Staff employed by Social Security Scotland: FOI release

Information requested

1. The number of employees currently employed by Social Security Scotland.

2. An outline of the departments within Social Security Scotland, and the number of employees within each of these departments

3. The amount paid out by Social Security Scotland to claimants from the date of the first payment issued to a claimant by Social Security Scotland, broken down by benefit.

4. The average length of time it takes Social Security Scotland to complete the process of application for each individual benefit administered by Social Security Scotland for each month over the past two years (June 2019). 

Response

1. The total number of direct employees of Social Security Scotland as at 30th June 2021 was 1,192.

This figure is a headcount of the total number of employees. We have interpreted "employees" as meaning those with a contract for direct employment. The figure does not include contingent workers. Contingent workers include consultants, contractor staff, interim managers, inward secondment, UK fast stream and short-term youth employment initiatives. Further information on our workforce can be found on the website of the Scottish Government.

2. The below table provides information on directly employed staff by Division as at 30th June 2021. A Division is the top level of team within Social Security Scotland:
 

Division	Staff Count
Chief Digital Office	106
Finance and Corporate Services	257
Client Services Delivery	657
Strategy, Change, Data and Engagement	167
Chief Executive’s Office	3
Health and Social Care	2

3. Exemptions under Sections 25(1) and 27(1) are considered to apply to your Request for Information 3.

This is because some of the information covering the period of your request is otherwise accessible to you and is published on the website of the Scottish Government. Information covering the remaining periods of your request will be published within 12 weeks.

Under Section 25(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you.

Under Section 27 (1) we do not have to disclose information which we already plan to publish within the next 12 weeks. In our discussions with you concerning the information on the Best Start benefits, you agreed that the information published, and to be published, met your information needs. As a consequence, and for completeness, Sections 25(1) and 27(1) are considered to apply to the information in so far as it concerns these benefits.

4. Exemptions under Sections 25(1) and 27(1) are considered to apply to your Request for information 4. This is because some of the information covering the period of your request is otherwise accessible to you and is published on the website of the Scottish Government. Information covering the remaining periods of your request will be published within 12 weeks.

Under Section 25(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the
website listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

Under Section 27 (1) we do not have to disclose information which we already plan to publish within the next 12 weeks.

In our discussions with you concerning the information on the Best Start benefits, you agreed that the information published, and to be published, met your information needs. As a consequence, and for completeness, Sections 25(1) and 27(1) are considered to apply to the information in so far as it
concerns these benefits.

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.