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Best Start Foods and Best Start Grant are two separate devolved benefit payments to support eligible families with young children.

Best Start Foods supports eligible families with children under the age of three to purchase healthy foods.

The Best Start Grant (BSG) Early Learning Payment provides eligible families with £250 to support child development covering the common ages when a child might start nursery (the application window is for 2 to 3½ year olds). However, there is no requirement to take up an ELC to claim this payment.

The Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasts, published on 6 February 2020, estimates that 20,000 payments will be made for BSG Early Learning Payment in 2020/21.

We have set up the Connecting Scotland programme ( https://connecting.scot/ ) which provides those that are digitally excluded and on a low income with a device, an internet connection and training and support.

£5 million was invested in phase one of the programme to support 9000 individuals on a low income and clinically at risk from COVID-19. This included older people in the shielding category.

The Programme for Government 2020-2021, published 1 September 2020, sets out how we are now committing an additional £23 million to help even more digitally excluded people and households with a digital and data safety net, providing them with a device and extending our previous offer of unlimited data and support and training from one year to two for everyone the programme has helped.

We have invested £1.5 million in the Digital Participation Charter. The Charter Fund provides small grants (typically up to £10,000) to help a range of organisations tackle poverty, social isolation and other forms of inequality in society through embedding basic digital skills development work in day-to-day activity with their service users. There have been seven rounds since 2014 which have supported 189 local projects and will reach over 22,000 people to gain or improve their essential digital skills. The focus of the last 3 rounds has been older people and isolation.

In partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations we have established a network of digital champions to provide peer learning and support for residents in housing associations and sheltered accommodation complexes offering tailored support by trusted volunteers.

In 2018, the Scottish Government published A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Employment Action Plan . As part of this we committed to reduce the disability employment gap by at least half (from the 2016 baseline of 37.4 percentage points), by 2038. Our plan, alongside our first year update, may be found on the Scottish Government’s website: www.gov.scot

Due to significant changes in the survey questions relating to disability and long-term limiting health conditions in Apr-Jun 2013, it is not possible to directly compare the latest disability employment gap estimate (for April 2019 – March 2020) with the gap 14 years ago.

In the most recent period for which comparisons over time can be made, there has been progress and Scotland’s disability employment gap has narrowed. Between April 2013 – March 2014 and April 2019 – March 2020, Scotland’s disability employment gap fell by 5.7 percentage points (p.p.) from 38.7 p.p. to 33.0 p.p.

The Social Security and Older People portfolio was established in 2019-20. Prior to this, Social Security was included as a portfolio section for the first time in the Communities, Social Security and Equalities portfolio from 2016-17, before which, the Scottish Government’s expenditure on mitigating the UK government’s welfare reforms was included in other cabinet portfolios.

The Social Security Budgets for each year can be found in the following documents:

• 2016-17 Draft Budget - https://www2.gov.scot/Resource/0049/00491140.pdf
• 2016-17 Spring Budget Revision - https://www.gov.scot/publications/2016-17-spring
  -budget-revision-supporting-document/
• 2017-18 Draft Budget - https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-budget-draft
  -budget-2017-18/
• 2017-18 Spring Budget Revision - https://www.gov.scot/publications/2017-18-
  spring-budget-revision-supporting-document/
• 2018-19 Draft Budget - https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-budget
  -draft-budget-2018-19/
• 2018-19 Spring Budget Revision - https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands
  -budget-documents-2018-19-spring-budget-revision-budget-scotland-act-
  year-ending-31-march-2019/pages/2/
• 2019-20 Budget - https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-budget-2019-20/
• 2019-20 Spring Budget Revision - https://www.gov.scot/publications/spring
  -budget-revision-2019-20-supporting-document/
• 2020-21 Budget - https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-budget-2020-21/
• 2020-21 Summer Budget Revision - https://www.gov.scot/publications/
  2020-21-summer-budget-revision/

During 2020-21 the Scottish Government has announced over £69 million of extra funding for the Scottish Welfare Fund, Carer’s Allowance Supplement and Discretionary Housing Payments. In addition, a fund of £50 million has been established to meet increased demands from Social Security and Council Tax Reduction Scheme. Before the conclusion of the financial year further transfer to the portfolio will also recognise the launch of the Scottish Child Payment.

