Seldom Heard Groups Action Plan

Our Seldom-Heard Action Plan 2025-2026

Staff Learning and Development

What the research tells us

Both research pieces commissioned by the Scottish Government highlighted the importance of staff learning and development across all levels (i.e. for those delivering services to clients directly, policy officials, and decision makers). This reflects and re-enforces the existing evidence on reducing barriers to access. The Seldom-Heard Evidence Review specifically noted the power of staff learning and development to improve awareness of barriers experienced by marginalised communities when considering approaches which support take-up of benefits^[2]. Training which would support staff to identify and address conscious and unconscious bias was a key priority for participants of the Stigma Citizens’ Panel^[3]. However, panel members noted that this must be offered on a continuous basis and for it to be impactful, as well as monitored to ensure it remains relevant and effective^[4].

What the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland are already doing

• Upon joining Social Security Scotland, all client-facing colleagues receive training on communicating in an inclusive way. In addition, client-facing staff receive further training in active listening and questioning techniques to support people who may feel fear, stigma, or distrust when accessing help.
• Learning on unconscious bias, microaggressions, and the impact of trauma and discrimination is available to staff. These resources are designed to raise awareness of the subtle barriers often faced by marginalised groups.
• Social Security Scotland work with external stakeholders, such as RNIB and Alzheimer's Scotland, to deliver targeted training to support Health and Social Care Practitioners’ understanding of the impacts of specific conditions on clients.
• A dignity-first culture is embedded through internal leadership messaging and promotion of inclusive learning. Line managers are encouraged to support ongoing learning and reflection in teams.

What actions we will take to address the research findings

The Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland are committed to building on this progress by enhancing training on stigma, trauma-informed support, and culturally responsive services, in line with the evidence set out in this Action Plan. The following actions outline how we will enhance our approach to this over the next 12 months.

Outcome: Staff are supported with regular training and resources to help them understand and meet the needs of seldom-heard groups. This includes learning about the barriers people face, how to challenge stigma, and how to provide kind, trauma-aware, and culturally sensitive support.

Table 1: Actions for Staff Learning & Development Theme

Action

The Scottish Government will work to ensure that an understanding and awareness of the experiences and barriers affecting seldom-heard groups is strengthened across social security policy teams, Social Security Scotland, and the wider Scottish Government. This will be achieved through sustained, targeted engagement with relevant teams, helping to build a culture of shared learning. Insights gathered will be used to shape the development and delivery of benefit take-up policy, ensuring it better reflects the needs of marginalised groups.

Evidence from the Research

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

Staff training can enhance awareness of the barriers faced by marginalised groups when accessing social security entitlements, including stigma. If stigmatising beliefs about, and prejudice towards, those in receipt of social security are to be eliminated, culture change must be embedded through ongoing staff learning and development^[5].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Continuously learn and improve

Prioritise person-centred approaches

Action

Social Security Scotland will develop an inclusive communication resources hub for staff, as part of their Mainstreaming Inclusive Communication and Equality Strategy. These resources will enhance staff inclusive communication skills, helping them to engage effectively with all clients. It will provide staff with the tools and knowledge needed to make services more inclusive and better tailored to the needs of various communities. Additionally, Social Security Scotland will develop a Tool to guide staff in taking practical steps to support all diverse groups, including those identified as seldom-heard, as part of their mandatory diversity objectives.

Evidence from the Research

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

Staff training can enhance awareness of barriers faced by marginalised groups when accessing social security entitlements, including stigma, digital exclusion, and lack of trust in institutions^[6].

Stigma Citizens’ Panel:

The Scottish Government should build capacity for policy makers and front-line staff by training them on stigma around poverty and inequality including around disability, race and gender identity. This would be helped by developing a system for sharing learning and good practice^[7].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Continuously learn and improve

Prioritise person centred approaches

Action

Social Security Scotland will embed trauma-informed practices into service delivery by providing targeted training for frontline staff. This includes piloting a trauma-informed training product developed by NHS Education Scotland, which will be adapted and facilitated by Social Security Scotland’s Education and Development Team. The results will inform a proposal for wider implementation across Social Security Scotland. By collaborating with NHS Scotland, Social Security Scotland will ensure that service delivery aligns with best practices in trauma awareness, enhancing staff capability to support individuals with lived trauma experiences.

