Devolved agency delivered benefits worth £1.9bn last year

The devolved welfare agency Social Security Scotland delivered benefits worth a total of £1.9 billion in the last financial year.

The agency’s accounts show that in 2023/24 it spent just over £942 million on Adult Disability Payment, its largest area of expenditure which supports more than 300,000 people in Scotland.

It spent £429 million on the Scottish Child Payment, with the number of individual clients increasing to 204,465.

During 2023/24, some £3.2 billion in benefits was paid via “agency agreements” with the Department for Work and Pensions.

Social Security Scotland’s share of welfare spending is expected to increase significantly during the current financial year as PIP claimants are transferred to the devolved agency.

It is expected that the transfer of PIP to Adult Disability Payment will be completed in 2024/25 and will mean Social Security Scotland administers most devolved benefit expenditure itself.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “We are committed to tackling poverty and supporting people throughout Scotland.

“At a time when families are struggling with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, we have been delivering 14 benefits, seven of which are only available in Scotland.

“Winter Heating Payment is a reliable annual payment to people on low incomes in Scotland, including pensioners receiving pension credit.

“We continue to offer vital support to families through our five family payments, including Scottish Child Payment which was helping to support more than 329,000 children and young people by the end of financial year 2023-24.”

Social Security Scotland chief executive David Wallace said: “While our service has continued to expand significantly, our clients remain at the heart of everything we do.

“We have focused on delivering new payments to people across Scotland including Carer Support Payment, while ensuring we give our clients an improved experience.

“This year, we have reduced call waiting and processing times and made it easier for people to submit supporting information for disability benefit applications.”