Redress payments to abuse survivors more than double in past year

Payments made to survivors of abuse in care have more than doubled in the past year, figures show, but the number of payouts amounts to less than half of total applications.

Redress Scotland was set up by Holyrood to provide compensation for survivors of childhood abuse in care before 2004.

It was shepherded through Parliament by First Minister John Swinney when he was serving as Nicola Sturgeon’s deputy.

Figures released last year showed that in the first 18 months of the scheme’s existence, £32.5 million was paid out.

As of June this year, the figure had jumped to £76.7 million, according to statistics released by the Scottish Government on Tuesday.

Some 1,488 people have received a payout, which can be applied for by survivors and can range from between £10,000 and £100,000.

But the total number of payouts is less than half the number of applications.

The figures show 3,905 applications have been made as of June, of those, 1,585 have been assessed as being eligible for redress, while 56 have not, leaving more than 2,000 still not assessed.

A total of 1,544 offers were made at the cut-off for the figures, 1,505 of which were accepted, while 33 asked for a review, two asked for an extension, three did not respond and one declined the offer.

Awards are provided at a fixed rate, the lowest figure, or survivors can opt for an individually assessed payment which would require them to provide as much evidence as possible of the abuse they suffered to allow for a final sum to be reached.

According to a report published alongside the figures, most of the individually assessed payments – 42% – were worth £100,000.

During the process, the applicant can request a written or face-to-face apology from the organisations in whose care they were in when the abuse was suffered, as well as the Scottish Government.

Up to June of this year, 110 apologies were requested and 69 were given, equivalent to 63%.

Organisations are not required to provide an apology as part of the scheme, but the report said: “It is hoped in the spirit of the scheme, organisations will fully consider any individual request.”

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “As these figures show, we are providing redress as quickly as possible for survivors of historic child abuse while in care.

“It is crucial applications are progressed swiftly and survivors feel fully supported throughout.

“The redress scheme was developed with feedback from survivors as a less adversarial option than court action. Within its first 30 months, 1,488 payments were made totalling more than £76 million.

“The Scottish Government is continually reviewing the scheme to identify ways to improve the process.”