Rolling out next set of ‘more complex’ benefits will be harder, warns watchdog
Paid in Carer’s Allowance Supplement to 77,000 people The Auditor General is warning that the Scottish Government’s next delivery of devolved benefits due from 2020 including Disability Living Allowance will be much harder to achieve.
The national spending watchdog release their report – ‘Social Security, Implementing the devolved powers’ today in which they say the government does not yet have a clear picture of what will be needed to make the next “much more complex”, set of benefit payments.
They say that constant shortterm pressures and a high pace of work has left civil servants little time to pause and refocus their activity.
That poses risks to the overall delivery of future benefits.
The Auditor General added the Scottish Government has spent £90 m on delivering devolved benillionefits to date but is not clear on what it expects the overall programme to cost or the workforce required to deliver it.
Cares and new parents successfully received payments in 2018 and the country’s new benefits agency, Social Security Scotland, was set up.
Caroline Gardner, the Auditor General for Scotland, said: “The government has done well to date but has had to work flat out to reach this point, leaving little time to draw breath and plan for the challenges ahead.
“The social security team is doing the right things to address that issue, but it hasn’t yet got a clear understanding of what’s needed to deliver the more complex benefits to come, or how much it will cost.
“Many decisions about future benefits are still to be made and it’s critical that detailed plans are now put in place.”
Opposition parties were quick to seize upon the comments
Employed by Social Security Scotland since it was established in September 2018 Spent to date on implementation on the Scottish
Government Posts within the social security programme
have been vacant made by the Auditor General. Labour social security spokesperson Mark Griffin said: “This damning report means that vulnerable people in Scotland will continue to suffer at the hands of the Tories while they wait for a devolved system that was meant to bring dignity and respect.
“The SNP have already chosen to leave Scotland’s social security powers at the whims of a Tory government, with some disabled people having to wait up to 2024 for their payments to transfer.
“The Auditor General has now warned that the SNP still don’t have a clear understanding of what will be needed to deliver the next set of benefits – or what it will cost.
“Surely this makes a mockery of their 2014 referendum promises that a new separate state could be set up within 18 months when they still can’t say how they will deliver new benefits in 2020 for vulnerable people.
“The SNP must come clean on this shambles as a matter of urgency.”
Social security secretary Shirley-anne Somerville said the government’s aim from the start has been to get social security right for Scotland.
She added: “In just a year and in the face of considerable complexity, this report recognises we have done well to launch a new benefits service for Scotland.
“t also highlights the challenge we face as we scale up to deliver the next round of payments.
“I have always been clear, just as my predecessors were, that we don’t underestimate the challenges and complexities ahead, but we have also always recognised the opportunity we have to change social security for the better for Scotland.
“By the end of this year we will have delivered three of the 11 devolved benefits and four brand new payments to Scottish people most in need.
“Many decisions about future benefits are still to be made and it’s critical that detailed plans are now put in place”
CAROLINE GARDNER