We use cookies to collect anonymous data to help us improve your site browsing experience.

Click 'Accept all cookies' to agree to all cookies that collect anonymous data. To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' Visit 'Set cookie preferences' to control specific cookies.

Set cookie preferences

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Publication - Impact assessment

Scottish Welfare Fund - statutory guidance update: equality impact assessment - April 2025

Published
1 April 2025
Directorate
Social Security Directorate
Topic
Communities and third sector, Equality and rights
ISBN
9781836914495

The equality impact assessment (EQIA) carried out in relation to the updates to the statutory guidance for the Scottish Welfare Fund in April 2025.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Stage 3: Assessing the impacts and identifying opportunities to promote equality

Having considered the data and evidence you have gathered; this section requires you to consider the potential impacts – negative and positive – that your policy might have on each of the protected characteristics. It is important to remember the duty is also a positive one – that we must explore whether the policy offers the opportunity to promote equality and/or foster good relations.

Do you think that the policy impacts on people because of their age?
Age Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation - - x Our proposals would have no known impact on eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation for this protected characteristic.
Advancing equality of opportunity x - - Evidence suggests that people aged between 30-39 are the most common applicants to the SWF. Application rates decline steeply until the mid-sixties, at which point they flatten. Clearer, more accessible statutory guidance could help advance equality of opportunity for people based on age. The updated cost methodology and tables within the guidance for decision makers will also mean increased and fairer awards for all age groups.
Promoting good relations among and between different age groups - - x We do not believe that our proposals would have an impact on relations between different age groups.
Do you think that the policy impacts disabled people?
Disability Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation x - - Additional text has also been included in the statutory guidance to ensure local authorities are making reasonable adjustments for applicants with disabilities to ensure equal access to services for all.
Advancing equality of opportunity x - - The changes that are being made to the statutory guidance to ensure that it is clearer, easier to understand and more accessible for everyone could help advance equality of opportunity for disabled people. Additional sections to ensure local authorities are making reasonable adjustments for applicants with disabilities and a further section regarding a trust-based approach has been included to help develop better relations and break potential assumptions and stereotypes. The updated cost methodology and tables within the guidance for decision makers will also mean increased and fairer awards, including for people with disabilities.
Promoting good relations among and between disabled and non-disabled people - - x We do not believe that our proposals would have an impact on relations among or between disabled and non-disabled people.
Do you think that the policy impacts on men and women in different ways?
Sex Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination - - x Our proposals would have no known impact on eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation for this protected characteristic.
Advancing equality of opportunity x - - Updating the statutory guidance to ensure that it is clearer, easier to understand and more accessible could help advance equality of opportunity for men and women. For example, additional text has been added to the statutory guidance that refers to children with shared care arrangements. These sections are to highlight further to decision makers that a child may be considered a dependent of both parents and that where a child is dependent on an adult, they would usually be receiving child benefit for the child, but this isn’t always the case. As such, it asks decision makers to be mindful that it might not be possible for parents with part-time caring responsibilities to provide evidence of this and as such, a trust-based approach is encouraged. In line with a trust-based approach, there is wording in the statutory guidance to make sure that evidence that is requested from decision makers is proportionate and only required if essential. The updated cost methodology and tables within the guidance for decision makers will also mean increased and fairer awards for both men and women.
Promoting good relations between men and women - - x We do not believe the proposed changes will impact relations between men and women.
Do you think that the policy impacts on women because of pregnancy and maternity?
Pregnancy and Maternity Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination - - x Our proposals would have no known impact on eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation for this protected characteristic.
Advancing equality of opportunity x - - Updating the statutory guidance to ensure that it is clearer, easier to understand and more accessible could help advance equality of opportunity for women on the grounds of their pregnancy and maternity status. For example, additional text has been added to the statutory guidance that refers to children with shared care arrangements. These sections are to highlight further to decision makers that a child may be considered a dependent of both parents and that where a child is dependent on an adult, they would usually be receiving child benefit for the child, but this isn’t always the case. As such, it asks decision makers to be mindful that it might not be possible for parents with part-time caring responsibilities to provide evidence of this and as such, a trust-based approach is encouraged. In line with a trust-based approach, there is wording in the statutory guidance to make sure that evidence that is requested from decision makers is proportionate and only required if essential. The updated cost methodology and tables within the guidance for decision makers will also mean increased and fairer awards for women who are pregnant.
