Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
FOI Reference: FOI/202500466090
Date received: 14 May 2025
Date responded: 12 June 2025
Information requested
Request for Information 1: The total cost incurred by Social Security Scotland for translation services for 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 to date.
Request for Information 2: A breakdown by language, if available, and the cost incurred by each language, each year.
Request for Information 3: A breakdown by type of translation service and the cost incurred by each translation service type, each year.
Response
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this case Social Security Scotland does not hold some of the information you have requested.
The information is held by our supplier, Global Connects, in financial year (e.g. 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025) as opposed to calendar year, and the most up to date information available to us only covers until March 31st 2025, i.e. financial year 2024/25 as provided.
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that Social Security Scotland does not have the information relating to calendar year 2025 to date you have requested.
Due to more robust processes and systems for the tracking of financial information, these figures are more accurate and up to date than information provided previously.
Request for Information 1:
| Year | Total Translation Spend |
|---|---|
| 2022-23 | £270,260.34 |
| 2023-24 | £1,062,483.52 |
| 2024-25 | £1,132,284.61 |
Request for Information 2:
Please find attached a document which breaks down the languages translated across Financial Years 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this case Social Security Scotland does not hold some of the information you have requested. This is because we are unable to accurately provide total spend across each year broken down by language.
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that Social Security Scotland does not have some of the information you have requested.
Request for Information 3:
| 22/23 | 23/24 | 24/25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Translation of Letters | £264,299.34 | £1,020,410.85 | £1,123,224.58 |
| Proof Reading | £0 | £41,035.12 | £775.03 |
| British Sign language (translations) | £5,961 | £1,037.55 | £8,285 |
| Total | £270,260.34 | £1,062,483.52 | £1,132,284.61 |
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 202500466090