Cover
Glossary
Contents Business Chief Executive’s Plan Foreword 2021 - 2022 Introduction Headline budget information for 2021-22
Our priorities for 2021-2022
Measuring ourselves against each priority
Key milestones
Documents referred to throughout this plan
previous next 2 | Glossary Glossary Cover
Case transfer – to move a case from Local authorities − local authorities Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 Glossary one organisation to another, for example, are responsible for providing a – allows the Scottish Government to from the Department for Work and wide range of public services. They establish a new social security system Pensions to Social Security Scotland. also promote the interests of the better targeted at Scotland and which local community, including the has dignity, fairness and respect at Contents Client – a person using the services social, economic, environmental, the heart of everything we do. of Social Security Scotland. recreational, cultural, community or Chief Stakeholder - a person with an Executive’s Department for Work and Pensions general development of an area. interest or concern in something, Foreword – the Department for Work and Scottish Government – the devolved especially a business. Pensions (DWP) is responsible government of Scotland. The for welfare, pensions and child government is led by the First Minister, maintenance policy. As the UK’s Introduction who selects the cabinet secretaries, biggest public service department, who attend cabinet, and the Ministers Headline budget it manages the State Pension and with the approval of Parliament. information for a range of working-age, disability Government Ministers all sit in 2021-22 and ill-health benefits for around Parliament and are accountable to it. 20 million claimants and customers. Scottish Government’s Social Security Our priorities Devolved benefits – the Scotland Directorate – work with the DWP to for 2021-2022 Act (2016) transferred new social make sure social security powers security powers to the Scottish Measuring from the UK Government are safely Parliament, allowing the Scottish ourselves against and securely transferred, under the each priority Ministers to develop new policies Scotland Act 2016. They are responsible on benefits that will help tackle for developing the necessary policies inequality and poverty in Scotland. and legislation and establishing a Key milestones Inclusive communication – an social security agency to deliver the devolved benefits. They also work with approach to all communication that Documents referred means the largest number of people the DWP on the benefits that the UK to throughout can take part, and people receive Government keep responsibility for. this plan information and can express themselves in ways that they find easiest.
Social Security Scotland Business Plan 2021-2022 previous next 3 | Contents Contents Cover
Glossary
Glossary 2 Contents
Contents 3 Chief Executive’s Chief Executive’s foreword 4 Foreword
Introduction 6
Headline budget information for 2021-22 7 Introduction
Our Priorities for 2021-2022 9 Headline budget information for 2021-22 Measuring ourselves against each priority 11
Key milestones 12 Our priorities for 2021-2022 Documents we refer to in this plan and where you can find information we publish 13 Measuring ourselves against each priority
Key milestones
Documents referred to throughout this plan
Social Security Scotland Business Plan 2021-2022 previous next 4 | Chief Executive’s Foreword Chief Executive’s foreword Cover
Glossary So although we recently continued our I am determined that we make every proud association with Dundee and its effort to be an organisation that reflects people by naming our headquarters the communities we are here to serve. Contents ‘Agnes Husband House’ after a local At the same time, we will still be social reformer, it will be some time Chief protecting the wellbeing of the people before we return to any of our buildings. Executive’s who currently work for us while Like most organisations, due to the Foreword maintaining our high standards of pandemic we are reviewing our ways service to our clients. I was pleased of working to develop a people and to see that one of the main findings accommodation strategy that we can David Wallace, Chief Executive of our recent all-client survey was Introduction adapt for our people and our buildings, that 90% of those who responded This Business Plan sets out our main to make sure we can work safely while Headline budget said their overall experience with activities for the year ahead – a year of meeting the needs of our clients. information for significant growth for our organisation. us was either very good or good. 2021-22 We will need to be both flexible and This feedback was particularly pleasing No-one could have predicted the resilient in 2021-2022 because we as it was given while staff and clients unprecedented challenges society have another huge year of change Our priorities were still coping with the disruption from for 2021-2022 has faced as a result of the COVID-19 ahead. We will welcome many COVID-19. We have worked hard with pandemic. Over the last 12 months, more new colleagues and add new our partners in the Scottish Government Measuring we have been able to adapt our skills to our workforce, so that we and elsewhere to make sure that we ourselves against services to make sure our benefits are ready to deliver more complex each priority are ready to manage more benefits. were paid and that we were supporting benefits and transfer clients from the As always, at the heart of what we efforts to suppress the virus and, Department for Work and Pensions. importantly, keeping our people safe. do is our commitment to make sure Key We are learning from the changes Building for the future gives us people have a positive experience when milestones we put in place due to the pandemic, opportunities to run large-scale, using our service, whether it is their Documents referred and thinking about what we need to inclusive and accessible recruitment first time or they are a regular client. campaigns to break down barriers to throughout do to meet changing expectations this plan and needs and future challenges. to rewarding, long-term careers for a diverse workforce.
