Social Security Scotland outstanding change of circumstance reviews: FOI release

Information requested

1. The number of individual's ‘change of circumstances’ Social Security Scotland is currently reviewing.

2. The number of ‘change of circumstances’ Social Security Scotland is currently reviewing broken down by type of benefit (Adult Disability Payment, Child Disability Payment etc)

3. The average review time (time it takes to complete a review) at Social Security Scotland according to each type of benefit.

4. The longest recorded time it took for a review to be started and completed by Social Security Scotland. Please specify which benefit it related to.

Clarification: request is for information on all types of review, with a breakdown of the difference between scheduled and unscheduled reviews.

Response

Individuals are informed in their decision letter that they will have a scheduled review after a certain date. This is to ensure that they still meet the eligibility criteria and continue to receive the appropriate rate. Unscheduled reviews are different from scheduled reviews. New information becoming available may prompt an unscheduled review of the individual’s case. Common examples include:

• a new health condition that impacts on the individual’s ability to carry out the daily living and/or mobility activities
  or
• a deterioration or improvement in a condition that impacts on the individual’s ability to carry out the daily living and /or mobility activities

Our ‘review’ process involves making a determination without a person in receipt of Adult or Child Disability Payment having to fill in a new application form. A change in circumstance can be reported by filling in a form online or on paper or by calling Social Security Scotland.

Guidance relating to change of circumstance can be found on the stakeholder resources and guidance section of our corporate website by clicking the following link: Change of Circumstance.

1/2. Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payment are the only two benefits administered by Social Security Scotland which require formal change of circumstance reviews.

The information in the below table provides the number of “changes of circumstances” which Social Security Scotland was reviewing for Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payment as at 13 November 2023, including case transfers from the Department for Work and Pensions.

Benefit Type	Scheduled	Unscheduled	Total
Adult Disability Payment	287	351	638
Child Disability Payment	9	28	37
Total	296	379	675

3/4. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. Social Security Scotland is currently unable to track the dates that review decisions are made, so we are unable to provide data on average or longest review times.

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.