³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

On 30 April, we launched £100m of additional grant funding for business. This funding is divided across 3 business support funds, offering targeted support to the creative, tourism and hospitality sector, pivotal SMEs vital to their local economies, and the newly self-employed. This is support that is not available elsewhere in the UK.

As of 2 June, we had awarded over £104m and we had topped up the grant funding to £185m.

From the Annual Population Survey (APS), we can estimate the number of people who are newly self-employed across Scotland. Using the APS data from January to March 2019, it is estimated that 19,000 people reported that they started continuous self-employment in 2019. This data cannot be broken down by local authority.

These schemes are trying to reach those in hardship not targeted by other schemes or where they are unable to access UK support. We have asked only those who need the support to apply and so estimating the number of potential applications is challenging. We have continued to review the uptake and feedback from each scheme and will look to repurpose any potential underspends such as we have done with the new scheme aimed at B&B owners who do not have a business bank account.

As regards the Newly Self Employed Hardship Fund, awards totalling £8.32m have been issued to 4160 self-employed people by 2 June.

We are looking to publish an update summarising funding returns from all the Local Authorities on the Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund later this month. This will detail the number of applicants, successful applications and the amount awarded by Local Authority area.

We have made and will continue to make representations to the UK Government about the impact of COVID-19 in Scotland and the gaps in existing schemes.

The Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund (NSEHF) scheme is specifically aimed at those who have been unable to access other forms of business support or working age benefits such as Universal Credit.

Scottish Government notified DWP officials of the Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund prior to its launch on 30th April 2020.

Applicants are required to make a declaration that includes acknowledgement that they may be required to declare receipt of a NSEHF grant for tax purposes or if applying for Universal Credit and other forms of support in the future.

It should be noted that the newly self-employed are still able to apply to the Newly Self Employed Hardship Funding if they have applied for, but not received, Universal Credit.

At this stage, the impact of COVID-19 on poverty, including coverage and targeting, of Scottish Child Payment by 2023-24 is highly speculative. We will look to prepare our models’ functionality in the context of COVID-19 to enable us to produce poverty analysis of the pandemic itself and Scottish Child Payment.

We now expect there to be more eligible children than previously estimated due to the increase in numbers applying for qualifying benefits, such as Universal Credit. The Scottish Government has prioritised the delivery of the Scottish Child Payment for under 6s in recognition of the impact that COVID-19 has had on low income families and guarantees that all those who are eligible and apply will receive their entitlement.

The Scottish Government had to engage very quickly with stakeholders to prepare the Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on moving home , published on 31 March 2020. The British Association of Removers were not directly involved. However, we are working with a wide range of stakeholders through our Home Moves in Scotland Working Group, including the British Association of Removers, to prepare for the anticipated relaxation of restrictions on home moves in phase 2 of Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis .

All new and most live recruitment campaigns for staff joining the Scottish Government were paused when the lockdown measures were introduced. However, Social Security Scotland has been able to start 202 directly employed staff into key operational roles the period 11 March 2020 to 31 May 2020.

Resourcing plans are designed to align to business need and flex with changing circumstances. Social Security Scotland’s recruitment activity in the period has met the current requirement and the Agency is working with Scottish Government People Directorate in relation to future planning.

Around 35 applications for Funeral Support Payment were denied from the date lockdown commenced in Scotland on 23 March 2020. We do not currently hold data of a sufficient quality to ascertain how many of the denied applications were due to failure to provide paperwork within a sufficient timescale.

To safeguard vulnerable people during the Covid-19 lockdown guidance for Chief Officers and Adult Protection Committees on adult support and protection has been published ). The Coronavirus (COVID19) Adult support and Protection Guidance provides additional guidance to the Adult Support and Protection Code of Practice in relation to the current COVID-19 outbreak and its aim is to support local decisions and the development of local guidance around safe, effective and proportionate adult support and protection activity at this time.

Our ‘Clear Your Head’ campaign highlights the practical things people can do to help them feel better whilst continuing to stay at home, acknowledging these are worrying and uncertain times for many. Along with a range of tips on how to stay positive, the campaign website clearyourhead.scot signposts sources of help and advice including NHS Inform, and helplines including NHS24, Breathing Space, SAMH and the Samaritans.

In regard to autistic people, we know that the restrictions will have had an impact on our mental health and wellbeing, but being autistic may make it really difficult to adapt to the changes to routine, and increase levels of anxiety. That is why the Scottish Government has provided an additional £200,000 of support for Scottish Autism and the National Autistic Society.

The funding for the National Autistic Society will enable that organisation to turn many of its face to face services – for example the social groups it runs – into online services. This will help autistic people and parents and carers to keep in touch – enabling people who are facing similar challenges to support each other, even if they cannot meet each other.

The funding for Scottish Autism is for their Autism Helpline. The helpline is already a trusted source of advice and support for people who need it. Our funding will increase its capacity to help people, at a time when there is a high demand for its services.

During this time we have all been asked to stay at home but unfortunately for many people suffering domestic abuse, home is not a safe haven. Support is available 24/7 on Scotland’s Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0800 027 1234. We have also developed a COVID-19 domestic abuse emergency response to maintain delivery of vital services.

We have also provided support to third sector organisations, including an additional £1.5 million provided to Scottish Women’s Aid and Rape Crisis Scotland. In partnership with People First we have produced a Domestic Abuse Easy read guide, including what coercive and controlling behaviour is and where people can get help. These documents will be on the safer Scotland website soon.

The Scottish Government published guidance on moving home during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak on 31 March and this guidance is still in force: .

A relaxation of restrictions on home moves is anticipated in phase 2 of the recovery plan, as set out in Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis , published on 21 May. Supplementary guidance on how the first two phases of Scottish Government's route map apply to the housing market and home moves was published on 28 May: .

The Scottish Government will issue revised guidance to replace Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on moving home before phase 2 begins.

The Scottish Government is currently considering how Fair Start Scotland will operate in 2021-22 and will provide details in due course.