Social Security Scotland Business Plan 2021-2022 previous next 5 | Chief Executive’s Foreword
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We will need the support of our Glossary stakeholders more than ever this year. Their input will be vital as we will be physically present in all 32 of Scotland’s local authority areas to help clients Contents access the benefits they are entitled to. Chief So, our Business Plan tells the story of Executive’s what is set to be another challenging and Foreword hugely exciting year for Social Security Scotland. I am extremely proud of the significant progress we have made so Introduction far in delivering a social security system for Scotland. But I am not complacent Headline budget about how far we have still got to go information for before we are fully up and running. 2021-22 This year is an important one for us, where we put more vital foundations Our priorities in place. I look forward to further for 2021-2022 growth and transformation for our organisation over the next 12 months. Measuring ourselves against each priority
Key milestones David Wallace Chief Executive Documents referred Social Security Scotland to throughout this plan
Social Security Scotland Business Plan 2021-2022 previous next 6 | Introduction Introduction Cover
Social Security Scotland is an executive We also benefit from being part of a Glossary agency of the Scottish Government wider family of Scottish Government and is one of the responsibilities led by directorates led by our Director General the Director General for Communities. for Communities. This joint approach We are here to manage the Scottish helps us to make sure that when a Contents social security system in line with benefit is being transferred from the the principles laid down in the Social Department for Work and Pensions it is Chief Executive’s done so safely and securely. Security (Scotland) Act 2018 and Foreword reflected in Our Charter. We do not make Our main priority this year will be to the rules about who can be paid benefits continue to deliver our benefits, in the or how much money they should right amounts at the right time, and to get. Those are decisions for Scottish Introduction continue to work with our colleagues Ministers and are set out in law. to make sure that future benefits are Headline budget We have a major role in creating delivered safely and securely. information for the new social security system for 2021-22 You can find out more about our Scotland, working hand in hand with our governance structure - the system of colleagues in the Scottish Government’s rules, practices and processes that Our priorities Social Security Directorate Programme govern us - in our Corporate Plan for for 2021-2022 who will continue to design the policies, 2020 - 2023. processes and systems that support the Measuring services we deliver. ourselves against each priority
Key milestones
Documents referred to throughout this plan
Social Security Scotland Business Plan 2021-2022 previous next 7 | Headline budget information for 2021-22 Headline budget information for 2021-22 Cover
Budget Resource Capital Depreciation Total Glossary
£million £million £million £million Contents
Social Security Scotland 248.0 22.0 1.4 271.4 Chief administration Executive’s Foreword
Benefit Expenditure 1 3,453.9 3,453.9
Introduction Total Social Security Scotland 3,701.9 22.0 1.4 3,725.3 Headline budget information for 2021-22
1 The budget has been set based on the latest Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasts: Scotland's Economic and Fiscal Forecasts — Our priorities for 2021-2022 January 2021 (fiscalcommission.scot).
