FOI/202500446501 · FOI · unclear
Social Security Scotland benefit processing times: FOI release
Information requested
The 10 longest times between someone applying for a benefit and being accepted/rejected in each of the last four years while also including the name of the benefit and the reason for the delay as well as the final result.
Response
The attached documentation includes the information that you have requested. Please note that we record the length of time to receive a decision from receipt of an application in working days.
These are outlier cases, and it is highly unusual that it would take so long to receive a decision.
We processed more than one million benefit applications between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2024 and some applications take longer than others to receive a decision, for example when further supporting information is required.
The majority of cases that are included on this report are historic Best Start Grant cases which was one of the first benefits the Agency began to deliver in 2019. You may find it helpful to know that 83% of applications for this benefit receive a decision within 40 working days and that 90% of respondents applying for this benefit rated their experience with Social Security Scotland as good / very good. Over 10,000 cases for this benefit have also received a decision within the same working day.
I have attached below our latest published statistics on this benefit and our Client Survey Report for your understanding.
Best-Start-Grant-and-Best-Start-Foods-Statistics-to-September-2024-Tables-749053517995.xlsx
2023-24-Client-Survey-Supplementary-Tables-Report.pdf
About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.