This policy has been agreed by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body to establish when and how the Scottish Parliament will offer payment to members of the public for their involvement in the Parliament’s participation and engagement activities in relation to scrutiny work. The policy also highlights issues to be considered when offering payment for participation. Payments covered by this policy are in addition to the reimbursement of expenses already offered by the Parliament for travel, subsistence, and other costs to members of the public engaging with the Parliament.
Members of the public are invited to share their lived experience with the Scottish Parliament in a variety of ways, including People’s Panels, lived experience panels, and advisory groups. The expertise and views shared by participants in the Parliament’s public engagement work help to inform Parliamentary scrutiny and ensure that a wide range of perspectives can influence policy and legislation. Offering payment in exchange for such participation is an established practice in the public and third sector, to demonstrate appreciation of participants’ time and insights, and to acknowledge the value of people’s first-hand experience of the impact of policy decisions and legislation.
Offering payment for participation in public engagement activities can also help to broaden the diversity of participants who engage with the Parliament. For instance, some people may be unable to give up their time for free, but may be able to participate if they are compensated. Facilitating the participation of people from marginalised groups can ensure that the Parliament hears from people with a range of lived experience when engaging with the public.
This policy establishes the broad basis and principles of offering payment for participation when engaging members of the public in the Parliament’s scrutiny work. It is not expected that payment will be offered for one-off or short-term engagement activities. However, some projects, such as People’s Panels and advisory groups that meet on a regular basis, require a significant commitment from participants, including preparatory work as well as active involvement in sessions with Parliament staff and Members. Financial compensation for participation in such activities is strongly encouraged.
The appropriate amount to pay participants will vary depending on factors including their level of involvement, and the amount of preparation required for each session.
The table below sets out guide payment rates for differing levels of engagement in Parliamentary scrutiny work. Decisions regarding payment for participation will also be guided by the budget available. Clerking teams are advised to identify potential opportunities for public participation when planning their work programmes, and discuss these plans with the Committee Office budget holder and the Participation and Communities Team (PACT) in advance to determine whether funding is available to support their planned activities.
| Engagement activity | Guide payment rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Approximately one hour of involvement, with little or no preparation required | £20 | |
| Approximately one hour of involvement, with more substantial preparation required | £40 | |
| Approximately two hours of involvement, with little or no preparation required | £40 | |
| Approximately two hours of involvement, with more substantial preparation required |
£70 | |
| Half a day’s activity, with little or no preparation required |
£80 | |
| Half a day’s activity, with more substantial preparation required |
£100 | |
| A full-day activity, with little or no preparation required |
£160 | |
| A full-day activity, with more substantial preparation required | £200 | |
It is important to discuss preferred payment options with each participant, as their preferences and circumstances may vary. For some participants, receiving payment may affect their entitlement to certain state benefits (see paragraph 13 below), and payment in vouchers may therefore be more appropriate. Questions about the most appropriate method of payment for a particular participant or group should be discussed with PACT.
Bank payments will be made to participants through BACS transfers. The Finance team should be notified as soon as possible about the intention to pay individuals for participating. There should be a discussion with finance about which method of payment is preferred, the amount and the number of payments and which team and member of staff is responsible for administering payments and communicating with the individuals.
Vouchers for payment can be purchased using a corporate credit card. If vouchers are likely to be of high value, the Finance team should be consulted in advance to enable them to address any potential procurement issues.
Further information about methods of payment is set out in the payment for participation financial procedures document.
The Finance team will keep a record of payments made to participants, and any associated receipts. Lead staff should maintain a tracking spreadsheet for each project to record to whom and when payments have been made for the duration of the project.
Though HMRC does not currently have specific guidance for lived experience panels, its guidance on payment of research volunteers is commonly used by organisations who offer payment to people with lived experience. Under this guidance, reimbursement of reasonable expenses associated with participation in engagement activities would not be subject to taxation. This exemption applies to payment for participation in engagement activities, as the participant would be receiving reimbursement for their time.
Participants who receive DWP benefits may be concerned about the impact of any payments on their benefit eligibility. Cash payments issued to participants claiming Universal Credit are treated as earnings and may affect their entitlement to support. Payment in vouchers is not treated as earnings by DWP, and it may therefore be more appropriate for participants in receipt of Universal Credit and other DWP benefits to receive payment in vouchers.
Social Security Scotland benefits are currently not means-tested; however, eligibility for some benefits is determined by eligibility for DWP benefits. Payment for participation may therefore have consequences for an individual’s entitlement to Social Security Scotland benefits.
In addition to concerns regarding the impact of paid participation on state benefit entitlement, some participants who have been assessed as having limited capacity for work may also be concerned about the impact of participation on their eligibility. In these circumstances, a Permitted Work Form (PW1) should be submitted to DWP, and the participant should specify that they are engaging in “service user involvement”. A letter should be provided by the Scottish Parliament stating that “service user involvement” is not the same as paid work, and detailing any measures taken to provide support for the participant’s mobility or care needs.
If a participant is unsure whether receiving payment for participation will impact on their entitlement to benefits, they can be advised to contact a Welfare Rights Advisor.
Receiving payment for participation in engagement activities will not impact on the immigration status of refugees and asylum seekers. Additionally, one-off payments would not affect an individual’s access to Asylum Support. However, regular repeat payments may impact access. Participants should be made aware of this as part of the process of informed consent.
If an individual is detained in an Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) or ‘detention centre’, they are able to receive payments for research participation.
The information outlined in previous sections concerning tax and benefits implications applies to those refugees and asylum seekers who are eligible to pay tax, or claiming benefits from DWP.
Although payment for participation in lived experience panels is broadly viewed positively, the practice carries some ethical considerations. Payment for participation may risk enticing people to feel compelled to participate (or continue participating) in work when they do not wish to, particularly if they are facing financial hardship. The promise of payment should not override a person’s ability to provide freely given informed consent to participate, and participants should be advised of their right to withdraw from a project at any time without losing out on payment for the engagement sessions in which they have already participated. It is therefore important to arrange payment for participants as soon as possible following each meeting, to ensure that their withdrawal does not affect payment for previous meetings attended.
Payment for participation is not the only way to ensure that participants feel valued. In addition to offering payment, it is essential to ensure that participants feel meaningfully involved in the project. For instance, people with lived experience who participate in engagement work can feel frustrated if there is a lack of follow-up when a project has concluded, and may feel that they cannot see the impact of their contributions.
The following actions are examples of good practice for ensuring meaningful involvement:
For any questions about this policy, contact the Participation and Communities Team on PACT@parliament.scot