Evidence from the Research

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

There is a perception that staff are poorly trained to deal with trauma and more training should be provided to enable them to appropriately and sensitively engage with people who have experienced trauma^[8].

Stigma Citizens’ Panel:

The Scottish Government could start to address [domestic abuse and poverty related stigma] through training staff, recruiting specialist trauma informed advisors and a resource supporting people experiencing domestic abuse on accessing entitlements without shame^[9].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Continuously learn and improve

Prioritise person centred approaches

Person Centred Services

What the research tells us

Both the Seldom-Heard Evidence Review, and participants of the Stigma Citizens’ Panel, highlighted the complexity of the social security system as a barrier for those accessing entitlements. Simplification of application processes, as well as faster decisions, are key to reducing fear and uncertainty and improving take-up. This could include streamlining of application processes by better linking of entitlements or automation of payments, as well as offering a range of application channels^[10]. In addition, the Stigma Citizens’ Panel noted the importance of ensuring lived experience is at the heart of system design and development. Panellists flagged that lived experience insight should inform all services and products, including communications, campaigns and learning resources, with an emphasis on co-design, where possible, to ensure products truly reflect user needs^[11].

What the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland are already doing

• The Scottish Government adopts a human-rights based approach to social security, with Social Security Scotland built on key principles of dignity, fairness and respect.
• Services are co-designed with users and shaped by client insights through user research and the annual Client Survey.
• Application materials are tested with people with lived experience and applications can be completed via a range of channels including paper, online, over the phone, or face-to-face with the support of Social Security Scotland’s Local Delivery service.

What actions we will take to address the research findings

These actions aim to strengthen existing approaches by improving understanding of the barriers seldom-heard groups may face and embedding this awareness across policy development and service delivery. This will support more inclusive, accessible services that reflect the principles of dignity, fairness, and respect. The next Benefit Take-Up Strategy, due in October 2026, will continue to build on the learning from the research and delivery of these actions.

Outcome: Social security services are designed and delivered in a way that meets the diverse needs of individuals, ensuring dignity, fairness, and respect in every interaction.

Table 2: Actions for Person Centred Services Theme

Action

The Scottish Government will engage with stakeholders representing seldom-heard communities to test approaches to benefit take-up and strengthen understanding of communities’ experiences of the social security system. This will ensure their experiences and needs are reflected in policy design, including the 2026 Benefit Take-Up Strategy.

Evidence from the Research

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

Organisations supporting seldom-heard communities often have access to those whose voice is not routinely heard by government. Learning and feedback shared by these services can support government understanding of application pressure points and challenges^[12].

Stigma Citizens’ Panel:

Services and products, including communications, campaigns, and learning, should be co-designed with people who have experience of the system to ensured they truly reflect user needs^[13].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Prioritise person centred approaches

Cross system collaboration

Action

Social Security Scotland will enhance its Equality Impact Assessment process to include seldom-heard groups within diversity and equalities considerations. This will involve updated guidance on the Equality Impact Assessment process, setting out seldom-heard group needs and perspectives, ensuring their experiences are actively considered in the development of processes and services.

Evidence from the Research

Stigma Citizens’ Panel:

There is a sense that systems have been designed to be difficult to access to deter people from applying. Application forms and processes should therefore be designed to support people’s individual needs, for example, through responsive smart forms in community languages^[14].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Prioritise person centred approaches

Continuously learn and improve

Action

Procurement for the next Social Security Independent Advocacy Service contract is currently underway. The next contract holder will be expected to deliver the service in a person-centred way to uphold the rights of disabled people. They will also be expected to build strong relationships with organisations that people from seldom-heard groups engage with to increase referrals to the service.

