COVID-19 business support expenditure: FOI release

Information requested

With respect to the Mobile Close Contact Grant and the Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund.

1. How much is UMI being paid to administer the funds?

2. Are there figures for how much has been awarded each day or week?

3. What if any software are they using to process the applications?

4. If applications are being processed manually what is the average time taken per application?

Response

1. The information you have requested is available from Public Contracts Scotland View Notice - Public Contracts Scotland. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you.

2. As of 21 March 2021, £24 million has been awarded through the Mobile and Home Based Close Contract Fund and £19.7 million has been awarded through the Newly Self Employed Hardship Fund.

3. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not hold the information you have requested. We can advise that the software used by UMi is proprietary software and not owned by the Scottish Government. However, Scottish Government officials are not aware of further information regarding the software used by UMi. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

4. On average, applications are being assessed within two weeks of submission, however, decisions may take longer where additional checks are required due to incorrect or missing information to ensure eligibility and to mitigate against the risk of fraud to public funds.

About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.