Social Security Scotland has published its Annual Report and Accounts, which show that it made £641 million in direct payments to people across Scotland from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023.
The payments were made across 13 Scottish benefits, seven of which are completely new forms of support not available anywhere else in the UK.
This includes the Scottish Child Payment which has been extended to eligible children under the age of 16. More than 300,000 young people are now receiving this payment.
The payments also include the new Winter Heating Payment, which has helped almost 400,000 people on low incomes with their heating costs.
The results of an annual survey of clients have also been published, showing that 93% of people who had been in contact with Social Security Scotland felt they had been treated with kindness.
Among those who responded to the survey, 97% said they had received their benefit payments when Social Security Scotland said they would and 90% said their experience with staff was ‘very good’ or ‘good’. A further 90% said staff listened to them and 89% felt they were treated with respect.
In total, the combination of direct payments made by Social Security Scotland and those paid through Agency Agreements with the Department for Work and Pensions saw the Scottish Government invest £4.04 billion in benefits across Scotland.
Commenting, Natalie Don, MSP for Renfrewshire North and West, said:
“I am glad that the Scottish Government is supporting families in Renfrewshire at a time where they are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and higher energy bills. Social Security Scotland now delivers 13 benefits, seven of which are only available in Scotland and are delivering these payments while treating people with dignity, fairness, and respect.
“The Scottish Government’s decision to expand the Scottish Child Payment to all eligible young people under the age of 16 and increase the payment to £25 per week means the government is supporting over 10,300 children in here Renfrewshire, with £11,450,080 having been paid out by June 2023. Across the whole of Scotland, over 316,000 are benefitting from the payment.
“As the Scottish Government prepares to launch Carer Support Payment, their 14th benefit, they are committed to making sure that people get the money they are entitled to and that people who are eligible know how to apply for payments.”