Evidence from the Research

Stigma Citizens’ Panel:

Better investment in advocacy would increase benefit take-up, as would taking a human rights approach to advocacy. The Scottish Government should widen the right to advocacy^[15].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Prioritise person-centred approaches

Continuously learn and improve

Data Collection and Evaluation

What the research tells us

The Seldom-Heard Evidence Review highlighted that data limitations regarding seldom-heard communities are a key challenge to improving approaches to benefit take-up. There is currently a lack of data on marginalised communities which makes it difficult to assess the true extent of barriers and inequalities these groups face^[16]. Limited data at both a UK Government and Scottish Government level on both eligibility for, and receipt of, benefits create difficulties in estimating take-up rates for seldom-heard communities. Better collection of data more generally, including intersectional data and analysis, together with more consistent evaluation of take-up initiatives, would strengthen understanding of approaches to support seldom-heard groups to access entitlements^[17]. However, even with data improvements, challenges in estimating take-up for seldom-heard groups would remain. For some benefits there is a particular challenge in estimating eligible populations, particularly at a granular level, due to complex eligibility criteria.

What the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland are already doing

• The Scottish Government has a comprehensive approach to policy evaluation of the devolved benefits, outlined in two published evaluation strategies^[18], with thirteen published evaluations so far. These evaluations directly inform service improvements, including changes to eligibility criteria and communications.
• Client insights and experiences are gathered on an ongoing basis through Social Security Scotland’s Client Survey, Client Panels and targeted research projects. Recent research activity has been conducted with people who speak English as a second language, as well as digitally excluded groups.
• The Scottish Government provides annual estimates of take-up rates for a number of devolved payments. The most recent estimates, published in November 2024, highlighted encouraging progress on take-up for a number of benefits, as well as identifying areas for further improvement for others. New estimates will be published in Autumn 2025.

What actions we will take to address the research findings

The following actions are intended to achieve continuous improvement in this area of work and are aimed at gaining better understanding of the diverse experiences of Social Security Scotland clients in the run up to the next Benefit Take-Up Strategy.

Outcome: We collect data on clients accessing Scottish social security payments. This helps us to better understand people's experiences, develop evidence-informed policies, and improve services. We regularly review our performance and evaluate our policies, to see what is working well and what could be better, so that we can keep learning and improving.

Table 3: Actions for Data Collection and Evaluation Theme

Actions

Social Security Scotland will build evidence bases for seldom-heard groups through user research to better understand their experiences with Social Security Scotland, with a focus on improving accessibility and service delivery. Where possible, Social Security Scotland will explore opportunities to publish findings to enhance transparency and inform policy development.

Evidence from the Research

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

A lack of robust data makes it difficult to assess the true extent of barriers and inequalities. Improved data collection on groups accessing devolved social security would strengthen understanding of marginalised communities^[19].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Continuously learn and improve

Prioritise person-centred approaches

Actions

Social Security Scotland will review data captured through existing channels, such as the Client Survey, to better our understanding of seldom-heard clients’ experiences when engaging with the devolved social security system.

Evidence from the Research

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

A lack of robust data makes it difficult to assess the true extent of barriers and inequalities. Improved data collection on groups accessing devolved social security would strengthen understanding of marginalised communities^[20].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Continuously learn and improve

Prioritise person-centred approaches

Actions

The Scottish Government will use additional evidence from planned evaluations into benefits currently delivered by Social Security Scotland. This will include interviews with stakeholders representing low-income families to identify take-up barriers and inform policy responses.

Evidence from the Research

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

There is a need for ongoing evaluation as without continuous monitoring and evaluation it is difficult to assess whether policy changes are improving benefit take-up for seldom-heard groups^[21].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Continuously learn and improve

Prioritise person centred approaches

Actions

By the end of 2025, Social Security Scotland will publish an intersectionality analysis as part of the annual Client and Applicant Diversity Statistics. This analysis will provide deeper insights into the intersecting characteristics of applicants, broadening the scope of published information and enhancing understanding of diverse client experiences.