This does not include Young Carer Grant as this is below the commission’s threshold of materiality and Job Start Payment is not part of their Measuring ourselves against legislative scope. each priority
£22 million for capital budget is to fund the fit out of our buildings along with investment in our Information Key Technology infrastructure. milestones £1.4 million is to cover the depreciation charges for our assets but is subject to change if more assets transfer to us. This can be amended easily during the year. Documents referred to throughout this plan
Plain English Campaign’s Crystal Mark does not apply to the table and text above.
Social Security Scotland Business Plan 2021-2022 previous next 8 | Headline budget information for 2021-22
Headline budget information for 2021-22 Cover
Glossary
Benefit spending Allocation of operational costs Who this will support (not including agency agreements) People supported, by group Contents (thousands) 2021—2022 Chief Executive’s £377m £16.1 Foreword 11% 10% Around 150 Around 250
£15.2 Office costs 9% Accommodation Introduction £7.4 5% Information technology Headline budget Around information for 2021-22 Staffing 700 thousand costs Our priorities for 2021-2022 £3077m £125.0 Around 400 89% 76% Measuring ourselves against Children each priority Delivered by Social Security Scotland Accommodation Children Working age State Pension age
Delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions Figures haveWorking been roundedAge O ce Costs Key State Age Pension milestones Information technology Documents referred to throughout a this plan
Social Security Scotland Business Plan 2021-2022 previous next 9 | Our priorities for 2021-2022 Our priorities for 2021-2022 Cover
l In our Corporate Plan for Helping to deliver a social Support our people and their Glossary 2020-2023, we set out security system with dignity, wellbeing through the uncertainty of our objectives under the fairness and respect recovering from the pandemic and following themes. l Adapt, progress and learn from the the growth of our organisation. Contents l Helping to deliver a social effect COVID-19 has had on our l Develop our plan for the future, security system with dignity, organisation, while still delivering setting out how we will grow Chief fairness and respect. our full range of live services. This as an organisation to meet Executive’s includes providing a range of ways Foreword l all of our responsibilities. Supporting people in Scotland to apply for our current benefits to access devolved benefits and handling applications as we l Develop a health and social care that they are entitled to. Division that will contribute expert recover from the pandemic. Introduction l advice to make sure decisions about Running our service in a l Build our diverse workforce disability benefits are consistent. Headline budget responsible way. while continuing to establish information for l Work with our colleagues in the To show how this year’s priorities Dundee as our Headquarters. 2021-22 will help us to achieve these Scottish Government’s Social l Continue to ask for feedback, through objectives, we have listed them Security Directorate Programme our internal quality assurance below under the relevant themes. to deliver Child Disability and Adult Our priorities process and from stakeholders Disability Payments and prepare for for 2021-2022 and clients, on how we deliver our the introduction of future benefits. services, then report on that feedback Measuring to make sure that we continue to ourselves against provide our service in line with the each priority commitments in Our Charter. Key milestones
Documents referred to throughout this plan
Social Security Scotland Business Plan 2021-2022 previous next 10 | Our priorities for 2021-2022
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l l Supporting people in Scotland Maintain and develop relationships Provide accessible buildings that Glossary to access devolved benefits with a wide range of national and can be used flexibly to support that they are entitled to local stakeholders, including local the various needs of our staff l Make sure that colleagues in authorities and health and social care to work in, and clients to visit, Contents the Social Security Directorate partnerships, so we can help more supporting our ambition to recruit people access our service, learn and support a diverse workforce. Programme benefit from clients’ Chief from best practice and prepare for feedback and insights as they l Improve our digital systems, introduce Executive’s the launch of other new benefits. design and develop the systems and a new and improved intranet for Foreword processes we need to deliver complex l Continue to raise the profile of our people and further develop our benefits, including our telephone our organisation, building positive website and social-media presence. and web chat service contact working relationships with Introduction l Help prepare to improve our service in centre and electronic methods. organisations through using new terms of the increase in payments and technology, to help us deliver the Headline budget l Roll out a local face-to-face service, regular benefits by introducing new best service possible for our clients. information for in accessible buildings, that meets digital methods to improve how we 2021-22 clients’ current and future needs as detect and prevent fraud and errors. we recover from the pandemic. Running our service in a responsible way l Prepare for the handover of full Our priorities l Build on our work to lead and for 2021-2022 l responsibility for benefit processes encourage our approach to Further develop strong internal financial controls, rules, procedures and systems from the Social Security inclusive communications across Directorate Programme. Benefits Measuring our organisation to make it as and methods, to support continued ourselves against growth in the number of clients, will transfer in stages, when it is safe each priority easy as possible for clients to to do so, and we have the required access what they are entitled to. including the number of clients transferring from the DWP and processes and resource in place and the value of payments. when the work of the Programme is Key complete. This will take a number milestones l Publish key strategies, including of years. our Digital Strategy, our People Documents referred Strategy, our Place Strategy and to throughout this plan financial reports that show that we have the right controls in place to spend public funds responsibly.
