Social Security Programme 2017-2026: Delivery Report

Purpose of the Social Security Programme

“The Scottish Government has continued to successfully deliver new and complex social security benefits in challenging circumstances” - Audit Scotland, 19 May 2022

The Scottish Government’s Social Security Programme was established in 2017 to implement the powers devolved to the Scottish Parliament on social security as set out in the Scotland Act 2016, following the publication of The Smith Commission: Proposals for further Devolution to Scotland on 27 November 2014.

Using a combination of agile and waterfall methodology, the Programme has successfully managed a highly complex schedule of benefit implementation, created the infrastructure – including a new Scottish Government agency, Social Security Scotland – to deliver a brand new public service, co-designed with the people who use it and based on the foundational principles of treating people with dignity, fairness and respect.

Since the Programme Business Case^[1] was last updated in February 2023, the Social Security Programme has continued to design, build and implement further benefits and respond to changes in policy where those have occurred. The success of our approach has been publicly acknowledged at various stages in the Programme’s lifecycle, including by Audit Scotland whose role is to ensure public money is spent properly, efficiently, and effectively.

Our Programme has now successfully delivered its remaining milestones and formally closes at the end of March 2026 after more than nine years of activity.

This document tells how the Programme has successfully delivered its objectives, launched 18 benefits, and created the infrastructure for the future further development of Scotland’s social security system by the Scottish Government.