Evidence from the Research

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

There is a high prevalence of intersectionality among marginalised groups. Without intersectional data, it is challenging to understand how factors (e.g. disability, ethnicity, gender), interact to create specific barriers for people applying for benefits^[22].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Continuously learn and improve

Actions

Social Security Scotland will develop additional ways to capture and monitor insights and feedback shared by stakeholders, including those representing seldom-heard groups. Key insights and themes will be used to explore, where possible, ways to improve experiences accessing social security for these communities.

Evidence from the Research

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

Insights from stakeholders can support understanding of take-up as they often have access to those whose voice is not routinely heard by government^[23].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Encourage cross-system collaboration

Continuously learn and improve

Cross Organisational Collaboration

What the research tells us

Both the findings of the Seldom-Heard Evidence Review and the experiences of those who participated in the Stigma Citizens’ Panel emphasise that effective collaboration across public, third sector and community partners is vital to improving outcomes for marginalised communities and maximising benefit take-up. The experiences of those who took part in the Stigma Citizens’ Panel highlights that a lack of coordination between services can lead to confusion, delays and missed entitlements^[24]. Citizens’ Panel participants also felt strongly that a greater use of insights on stigma, poverty and inequality from those with lived experiences should be shared and promoted across teams, agencies and wider services across the public sector^[25].

What the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland are already doing

• Social Security Scotland collaborates with third-sector organisations and clinical experts to deliver specialist training for staff and supports structured engagement through a dedicated Stakeholder Engagement Team and Executive Engagement Plan.
• The Scottish Government facilitates a Benefit Take-Up Stakeholder Reference Group, which was recently expanded to include more organisations representing seldom-heard communities and those with protected characteristics.
• The Scottish Government supports local partnerships like the Fairer Futures Partnerships, which are locally-drive place-based approaches, bringing together a range of services depending on the needs of the localities they operate in. For example, in Dundee, the partnership focusses on income maximisation, employability and family wellbeing. This partnership delivers coordinated services using approaches like No Wrong Door and Tell Us Once, with an emphasis on identifying and spreading successful approaches across the country.
• Social Security Scotland also uses its communications channels to raise awareness of reserved benefits, specifically where they are a qualifying benefit for a devolved payment. Through discussion with clients, operational staff, including those in Local Delivery services, will signpost clients to other benefits and wider support that they may be entitled to, including DWP benefits.

What actions we will take to address the research findings

The following actions outline how collaborative working will be used to inform and enhance approaches to benefit take-up for seldom-heard groups.

Outcome: The Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland work closely with other public services and support organisations. We identify ways to work together to support people to access their entitlements.

Table 4: Actions for Cross Organisational Collaboration Theme

Action

A joint working group between Social Security Scotland and Scottish Government will be established to support the collaborative development, implementation, and monitoring of the Benefit Take-Up Strategy, with a specific focus on addressing the needs of seldom-heard groups. This group will ensure that the barriers faced by these communities are considered at every stage, and that policies and delivery approaches are designed to increase accessibility and improve take-up.

Evidence from the Research

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

The Scottish Government, Social Security Scotland, local authorities, the wider public sector, and third-sector organisations should work together to share knowledge and improve outcomes^[26].

Stigma Citizens’ Panel:

Individuals often struggle to navigate between multiple agencies, leading to delays, confusion, and missed entitlements^[27].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Encourage cross-system collaboration

Continuously learn and improve.

Action

Social Security Scotland will build on successful engagements between the Executive Team and key organisations to explore cross-organisational opportunities aimed at improving services and gaining further insight into the barriers still faced by seldom-heard groups.

Evidence from the Research

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

Organisations supporting seldom-heard communities often have access to those whose voice is not routinely heard by government. Learning and feedback shared by these services (e.g. welfare advice and advocacy) can support government understanding of application pressure points and challenges^[28].