Promoting good relations x We do not believe the proposed changes will affect relations of individuals based on their pregnancy or maternity status.
Do you think your policy impacts on trans people?
Gender reassignment Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination - - x Our proposals would have no known impact on eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation for this protected characteristic.
Advancing equality of opportunity x - - The changes that are being made to the statutory guidance to ensure that it is clearer, easier to understand and more accessible and could help advance equality of opportunity for people on the grounds of their gender reassignment status. The updated cost methodology and tables within the guidance for decision makers will also mean increased and fairer awards for all.
Promoting good relations - - x We do not believe the proposed changes will affect relations of individuals based on their gender reassignment status.
Do you think that the policy impacts on people because of their sexual orientation?
Sexual orientation Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination - - x Our proposals would have no known impact on eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation for this protected characteristic.
Advancing equality of opportunity x - - The changes that are being made to the statutory guidance to ensure that it is clearer, easier to understand and more accessible for everyone and could help advance equality of opportunity for people on the grounds of their sexual orientation. The updated cost methodology and tables within the guidance for decision makers will also mean increased and fairer awards for people, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Promoting good relations - - x We do not believe that the proposals would create unlawful discrimination related to an individual’s sexual orientation.
Do you think the policy impacts on people on the grounds of their race?
Race Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination - - x Our proposals would have no known impact on eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation for this protected characteristic.
Advancing equality of opportunity x - - The changes that are being made to the statutory guidance to ensure that it is clearer, easier to understand and more accessible for everyone and could help advance equality of opportunity for people on the grounds of their race. The updated cost methodology and tables within the guidance for decision makers will also mean increased and fairer awards for all.
Promoting good race relations - - x We do not believe the proposed changes will have any impact on individuals based on their race.
Do you think the policy impacts on people because of their religion or belief?
Religion or belief Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination - - x Our proposals would have no known impact on eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation for this protected characteristic.
Advancing equality of opportunity x - - The changes that are being made to the statutory guidance to ensure that it is clearer, easier to understand and more accessible for everyone and could help advance equality of opportunity for people on the grounds of their religion or belief. The updated cost methodology and tables within the guidance for decision makers will also mean increased and fairer awards for all.
Promoting good relations - - x We do not believe the proposed changes will have any impact on individuals based on their religion or belief.
Do you think the policy impacts on people because of their marriage or civil partnership?
Marriage and Civil Partnership[63] Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination - - x Our proposals would have no known impact on eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation for this protected characteristic.
Do you think the policy impacts on people because of their socio-economic background?
Socio-economic background Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination X - - By ensuring a trust-based and proportionate approach to review of supporting information for the purposes of supporting an application, this will ensure that individuals that are at financial distress are not unfairly disadvantaged in terms of having to provide supporting information that incurs greater expense. Further, by providing low income thresholds for local authorities to use, this will ensure that applicants and their family are not disadvantaged when it comes to determining initial eligibility under low income criteria for those not in receipt of qualifying benefits. This is by moving away from the current discretionary approach to this issue, which risks an inconsistent and unfair approach to a more transparent and clear approach.
Advancing equality of opportunity X - - The changes that are being made to the statutory guidance to ensure that it is clearer, easier to understand and more accessible for everyone could help advance equality of opportunity for people on the grounds of their socio-economic background. The updated cost methodology and tables within the guidance for decision makers will also mean increased and fairer awards for all. An action included in the action plan was to review the cost methodology to calculate the cost of living award rates to make sure they adequately meet the increased cost of goods and services. This included assessing the removal of the under 25 rate of payment and the maximum daily award rate. We have updated the cost methodology based on the Universal Credit Essentials Guarantee rates.
Promoting good relations - - x We do not believe the proposed changes will have any impact on individuals based on their socio-economic background.

Contact

Email: swfqueries@gov.scot

Back to top