: How many staff do Social Security Scotland employ by local authority area to assist people in making applications for Social Security Scotland benefits?
Request for information 18: What is the total salary and other employee costs of in employing these staff in the specified period above?
Response
Request for information 1: How many applications for Adult Disability Payments were made?
We routinely publish this information. Information for the period 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2023 can be found in our Adult Disability Payment statistics publication: Social Security Scotland - Adult Disability Payment: high level statistics to 31 October 2023. We will update these statistics for the period 1 November 2023 to 31 January 2024 in March 2024.
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
Request for information 2: How many applications for Child Disability Payment were made?
We routinely publish this information. Our statistics publication with the requested information up to 30 September 2023 can be found at our official statistics page: Social Security Scotland - Child Disability Payment: high level statistics to 30 September 2023
We will update these statistics for the period 1 October 2023 to 31 December 2023 in February 2024. An exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to the information held which has not already been published because we intend to publish it in February 2024. This is because it will be published within 12 weeks of the date of your request. We consider that it is reasonable to withhold the information until that date, rather than release this routinely published information before the planned publication date.
This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because it aids transparency, and this will be met by our planned publication. In the meantime, there is a greater public interest in taking the time necessary to ensure the information has been properly collated and checked before it is published as planned. Also, we see no public interest in disrupting our programme of work to release the information ahead of the intended publication date.
Request for information 3: How many applicants for Adult Disability Payment were assisted in making their application by staff of Social Security Scotland?
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not have some of the information you have requested. We routinely provide assistance to clients for all of our benefits. This can be, for example, by phone, webchat, in writing or by meeting with clients face to face/and or by video. We do hold information on the number of appointments made with our local delivery colleagues where the appointment was to assist with the completion of a claim. In the period there were 15,404 such appointments made. This, however, is only one element of the support available to clients and is not reflective of the full client interaction supporting applications as we do not hold information on the number of calls, webchats or written communications in which assistance was provided.
Request for information 4: How many applicants for Child Disability Payment were assisted in making their application by staff of Social Security Scotland?
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not have some of the information you have requested. We routinely provide assistance to clients for all of our benefits. This can be, for example, by phone, webchat, in writing or by meeting with clients face to face/and or by video. We do hold information on the number of appointments made with our local delivery colleagues where the appointment was to assist with the completion of a claim. In the period there were 2,011 such appointments made.
This, however, is only one element of the support available to clients and is not reflective of the full client interaction supporting applications as we do not hold information on the number of calls, webchats or written communications in which assistance was provided.
Request for information 5: How many applications for Adult Disability Payment were successful?
All of the information you have requested is available from our Adult Disability Payment statistics publication: Social Security Scotland - Adult Disability Payment: high level statistics to 31 October 2023. The next publication of these statistics, covering up to 31 January 2023, will be released in March 2024.
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
Request for information 6: How many applications of Adult Disability Payment were unsuccessful?
All of the information you have requested is available from our Adult Disability Payment statistics publication: Social Security Scotland - Adult Disability Payment: high level statistics to 31 October 2023. The next publication of these statistics, covering up to 31 January 2023, will be released in March 2024.
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
Request for information 7: Where applicants for Adult Disability Payment were assisted by staff of Social Security Scotland, what was the success rate as a percentage?
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested as we do not record this information.
Request for information 8: How many applications for Child Disability Payment were successful?
An exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information requested because we intend to publish that information in February 2024, which is within 12 weeks of the date of your request. We consider that it is reasonable to withhold the information until that date, rather than release this routinely published information before the planned publication date.
This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because it aids transparency, and this will be met by our planned publication. In the meantime, there is a greater public interest in taking the time necessary to ensure the information has been properly collated and checked before it is published as planned. Also, we see no public interest in disrupting our programme of work to release the information ahead of the intended publication date.
Our statistics publication with the requested information up to 30 September 2023 can be found at our official statistics page: Social Security Scotland - Child Disability Payment: high level statistics to 30 September 2023
Request for information 9: How many applications of Child Disability Payment were unsuccessful?
An exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information requested because we intend to publish that information in February 2024, which is within 12 weeks of the date of your request. We consider that it is reasonable to withhold the information until that date, rather than release this routinely published information before the planned publication date.
This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because it aids transparency, and this will be met by our planned publication. In the meantime, there is a greater public interest in taking the time necessary to ensure the information has been properly collated and checked before it is published as planned. Also, we see no public interest in disrupting our programme of work to release the information ahead of the intended publication date.
Our statistics publication with the requested information up to 30 September 2023 can be found at our official statistics page: Social Security Scotland - Child Disability Payment: high level statistics to 30 September 2023
Request for information 10: Where applicants for Child Disability Payment were assisted by staff of Social Security Scotland, what was the success rate as a percentage?
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested as we do not record this information.
Request for information 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16: How many applicants for Adult Disability Payment were assisted in making applications by other (non-Social Security Scotland) advice agencies?
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested as we do not record this information.
Request for information 17: How many staff do Social Security Scotland employ by local authority area to assist people in making applications for Social Security Scotland benefits?
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not hold the information you have requested. We do not hold information on the number of calls, webchats or written communications in which assistance was provided with applications. As such, we do not hold record of the number of staff dealing with queries within scope of your request. Also, the use of virtual appointments means that local delivery staff will be expected to conduct appointments with clients who live out with their own geographical area.
Request for information 18: What is the total salary and other employee costs of employing these staff in the specified period above?
This information is not held because we do not employ staff by local authority area in the way that you have requested. We do not hold information on the number of calls, webchats or written communications in which assistance was provided with applications. As such, we do not hold record of the number of staff dealing with queries within scope of your request.
About FOI
Social Security Scotland is committed to publishing its response to requests. The Scottish Government also publishes responses to requests. You can view the responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.