Stigma Citizens’ Panel:

Individuals often struggle to navigate between multiple agencies, leading to delays, confusion, and missed entitlements^[29].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Encourage cross-system collaboration

Action

Social Security Scotland will continue to develop its understanding of seldom-heard audiences through working with key trusted intermediaries. This will allow engagement with external stakeholders who work with and support seldom-heard groups, to ensure those audiences have access to appropriate information and resources to direct individuals to Social Security Scotland. This may include targeted engagement sessions, information-sharing, and ongoing collaboration to address specific community needs.

Evidence from the Research

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

Already known and trusted professionals continue to provide vital support in accessing entitlements for seldom-heard communities. Targeted awareness raising through these trusted touchpoints is effective in increasing take-up and reducing stigma^[30].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Prioritise person centred approaches

Communicate and engage effectively

Encourage cross system collaboration

Language and Communication

What the research tells us

Both the Seldom-Heard Evidence Review and the Stigma Citizens’ Panel emphasised the powerful role of language and communication in shaping perceptions of social security and influencing benefit take-up. Insights into the impact of stigma on benefit take-up shared by those who participated in the Citizens’ Panel show that stigmatising language and negative portrayals can reinforce harmful stereotypes^[31]. This can deter people, especially those from marginalised communities, from seeking support. Both pieces of research also evidenced that clear, simple, and inclusive messaging is essential to improve understanding and build trust, while tailoring communications to reflect Scotland’s diversity helps ensure relevance and accessibility^[32][33].

What the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland are already doing

• Both the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland continuously challenge negative stereotypes and stigmatising language, using positive, respectful language in all communications by avoiding terms like “claiming benefits” in favour of “accessing” or “applying for” entitlements.
• All Social Security Scotland materials are written in plain language, tested with users, and translated into over 100 formats and languages—including British Sign Language (BSL), Braille and Easy Read.
• Social Security Scotland communication campaigns are co-designed with lived experience and tailored for specific communities through trusted media and partners, using culturally relevant imagery, community networks, and accessible formats across digital and in-person channels.

What actions we will take to address the research findings

The following actions aim to support communication approaches to better reach and reflect the needs of seldom-heard groups. Learning from delivery of these will inform further activities to help shift attitudes and address damaging narratives around poverty and entitlement as part of the next Benefit Take-Up Strategy.

Outcome: The Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland uses clear and welcoming language in everything we say and write. We avoid words that could confuse or enable stigma. Information is adapted to meet different needs, so that everyone, including seldom-heard groups, can find it, understand it, and feel confident using it.

Table 5: Actions for Language and Communication Theme

Action

The Scottish Government will identify opportunities to influence wider attitudes towards social security, highlighting the damaging impacts of stigmatising language and narratives and encouraging public sector partners, including the UK Government, to adopt our positive human-rights based approaches.

Evidence from the Research

Stigma Citizens’ Panel:

Language used by politicians and media at the UK level has directly and hugely impacted people’s experiences of stigma. The Scottish Government should consider ways it can go further in supporting stigma free and positive language^[34].

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

To reduce psychological barriers to take-up, such as stigma, the tone of political and media narratives about applying for benefits must change^[35].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Cross system collaboration

Communicate and engage effectively

Action

Social Security Scotland will share stories that represent the experiences of seldom-heard groups who have interacted with the Scottish social security system. This will include case studies and other resources which will highlight positive outcomes and provide real-life examples of how the system can be successfully navigated, particularly for those who face barriers due to stigma or marginalisation.

Evidence from the Research

Stigma Citizens’ Panel:

There is a need for ongoing awareness raising on stigma, poverty, and inequalities faced by marginalised groups. This should be informed and, where possible, delivered with people with lived experience of poverty related stigma and intersecting inequalities^[36].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Communicate and engage effectively

Cross system collaboration

Action

Social Security Scotland will explore a range of approaches to tackle stigma through communications and marketing activity, including through social media activity, newsletters, and positive relationships with stakeholders.

Evidence from the Research

Stigma Citizens’ Panel:

To break the cycle of stigma, panellists recommended a public awareness campaign to tackle negative stereotypes by sharing stories which highlight the positive impacts of social security^[37].

