Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
FOI Reference: FOI/202500470118
Date received: 10 June 2025
Date responded: 8 July 2025
Information requested
Request for Information 1
Can you please confirm what the policy and procedures are for case manager quality control, performance management, audits of determinations, and consistency in determination? Please provide all relevant documentation
Request for Information 2:
When a client requests a re-determination, and the re-determination is made – is the previous determination, or/and the performance of the case manager reviewed?
Request for Information 3:
How many times in financial years 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 were case managers investigated for determination inconsistency, underpayment, or overpayment of Adult Disability Payment?
Please provide a breakdown by financial year, and by whether the investigation was for inconsistency, underpayment, or overpayment.
Request for Information 4:
How many times in 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 did case managers face corrective action for determination inconsistency, underpayment, or overpayment of Adult Disability Payment?
Please provide a breakdown by financial year, and a breakdown for whether it was for determination inconsistency, underpayment, or overpayment. If alternative terms are used for similar categories, please use these terms. The term ‘corrective action’ may also include disciplinary action. Please also provide a breakdown of the different types of corrective action.
Request for Information 5:
How many times did case managers lose their jobs in 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 where determination overpayment, underpayment, or inconsistency were cited as a reason? Please provide a breakdown by financial year, as well as a breakdown of whether determination overpayment, underpayment, or inconsistency were listed as a reason.
Request for Information 6:
How many times in 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 did any staff member face corrective action for determination inconsistency, underpayment, or overpayment of Adult Disability Payment?
Please provide a breakdown by financial year, and a breakdown for whether it was for determination inconsistency, underpayment or overpayment. If alternative terms are used for similar categories, please use these terms. The term ‘corrective action’ may also include disciplinary action. Please also provide a breakdown of the different types of corrective or disciplinary action used.
Request for Information 7:
How many times did any staff member lose their job in 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 where determination overpayment, underpayment, or inconsistency were cited as a reason? Please provide a breakdown by financial year, as well as a breakdown of whether determination overpayment, underpayment, or inconsistency were listed as a reason.
Request for Information 8:
How many times in financial years 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 were staff members investigated for determination inconsistency, underpayment, or overpayment of Adult Disability Payment?
Please provide a breakdown by financial year, and by whether the investigation was for underpayment or overpayment.
Request for Information 9:
When a client requests an appeal, and the appeal is upheld– is the previous determination, or/and the performance of the case manager reviewed to better understand what the cause of the inconsistency was?
If alternative terms are used for the terms underpayment, overpayment, or payment inconsistency – please provide data on these categories. The same applies for the terms corrective action, disciplinary action, and investigation.
Request for Information 10:
Please provide any documentation on the importance of consistency when making determinations.
Response
Request for Information 1:
A: Case manager quality control Audits of determinations Consistency in determination
Social Security Scotland have a Quality Support Team. Most checks are end-to-end client journey and cover all workstreams within Client Services Delivery. The Quality Support Team may perform targeted checks on specific areas if required. Line Managers have an option in the quality checks to complete Targeted Known Error checks - if they have noticed a trend in issues, give coaching or feedback or want to get confidence an specific issue is being handled correctly, they can complete those additional checks at their discretion for individuals.
Quality checks are done at the following rate depending on experience:
For Trainee or New Starts:
100% quality Case Checks with a minimum of 10 checks completed, this will finish when the trainee reaches the agreed financial and procedural quality rate.
For Client Advisers, alongside 100% case checks they have 3 communication checks within the first month.
For established team members checks are done at the following rate:
Line Manager Average Monthly Checks |
Quality Team Ave Quality Checks |
|
Client Advisers |
Case Checks - 1 per Client Adviser Communication checks - 3 per Client Adviser |
1 case check per person |
First Decision Case Managers |
Case Checks - 4 per Case Manager Communication Checks - 1 Per Case Manager |
1 case check per person |
Reviews/WADLA Case Managers |
Case Checks - 4 per Case Manager Communication Checks - 0.25 per Case Manager |
1 case check per person (Excludes WADLA) |
Details of Quality Support in Social Security Scotland and the standardised check lists used by checkers are attached.
The Decision Making Guide for Adult Disability Payment Case Managers can be found on our website at: Social Security Scotland - Decision Making Guide
B: Performance Management
The information you have requested is available as Annex A in Freedom of Information response, Scottish Government employee information: FOI release - gov.scot
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 listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
Request for Information 2:
As part of a re-determination, the original decision is always reviewed. When required, relevant feedback is provided to the case manager for learning.
Request for Information 3, 4, 6 and 8:
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested.
This is because feedback is provided regularly through one to one discussions on quality checks carried out by both the Line Manager and the quality support team. These discussions are carried out monthly and focus on overall quality and focus area improvements. Performance plans are instigated informally for 3 months and then formally thereafter.
While performance management remains a key priority for our organisation we have a structured appraisal system in place. Informal discussions on performance, whilst structured and valuable for continuous feedback and development, are not systematically tracked or documented in a way that allows for quantitative analysis or reporting.
Details of our performance management procedures are available as Annex A in Freedom of Information response, Scottish Government employee information: FOI release - gov.scot
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested.
Request for Information 5 & 7:
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested. While we hold information on staff dismissals, there have been no instances where any member of staff has lost their job where a determination overpayment, underpayment, or inconsistency was recorded as a factor for dismissal.
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested, as no dismissals have occurred for reasons relating to errors, overpayments or similar inconsistencies.
You may find it useful to refer to this previous Freedom of Information response relating to the reason for staff member dismissals.
Social Security Scotland - Social Security Scotland staff dismissal statistics: FOI release
Request for Information 9:
Yes. When a client requests an appeal, the previous determination is reviewed. When required, relevant feedback is provided to the case manager for learning.
Request for Information 10:
Please find attached the following documents:
9. Principles of decision making
10. Just and fair decision making
The Decision Making Guide for Adult Disability Payment Case Managers can be found on our website at: Social Security Scotland - Decision Making Guide
About FOI
Social Security Scotland is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. The Scottish Government also publishes responses to requests. You can view the responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
FOI 202500470118 - Additional Documents