Under the Fiscal Framework, where the Scottish Government introduces additional benefits or new policy then it must pay for this from its own resources, and the 2020-21 Social Security and Older People portfolio budget includes over £251 million of funding for which we do not receive a corresponding Block Grant Adjustment or other transfer, as set out below.

Fair Start Scotland (FSS) is Scotland’s flagship employability programme, designed to support those who face the greatest challenge to moving towards and into work. Participation in the programme is entirely voluntary, and it offers up to 18 months of tailored, person-centred, pre-employment support and up to 12 months of further in-work support.

The service launched successfully on 3 April 2018, and is delivering the employability powers of the 2016 Scotland Act, specifically to provide intensive bespoke support for unemployed disabled people and those with long-term health conditions. While unemployed people with a range of other barriers to work can also access the service, 65% of those receiving support through the programme report having a long-term health condition, and 47% of participants also identify as disabled people.

In addition, our A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Employment Action Plan, published in December 2018 and available online at www.gov.scot , outlines the actions we will take to tackle the barriers that disabled people, and those with a long-term health condition, face when entering or attempting to progress within the labour market.

People have a right to feel and to be safe at work, and on their return to work. On 19 July the Cabinet Secretary for Economy issued a fresh joint statement with the STUC, CoSLA, SCVO, the IoD and SCDI outlining the shared commitment to fair work practices in Scotland across the public, private and third sectors. The statement urges employers to support workers to follow the guidance available. No-one should feel under pressure to breach that advice and workers should not be put at unnecessary risk, nor should they put others at risk of infection.

We have also published sectoral guidance for employers on returning to work safely during the coronavirus pandemic. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-
returning-to-work/pages/employers/

From 1 April 2017 Scotland exercised newly devolved powers on employment support through 12 month transitional arrangements (Work First Scotland and Work Able Scotland) before Fair Start Scotland was launched in April 2018. Prior to April 2017, the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was responsible for providing employability services in Scotland. The Scottish Government does not hold data for services provided by the DWP.

Between April 2018 to June 2020 Fair Start Scotland has helped 7,050 people into employment, of which 4,193 sustained employment for at least three months. It is important to note that not everyone supported by Fair Start Scotland has had enough time to start a job or sustain it for 3 months.

Work First Scotland and Work Able Scotland operated between April 2017 to September 2019, and helped 1,194 people into employment, of which 1,134 sustained employment for at least three months.

This Government has a strong track record of assisting young people into employment through our internationally recognised Youth Employment Strategy – Developing the Young Workforce.

There is a broad range of support available to school leavers including a careers service provided by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) which offers free and impartial expert advice to all those who need this support. SDS also works closely with schools to identify those leavers who are less likely to engage with mainstream opportunities as well as working with local partners who offer targeted transitional support to this vulnerable group.

Together with Local Authorities, the Scottish Government rolled out the first phase of No One Left Behind (NOLB) in April 2019-20. This flexible, person-centred approach to providing employability support is aimed at those who need extra help and training to transition into employment or further learning. In its first year NOLB, supported by more than £7 million of investment, helped almost 3,500 participants, 79% of whom were 16-19 year olds. We are continuing to work closely with our Local Authority and third sector partners to develop and deliver the next phase of NOLB.

We are also continuing to fund the delivery of a number of well- established employability programmes, including: Community Jobs Scotland, the Employability Fund, Discovering Your Potential and Our Future Now - all of which are aimed at helping young people to transition into further learning or employment. In these especially challenging times, all of our delivery partners are working hard to engage with young people, adapting their services to ensure they are able to support as many young people as possible in the way that best suits their individual needs.

We have appointed Sandy Begbie to advise on the implementation of a Youth Guarantee, which will promote the importance of giving young people the opportunity to access employment, education and training. The Scottish Government has now published the Youth Guarantee- No One Left Behind- Preliminary report and this can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/addressing-labour-market-emergency
-scottish-governments-response-report-enterprise-skills-strategic-board
-sub-group-measures-mitigate-labour-market-impacts-covid-19/

We have committed to investing £60 million, this financial year, in a Youth Guarantee as part of the £100 million investment for employment and skills we announced last month. The Guarantee is one of the first actions to be taken forward from the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery Report and sets out our employer led plan to give all young people access to work, training or education.

