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As part of the work to understand the implications of the different policy options for splitting the payment of Universal Credit between members of a household in Scotland, the Scottish Government is developing an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA). This will consider domestic abuse in relation to gender as a protected characteristic. We will publish the EQIA in due course.

In October 2017, the Scottish Government provided £12,250 funding for a six month part-time welfare advice service facilitator to support the development of embedding Welfare Advice Services in Health and Social Care settings, with a particular focus on general practice and early years.

This support will be reviewed at the end of the 2017-18 Financial Year before a decision is taken on whether to extend funding into 2018-19.

The benefit uptake activity carried out in autumn 2017 is currently being evaluated.

The benefit uptake activity carried out in autumn 2017 is currently being evaluated.

Local authorities have a duty under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to make such arrangements as they consider necessary for the transport between home and school of pupils residing and attending schools in their area.

All authorities currently provide free transport for pupils living more than the statutory walking distance from the school the authority has identified as the nearest suitable school. The statutory walking distance is defined as 2 miles for children aged under 8 and 3 miles for those aged 8 and older.

There are no plans to change the current arrangements.

Policy development and the design of the social security application process is still on-going. Matters relating to time limits for applications will be set out in individual benefit regulations following consultation with key stakeholders.

A key aim of the Scottish Government will be to ensure that people will receive the social security assistance to which they are entitled in the right amount and at the right time.

The Social Security (Scotland) Bill provides the power to vary the rates of social security benefits, including to uprate and we have already committed to maintain spending on disability assistance, annually uprating in line with inflation.

The budget requirements of all Scottish Government portfolios, including those for Social Security, are considered annually as part of the budget process.

The main purpose of short term assistance is to be made available to people when their on-going assistance has been reduced or stopped, and that decision is subject to a re-determination or an appeal. The policy intent is that the individual will have a right to choose, at the point of challenge, whether they want financial assistance to continue.

The Scottish Government is aiming to make this request as simple, quick and easy as possible and is committed to co-designing the process with people with lived experience of the current system to ensure that it meets the needs of users.

The precise eligibility criteria for the new Winter Heating Allowance is being considered as part of the ongoing policy development process. This will include direct engagement with key stakeholders and our experience panels, prior to bringing forward draft regulations and, depending on the outcome, draft legislation as it goes through the Parliamentary process.

The Scottish Government is committed to extending winter fuel payments to families with severely disabled children and we welcome Contact’s recent report, which underlines the importance of implementing our commitment to extend winter fuel payments to families in this situation.

The new Winter Heating Allowance is currently being considered as part of the ongoing social security policy development process. We have committed to not means testing the Allowance. This will include direct engagement with key stakeholders and our experience panels to design the best, most accessible system possible. The introduction of this and other benefits will be announced as soon as is possible.