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.


Appendix C - signposting

Question 17 of the survey welcomed respondents to provide any information or evidence related to the specific inequalities participants wished to highlight that were relevant to the delivery of social security benefits. Participants were also welcome to signpost Social Security Scotland to further information also.

7 participants (6 organisations and 1 individual) provided evidence and signposted Social Security Scotland to further information. This information has been collated by topic and is presented below.

Figure 22 - Signposting and information provided by participants in relation to specific inequalities

Topic

Source

Link and/or description

Blind or partially sighted individuals

Scottish Vision Strategy 2013 to 2018

https://www.rnib.org.uk/sites/default/files/Scot_Vision_Strategy_refresh.pdf

Johan Slade and Rose Edwards (2015) My Voice 2015: The views and experiences of blind and partially sighted in the UK

One organisation wished to highlight the reality of life as a blind or partially sighted person in the UK. Many blind and partially sighted people have needs which intersect with other issues such as unemployment and poverty and therefore relevant to the delivery of social security benefits.

Carers

Skills for Care (2012) Carers Matters - Everybody's business

https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Document-library/Skills/Carers/Partone.pdf

Carers UK (2014) Caring and Family Finances Inquiry: Carers struggling with alarming levels of hardship

https://www.carersuk.org/news-and-campaigns/press-release-rss/580-nation-s-carers-struggling-with-alarming-levels-of-hardship

The National Carers Organisations (2013) Submission to the Expert Group on Welfare

https://www.carersuk.org/for-professionals/policy/expert-comment/61-scotland/response/3286-national-carer-organisations-submission-to-the-expert-group-on-welfare

Carers UK (2014) Caring and Family Finances Inquiry: Carers struggling with alarming levels of hardship

https://www.carersuk.org/news-and-campaigns/press-release-rss/580-nation-s-carers-struggling-with-alarming-levels-of-hardship

Close the Gap (2018) Close the Gap response to the Social Security Committee inquiry into social security and in-work poverty

These documents relating to carers highlight the specific inequalities carers face, despite not being a protected group. A number of organisations highlighted that the needs of carers are particularly relevant to the delivery of social security.

Disadvantage

Lankelly Chas (2019), Hard Edges Scotland

One organization wished to highlight the complexity of the lives of people facing multiple disadvantage. This report takes into account the lived experience of those experiencing inequalities, exclusion and multiple disadvantage.

Human Rights

Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/commission-scotland

EHRC Public Sector Equality Duty guidance

Participants were keen to signpost participants to the EHRC where measurable and specific outcomes can be seen.

LGBT

Stonewall Scotland

https://www.stonewallscotland.org.uk/

Stonewall Scotland is a charity which supports the LGBT community and campaigns for LGBT rights everywhere including the workplace. It carries out research and provides a number of resources about the experiences and treatment of those who are LGBT.

Welfare reform

Fife Council (2019), Let's leave no one behind: poverty and protected characteristics in Fife

https://know.fife.scot/wp-content/uploads/sites/44/2020/01/Lets-leave-no-one-behind-Nov-2019-report-FINAL.pdf

Respondents felt that universal credit and welfare reform were major issues which were relevant to the delivery of social security benefits. This is because changes to welfare reform impacts many groups and severely impacts on black minority ethnic households, women, households with at least one disabled adult, and lone parents were among the groups most affected.

Wider inequalities in society

Crisis (2017) Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan

This action plan provides recommendations on issues relating to homelessness and welfare

Women's experience

The Fawcett Society (2006) Who benefits?

A gender analysis of the UK benefits and tax credit system

 

 

Several organisations highlighted the specific inequalities which women face - all which are directly relevant to the delivery of social security benefits.

Close the Gap (2020) Gender pay gap statistics

Close the Gap (2018) Response to the Social Security Committee inquiry into social security and in-work poverty contains further evidence on women's different experiences of social security

https://www.closethegap.org.uk/content/resources/Close-the-Gap-response-to-Social-Secuirty-Committee---In-Work-Poverty-and-Social-Security.pdf

Engender (2016) Securing Women's Futures: Using Scotland's New Social Security Powers to Close the Gender Equality Gap

Women's Budget Group (2016) The impact on women of the 2016 Budget: Women paying for the Chancellor's tax cuts, citing House of Commons Library Analysis for Kate Green MP, April 2016.

Engender (2016) Gender Matters in Social Security: Individual Payments of Universal Credit

Engender (2017) Parliamentary Briefing: Child Tax Credit and Child Element of Universal Credit

https://www.engender.org.uk/content/publications/Gender-matters-in-social-security-individual-payments-of-universal-credit.pdf

[Source: Rocket Science analysis of consultation data]

Contact

Email: marion.logan@socialsecurity.gov.scot

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