National eligibility criteria for Free School Meals are set by the Scottish Government, with local authorities retaining the option of applying additional local criteria on who receives free school meals. The 2019 Healthy Living Survey https://www.gov.scot/publications/school-healthy-living-survey-statistics-2019/ recorded 260,842 pupils registered for free school meals. This total includes P1-P3 pupils in receipt of meals as a result of universal provision and those registered as a result of local initiatives. Of these 260,842 pupils, 188,274 (72%) took a meal on survey day. There are no centrally held forecasts for uptake.

As entitlement to Council Tax Reduction (CTR) is based on the means and need of individual households, it is not realistic to collect the data necessary to enable us to determine the annual uptake of the CTR scheme (that is, how many households who would be eligible for CTR are actually in receipt of it in any given year). We do regularly collect and publish data relating to CTR caseload and income forgone due to CTR which is available at the following link https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-reduction-scotland-2019-20/ . New data covering the first quarter of 2020-21 will be published on 8 September.

In its December 2018 forecast for the 2019-20 Scottish Budget, the Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) expected that 40,000 Best Start Grant (BSG) payments would be issued in 2019-20. A corresponding Best Start Foods (BSFs) caseload forecast was not published but the spending forecast was consistent with around 22,000 individuals benefitting by the end of the financial year. Statistics show that during 2019-20 around 80,100 Best Start applications were authorised, with each resulting in one or more BSG payments or an inflow into the BSFs caseload or both.

Funeral Support Payment (FSP) was launched on 16 September 2019, halfway through the financial year. SFC’s December 2018 forecast expected that 4,400 people would receive an FSP payment in the first full financial year of operating. Statistics show that during the 6 months of 2019-20 in which FSP was available approximately 2,700 applications were authorised to be paid.

Scotland has a proud history of taking ambitious and pioneering action to improve health and reduce health inequalities. We are world leaders in the field of tobacco control, were the first nation to introduce minimum unit pricing on alcohol and have pledged to cut childhood obesity by half in the next ten years. Our continued efforts will tackle the current reduction in life expectancy.

These actions are set out in comprehensive plans and strategies. Over the past few months, greater numbers of people have increased their physical activity enjoying walking, cycling and other forms of active travel. These positive changes that will help people lead healthier lives.

Last week, this Government published its Programme for Government 2020-21, a programme which highlights our determination to address many of the deep-seated challenges our country faces with renewed focus on tackling health inequalities and improving quality of life.

The development of a wellbeing economy with the social, economic and health needs of each individual at its core will tackle the leading determinants of poor health including deprivation and will support children, young people and their families as we work together to build a stronger, fairer society.

This far-sighted programme tackle inequalities and deprivation. It will reduce child poverty rates; continue to improve the healthy life choices our people make and help drive down the root causes of health inequalities.

Improved community based health services driven by GPs, Community Link Workers and other care initiatives, will engage more effectively with those living in deprived areas, directing them to services and referring those in need to the appropriate sources of support.

Potential form of the social care system, continuing to develop a Scottish social security system designed to meet the unique demands or our society and the delivery of 50,000 new affordable homes all lay the foundations for tackling inequalities and deprivation. All of these actions, including those in Programme for Government will improve life expectancy.

It should of course be noted that the UK government's welfare reforms are likely to have a negative impact on any effort to tackle inequality and deprivation.

Analysis of the unprecedented social and economic impacts of COVID-19 and ensuring we respond appropriately could not be higher on the Scottish Government’s agenda.

Our published Labour Market Monthly Briefings following the official statistics publications draw upon a range of labour market indicators and provide an up to date assessment of how Scotland’s labour market is being shaped by the pandemic. We also utilise latest data from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, among other sources, as indicators of jobs at risk in our economy, across regions and sectors, and among groups within our labour market.

We have examined and published scenarios of how unemployment could rise in Scotland in the Chief Economist’s State of the Economy report in April and Monthly Economic Brief in June, and published analysis of groups in our labour market expected to be most impacted by the pandemic.

We have already announced a £100m package of employment and skills support to respond to some of the challenges highlighted by our analysis to date. We will continue to closely monitor changes in Scotland’s labour market and draw upon external expertise, such as through the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board and Advisory Group on Economic Recovery, to shape our response to this crisis.