Staff being transferred with the responsibility for benefit claims: FOI release

Information requested

a) will any key people with experience be moving over from the existing U.K system ( Many are employed in Scotland) or is a new inexperienced staff and management team being put in place? Today an organization exists probably the U.K Dep’t of Work and Pensions which employs many people, including many in Scotland processing claims and payments that have been transferred/devolved to the Scottish Assembly.

b) As the function of the new Scottish agency to process and deliver claims does not materially change and that the benefit structure is being transferred rather than being created experienced staff and management could be available for transfer into the agency or new staff with less experience could be hired.

Simply put how many people are being transferred with the transfer of the responsibility to process and deliver claims?

 

Response

 

a) The new social security system for Scotland will be materially different to the current UK system. More information on the Scottish Government’s plans for social security in Scotland can be found online at: 

https://www.gov.scot/policies/social-security/

A number of staff from Other Government Departments (OGDs),including DWP and HMRC have applied for vacancies and are now employed by Social Security Scotland. Standard Scottish Government recruitment arrangements ensure that available posts are advertised on the Civil Service Jobs website, giving existing civil servants access before any external candidates. We select successful candidates based on their competence and ability to deliver on our principles of dignity and respect, in line with the Scottish Government’s recruitment policy,

b) Any jobs in Social Security Scotland, our new agency with responsibility for the delivery of social security services, which relate to the delivery of devolved benefits must in the first instance be evaluated in relation to the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice (COSoP). (COSoP) is a code of practice, developed by the UK Cabinet Office to support employees when work is being transferred between departments within the civil service or across the wider public sector. This is the public sector equivalent of Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE). It has been agreed that DWP will carry out COSoP assessments on a benefit by benefit basis to identify whether any DWP staff fall into scope of transfer for each benefit as the functions transfer. Any staff who do fall into scope will be offered the opportunity to transfer to Social Security Scotland. To date, no DWP staff have been identified as falling into scope of transfer.

Further information is available on this website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staff-transfers-in-the-public-sector

 

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