Social Security Scotland Business Plan 2021-2022 previous next 11 | Measuring ourselves against each priority Measuring ourselves against each priority Cover
We will report on how we measure each Glossary priority in our Charter Measurement Framework report 2021-2022.
Here are some of the ways in which Contents we will gather the evidence. Research with our Chief clients, our people, Executive’s stakeholders Foreword
Introduction
Headline budget information for 2021-22 People Survey Client Survey
Our priorities Measuring for 2021-2022
Our Charter Measuring 2019/20 ourselves against How Social Security Scotland and the each priority Scottish Government are delivering on Our Charter commitments. Key milestones Statistics, for Other evidence about example application our performance Documents referred processing times to throughout this plan
Social Security Scotland Business Plan 2021-2022 previous next 12 | Key milestones Key milestones Cover
Glossary Our annual report and accounts published Contents Our Charter Measurement Framework Chief analytical report Executive’s Foreword covering 2020-2021
Child Disability Child Disability Payment Payment full launch Scottish Child Payment Introduction
Pilot goes live and case transfer (ages 6 to 16) Pilot Headline budget information for 2021-22 Winter - end of financial Autumn 2021 Summer 2021 year 2021 - 2022 Our priorities for 2021-2022 Social Security Scotland Social Security Scotland Our Local Delivery Measuring Equality Strategy, Service goes live Satisfaction Survey launched ourselves against Equality Outcomes and each priority Mainstreaming Equality Report published Key milestones
Documents referred to throughout this plan
Social Security Scotland Business Plan 2021-2022 previous next 13 | Documents referred to throughout this plan
Cover Documents we refer to in this plan and where you can find information we publish Glossary
We have to carry out a range of duties, some of which we must do by law. We also have to report on our performance, Contents including on how we meet the expectations in Our Charter. Chief You can find a copy of Our Charter on our website Executive’s at socialsecurity.gov.scot, along with the first report Foreword on our performance in our Charter Measurement Framework 2019-2020. Introduction We already publish some information on the Scottish Government website at gov.scot and will continue to do so Headline budget throughout the coming year. information for 2021-22 We will also be adding more information to our website at socialsecurity.gov.scot to make it easy for people to find what they need to know. Our priorities for 2021-2022
Measuring ourselves against each priority
Key milestones
Documents referred to throughout this plan
Social Security Scotland Business Plan 2021-2022 previous next Cover
Glossary
Contents Social Security Scotland Chief Second Floor Executive’s Dundee House Foreword 50 North Lindsay Street Dundee DD1 1QE Introduction
Headline budget information for 2021-22
Our priorities Please ask us if you would like copies of this document in audio or visual format, large print, for 2021-2022 or in a community language. If you have any questions about this document, please email Measuring [email protected] ourselves against This document is available on our website: socialsecurity.gov.scot each priority Published by Social Security Scotland, June 2021.
Key milestones
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