Mainstreaming equality outcomes: consultation analysis

Analysis of responses to the public consultation on Social Security Scotland's first equality strategy which ran between 7 November 2019 to 6 February 2020.


1. Background to the consultation

This section explains the context, content and aims of the Mainstreaming Equality Outcomes consultation and describes the consultation process.

The Mainstreaming Equality Outcomes consultation was developed and held by Social Security Scotland, an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government. Social Security Scotland, formed in 2018, delivers benefits on behalf of the Scottish Government including benefits that were previously delivered by the UK Government and some new benefits introduced by the Scottish Government. Social Security Scotland is committed to taking a rights-based approach and views social security as a human right, to be delivered as a public service that reduces poverty and provides dignity and respect to Scottish citizens.[1] Social Secuity Scotland is currently developing an Equality Strategy to ensure that equality is at the centre of all its activities while also meeting the expectations set out in the Equality Act 2010[2] and the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018.[3] A set of equality outcomes will underpin this strategy and these outcomes are the focus of the Mainstreaming Equality Outcomes consultation presented and analysed in this report.

The Mainstreaming Equality Outcomes consultation sought feedback on five draft Equality Outcomes as well as on activities to help achieve each outcome and on ways to measure progress on achieving each outcome. The aim of the consultation was to ensure that Social Security Scotland's Equality Strategy will reflect the needs of those who experience discrimination and disadvantage.

A public consultation was held between 7 November 2019 and 6 February 2020 using the Scottish Government's online consultation hub. Social Security Scotland also held a series of events across Scotland to compliment the public consultation. These events gave individuals and stakeholder organisations the opportunity to receive more information about the Equality Outcomes and participate in a group discussion. Events were open to the general public, but places had to be booked in advance.

This report presents the findings from the public consultation and the events and explains the methodology that was used to analyse responses.

Contact

Email: marion.logan@socialsecurity.gov.scot

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