Social Security Experience Panels: meeting people's needs - report
Report on findings from research with Social Security Experience Panels members on how Social Security Scotland can support clients’ accessibility, disability and other needs.
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Annex A: About survey respondents
Where possible, information from the survey was matched to information from the 'About Your Benefits and You' and 'Social Security Experience Panels: Who is in the panels and their experiences so far' surveys.[8] The demographic data collected in these surveys was linked to the information supplied previously by participants. Linking was not possible where there was missing or unclear information. The following demographic information is included to give context to the findings from the survey.
Two thirds of survey respondents (66 per cent) who we have demographic information for identified as either 'female' or 'woman or girl'. One third (32 per cent) identified as either 'male' or 'man or boy'.
| Gender | % |
|---|---|
| Woman or girl | 66 |
| Man or boy | 32 |
| Other or Prefer not to say | 2 |
| Total | 100 |
Almost half of respondents (48 per cent) were aged 45 to 59, over a third (38 per cent) were aged 60 to 79 and 15 per cent of respondents were aged between 25 and 44.
| Age | % |
|---|---|
| Under 25 | 0 |
| 25 – 44 | 14.6 |
| 45 – 59 | 47.5 |
| 60 – 79 | 37.9 |
| 80 or over | 0 |
| Total | 100 |
Most respondents (85 per cent) had a disability or long term health condition.
| Disability status | % |
|---|---|
| Disabled | 85 |
| Not disabled | 15 |
| Total | 100 |
More than half of respondents (60 per cent) had chronic pain and/or a mobility impairment (60 per cent). Over half of respondents (58 per cent) had a physical disability and around a third had a mental health condition (36 per cent). Almost two thirds (65 per cent) reported having another kind of long term health condition.
| Disability Types | % |
|---|---|
| Has chronic pain | 60.3 |
| Has a mobility impairment | 59.8 |
| Has a physical disability | 58.3 |
| Has a mental health condition | 35.7 |
| Has another kind of disability or long term health condition | 65.3 |
Less than half of respondents (42 per cent) said they were a carer. Of respondents who said they were a carer, 88 per cent cared for an adult friend or relative. Around one third (36 per cent) were a carer due to old age and almost a quarter (24 per cent) cared for a disabled child.
| Caring status | % |
|---|---|
| Not a carer | 56.6 |
| Carer | 42.4 |
| Prefer not to say | 1 |
| Total | 100 |
| Care status |
% |
|---|---|
| Cares for an adult |
88.1 |
| Cares for a child |
23.8 |
| Carer due to old age |
35.7 |
Survey respondents took part from 29 of 32 local authority areas in Scotland. The majority lived in an urban area (78 per cent).[11]
| Location | % |
|---|---|
| Urban | 78 |
| Rural | 22 |
| Total | 100 |
Survey respondents who took part had experience of claiming or helping someone else to claim a wide range of benefits. The most common benefits claimed by survey respondents were Personal Independence Payment (65 per cent) and Disability Living Allowance (57 per cent). The least common benefits claimed were for Healthy Start (1 per cent) and Funeral Expenses (6 per cent).
| Benefit | % |
|---|---|
| Personal Independence Payment | 65.3 |
| Disability Living Allowance | 57.3 |
| Carer's Allowance | 31.0 |
| Winter Fuel Payment | 31.0 |
| Cold Weather Payment | 28.2 |
| Attendance Allowance | 15.5 |
| Discretionary Housing Payment | 15.5 |
| Scottish Welfare Fund | 11.3 |
| Sure Start Maternity Grant | 15.5 |
| Severe Disablement Allowance | 12.2 |
| Industrial Injuries Disability Benefit | 11.9 |
| Universal Credit | 11.3 |
| Funeral Expenses | 6.1 |
| Healthy Start | 0.5 |
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