EQIA: Policy 20 - ILF Scotland Payments

In completing this EQIA you should be ensuring the needs of diverse groups of people are thought about when developing and implementing a new policy, procedure or service or a change to existing ones. Please consider the protected groups in line with the Equality Act 2010 and other diverse groups who may be impacted.

Name of Activity: Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) for Policy 20 - ILF Scotland Payments
Name of person completing EQIA: Linda Scott, Director, Policy, Improvement and Engagement
Date EQIA completed: 1 April 2024

What type of activity are you planning?

Change to procedure: No
Event: No
New procedure: No
Office Plan/Budget: No
Policy: Yes
Project: No
Service: No
Other (free text):

1. Describe the main aim or purpose of what it is you are planning to do?

Additional wording regarding “maximum payments” to clarify this for applicants to the Fund in Scotland as of 1 April 2024. The maximum sum is set at £330 per week.

2. Who is likely to be affected by this policy, service or change?

Recipients of the Independent Living Fund and applicants within Scotland.

3. Do you have enough information to know what the potential impact might be on diverse groups and what that might look like?

The protected characteristics to consider are: Age, Disability, Sex, Race, Religion or Belief, Gender Reassignment, Sexual Orientation, Marriage and Civil Partnership, Pregnancy and Maternity. It will also be helpful to consider these groups more widely in relation to their socio-economic status that includes such factors as educational attainment, occupation, income, wealth and social deprivation.

Please mark as Yes or No. If yes use the Comments column to describe what the potential impact is. What are your sources of evidence?

(Try to think about both positive and negative impacts. There are lots of sources of data to help answer this question. Diversity Networks, the Diversity Report or Diversity & Inclusion team may offer some useful information. Previously completed EQIAs may also offer answers to questions you may have).

Age: No
Comments:

Disability: Yes
Comments: The maximum payments for recipients of the Fund as of 1 April 2024 differ from those Group 1 recipients and Group 2 recipients prior to 1 April 2024. These amounts were discussed widely by the Co-Production Working Group and participants at engagement events. The amount is set at £330 which is lower than existing Group 2 recipients, however the aim of re-opening the Fund to new recipients is to reach as many applicants as possible who have unmet needs, whilst balancing with the amount of funding that is available at this stage.

Gender Reassignment: No
Comments:

Marriage and Civil Partnership: No
Comments:

Pregnancy and Maternity: No
Comments:

Race: No
Comments:

Religion or belief: No
Comments:

Sex: No
Comments:

Sexual orientation: No
Comments:

Is there evidence of any impact on other groups not covered by the protected characteristics? If yes use the Comments column to describe what the potential impact is, what you could do to remove/reduce any negative impact and what you could do to benefit from any positive impact.

(For example, carer status, single parent, economic exclusion. It is important not to limit your thinking just to the protected characteristics listed above. This question is broadening the EQIA out to be more inclusive. The impact might be a negative one (e.g. making that decision could decrease the opportunity for some people to participate) or it could be a positive one (e.g. by making that decision, more people are able to take part in the activity).)

No

4. Have you consulted with the relevant groups (these could be internal and/or external) or gathered evidence for you to know the potential impact on these different groups affected? What sources have you used to gather information?

If there are any gaps in information that make it difficult or impossible to form an opinion on how your policy, service or change might affect different groups of people, please take the time to gather information to help you make an informed answer (for example, review statistics, survey results, complaints analysis, consultation documents, customer feedback, existing briefings submissions or business reports, comparative policies from external sources and other Government Departments etc).

The Co-Production Working Group for the re-opening of the Independent Living Fund have been consulted. This advisory group includes disabled people, carers, disabled people's organisations (DPOs) and representatives of ILF Scotland, the Scottish Government and health and social care statutory partners.

5. Having analysed the relevant sources of information, what does the evidence tell you? Is there any evidence that the proposed changes will have an adverse equality impact on any of these different groups of people?

Age: No
Disability: Yes – the maximum payment is lower for recipients as of 1 April 2024 however the aim of the re-opening is to reach as many people as possible given the finite budget for the re-opening of the Fund, the maximum award has been set at this amount.
Gender Reassignment: No
Marriage and Civil Partnership: No
Pregnancy and Maternity: No
Race: No
Religion or belief: No
Sex: No
Sexual orientation: No

6. Please provide details of who the proposals affect, the adverse impacts and explain how you will minimise or remove the adverse impact.

The proposals affect new applicants only. The maximum award figure will be kept under review.

7. Is there any evidence that the proposed changes will have a positive impact on any of these different groups of people and/or promote equality of opportunity? Please provide details of which group/ groups benefits from the positive impacts. and how this will be promoted/evaluated.

Age: No

Disability: Yes - new recipients

Gender Reassignment: No

Marriage and Civil Partnership: No

Pregnancy and Maternity: No

Race: No

Religion or belief: No

Sex: No

Sexual orientation: No

8. Provide a final summary of the commitments/actions you will take as a result of completing this EQIA. Who will you consult with on your action plan and how will you do this to ensure the relevant stakeholders understand the equality impact?

We have discussed fully the implications of this re-opening policy with our relevant stakeholders.

9. Have you a plan in place to review your actions? Please provide a summary. Will plan require sign off and from where?

It is acknowledged that the re-opening of the Independent Living Fund will require ongoing review and consultation. The Co-Production Working Group will continue to meet and engage with recipients and liaise with ILF Scotland on adjustments that may be required.