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

Change messaging around applying for entitlements from punitive and derogatory to positive, supportive and inclusive^[38].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Communicate and engage effectively

Cross system collaboration

Accessibility and Support to Apply

What the research tells us

The Seldom-Heard Evidence Review findings reinforce that support to apply for benefits is a key enabler of take-up, particularly for seldom-heard communities^[39]. Many members of these communities face digital exclusion due to limited access, skills, or trust in online systems, making in-person and phone-based alternatives essential. Awareness is improved when information is shared across a range of channels and at key life moments, such as having a child^[40]. The Stigma Citizens’ Panel findings also highlight that embedding advice services in community settings helps normalise support, reduce stigma, and strengthen links with wider services like education, social work, and mental health—ensuring people can access the help they need, where and when they need it^[41].

What the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland are already doing

• Social Security Scotland offers one-to-one support in every local authority through Local Delivery Teams, helping with applications, appeals, and evidence gathering in community venues, homes, hospitals, and prisons—ensuring services are accessible and not digital-only.
• The Scottish Government funded a ‘test-and-learn' pilot into Welfare Advice and Health Partnerships, placing Welfare Rights Advisors in participating GP surgeries. The purpose of this pilot was to build a robust evidence base to encourage local partners to embed this accessible advice model within local welfare rights and income maximisations services.
• Building on the success of this initiative, in 2023, the Scottish Government launched the Advice in Accessible Settings Fund. This Fund was continued and expanded in 2024 and this year, the Scottish Government have invested an additional £1.73 million to further increase the number of projects delivering advice within community, health and education settings. Since its launch in July 2023, projects supported by the Fund have helped over 11,000 clients and delivered over £20 million in financial gains.
• The Independent Advocacy Service, delivered by VoiceAbility, provides free one-to-one support for disabled people to understand their rights and engage confidently with the social security system, supporting over 8,600 individuals since its launch in January 2022.

What actions we will take to address the research findings

The following actions aim to improve the accessibility of information and awareness of support available, particularly for seldom-heard groups, by ensuring approaches are informed by user research and tailored to diverse needs.

Outcome: People can access social security support in ways that suit them. This includes translated materials, different communication formats, and face-to-face or online support. Local and trusted community groups play a key role in helping people get the right support at the right time.

Table 6: Actions for Accessibility and Support to Apply Theme

Action

Social Security Scotland will integrate findings from the latest seldom-heard market research into existing communication plans. This will involve a workshop to review findings and adjust strategies to better engage seldom-heard groups with accessible, clear information.

Evidence from the Research

Seldom-Heard Evidence Review:

There is strong evidence that awareness of benefits can be improved by providing information through a wide range of channels and contact opportunities, including wider public services^[42].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Prioritise person centred approaches

Bring services to people

Action

The Scottish Government will support the current advocacy provider to undertake awareness raising sessions with Social Security Scotland managers with responsibility for front line operations across all benefit lines. The Scottish Government will provide managers with a toolkit to share with their teams which will outline:

What the independent advocacy service does

How it could be useful to clients

How to know if a client might benefit from advocacy

How Social Security Scotland can refer clients using an online portal.

Evidence from the Research

Stigma Citizens’ Panel:

Embedding Social Security advice and information in community settings was felt to normalise and promote this support, as well as reducing stigma. Better investment in advice and support at a local community level would support linking social security access points to community services such as education, social work, and mental health services, school leavers, care leavers^[43].

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Continuously learn and improve

Communicate and engage effectively

Bring services to people

Action

Social Security Scotland looks continuously to improve its Local Delivery Service where possible. Currently the overall focus is on communications with clients and third parties and booking processes.

Evidence from the Research

Stigma Citizens’ Panel:

Support services that are close to home, joined up and adequately resourced are needed to address stigma and increase benefit take-up. Accessible, community-based supports, utilising existing, trusted relationships, could be particularly helpful for those facing multiple forms of stigma^[44]

Benefit Take-Up Strategy Principle

Continuously learn and improve

Communicate and engage effectively

Bring services to the people