EQIA: Policy 24 - Statutory Input to ILF Scotland Funding

This EQIA, for our Independent Living Fund, has been archived but is available for reference purposes.

Archive

To see existing policies and EQIAs guiding ILF Scotland, visit our main policies page.

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 24 - Statutory Input to ILF Scotland Funding
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
Office Plan / Budget: No
Project: No
Policy: Yes
Service: No

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

Change of wording to include Threshold Sum that will apply for recipients of the Fund as of 1 April 2024.

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

Recipients of 2015 Fund.

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: Recipients of the Fund as of 1 April 2024 will have a Threshold Sum of £800 per week. This is higher than the current Threshold Sum for recipients prior to 1 April 2024, however the aim is to reach those applicants with a high degree of unmet needs.

Gender Reassignment: No
Comments:

Marriage and Civil Partnership: No
Comments:

Pregnancy and Maternity: No
Comments:

Race: 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 to just the protected characteristics listed above. The 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).)

Yes

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 2015 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
Gender Reassignment: No
Marriage and Civil Partnership: No
Pregnancy and Maternity: No
Race: No
Religion or Belief: 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 Threshold Sum is higher for recipients of the Fund as of 1 April 2024. However, there is a finite budget for the re-opening of the Fund and the objective is to reach those with high levels of unmet needs whilst managing the amount available in the Fund at this stage.

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
Gender Reassignment: No
Marriage and Civil Partnership: No
Pregnancy and Maternity: No
Race: No
Religion or Belief: 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 discussed the impact of the threshold sum fully with stakeholders as part of the Co-Production and engagement process. The Co-Production Working Group will consider alternatives to the threshold sum in 2024 to 2025.

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 2015 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.

EQIA: Policy 41 - Use of ILF Funding

Archive

This EQIA, for our 2015 Fund, has been archived but is available for reference purposes.

To see existing policies and EQIAs guiding ILF Scotland, visit our main policies page.

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 41 - Use of ILF Funding
Name of person completing EQIA: Linda Scott
Date EQIA completed: 31 March 2023

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?

Policy and wording review.

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

All 2015 fund recipients.

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: No
Comments:

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).)

Carers: No
Comments:

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).

Desk research, consultation with ILFS Assessors, Specialist Caseworkers, Recipients, Award Managers, Scottish Advisory Group, NI Stakeholder Group.

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: No
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.

No adverse impact determined

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: No

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 will continue to discuss with and inform Recipients / Award Managers of this policy via our website, and contact with our Assessors and Specialist Caseworkers, Scottish Advisory Group and NI Stakeholder Group.

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

Ongoing monitoring and review of policy impact on Recipients and their Award Manager via feedback from Assessors and Specialist Caseworkers, Management Team, and Senior Management Team. Policy will be signed off by Linda Scott, Director of Policy, Improvement and Engagement.

EQIA: Policy 39 - Treatment of Capital

Archive

This EQIA, for our 2015 Fund, has been archived but is available for reference purposes.

To see existing policies and EQIAs guiding ILF Scotland, visit our main policies page.

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 39 - Treatment of Capital
Name of person completing EQIA: Linda Scott
Date EQIA completed: 31 March 2023

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?

Policy and wording review.

Amend Policy 39 to reflect that recipients must not have capital exceeding £29,750. This is in line with the thresholds used by Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCS) in Scotland for residential care charging, and represents an increase to permitted capital of £1250.

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

All 2015 fund recipients.

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: No
Comments:

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).)

Carers: No
Comments:

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).

Desk research, consultation with ILFS Assessors, Specialist Caseworkers, Recipients, Award Managers, Scottish Advisory Group, NI Stakeholder Group.

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: No
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.

No adverse impact determined

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
Comments: Recipients are already a disadvantaged group with a high association with poverty, debt and higher costs of living. An increase to the permitted amount of capital they can have in order to remain eligible for ILF means they could be better off financially, and less likely to become ineligible.
Sources: Disability Price Tag | Disability charity Scope UK and Disabled people's costs of living | JRF

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?

Once approved by our Sponsor Team / Scottish Government, we will provide an update for Assessors and Caseworkers to ensure they are aware of the increase.

We will continue to discuss with and inform Recipients / Award Managers of this policy via our website, and contact with our Assessors and Specialist Caseworkers, Scottish Advisory Group and NI Stakeholder Group.

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

Ongoing monitoring and review of policy impact on Recipients and their Award Manager via feedback from Assessors and Specialist Caseworkers, Management Team, and Senior Management Team. Policy will be signed off by Linda Scott, Director of Policy, Improvement and Engagement.

EQIA: Policy 24 - Statutory Input to ILF Scotland Funding

This EQIA, for our 2015 Fund, has been archived but is available for reference purposes.

Archive

To see existing policies and EQIAs guiding ILF Scotland, visit our main policies page.

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 24 - Statutory Input to ILF Scotland Funding
Name of person completing EQIA: Linda Scott
Date EQIA completed: 31 March 2023

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?

Policy and wording review.

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

All 2015 fund recipients.

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: No
Comments:

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).)

Carers: No
Comments:

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).

Desk research, consultation with ILFS Assessors, Specialist Caseworkers, Recipients, Award Managers, Scottish Advisory Group, NI Stakeholder Group.

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: No
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.

No adverse impact determined

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: No
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 will continue to discuss with and inform Recipients / Award Managers of this policy via our website, and contact with our Assessors and Specialist Caseworkers, Scottish Advisory Group and NI Stakeholder Group.

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

Ongoing monitoring and review of policy impact on Recipients and their Award Manager via feedback from Assessors and Specialist Caseworkers, Management Team, and Senior Management Team. Policy will be signed off by Linda Scott, Director of Policy, Improvement and Engagement.

EQIA: Policy 20 - ILF Scotland Payments

Archive

This EQIA, for our 2015 Fund, has been archived but is available for reference purposes.

To see existing policies and EQIAs guiding ILF Scotland, visit our main policies page.

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
Date EQIA completed: 31 March 2023

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?

Policy and wording review.

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

All 2015 fund recipients.

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: No
Comments:

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).)

Carers: No
Comments:

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).

Desk research, consultation with ILFS Assessors, Specialist Caseworkers, Recipients, Award Managers, Scottish Advisory Group, NI Stakeholder Group.

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: No
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.

No adverse impact determined

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: Yes
Comments: As recipients are an aging population, they are more likely to experience age related characteristics such as decline in health conditions and increased support and assistance needs including financial management assistance, and changes to support / assistance arrangements. Policy 20 sets out the scope and boundaries of funding within the maximum sum, but also provides provision for anticipated increases in costs. Furthermore given the fluid nature of health and disability overtime, the policy includes a clause for exceptional circumstances not otherwise detailed. Additionally, the maximum sum has been increased in recognition of the rate of inflation of associated costs of support and assistance.
Sources: Cost of elderly care in Scotland soars by 11% - Management In Practice and Care and Support | Age Scotland (ageuk.org.uk)

Disability: Yes
Comments: All recipients live with significant health conditions / impairments, and the evidence indicates these can fluctuate over time which can have a direct impact on support and assistance arrangements and associated costs. Policy 20 sets out the scope and boundaries of funding within the maximum sum, but also provides provision for anticipated increases in costs. Furthermore given the fluid nature of health and disability overtime, the policy includes a clause for exceptional circumstances not otherwise detailed. Additionally, the maximum sum has been increased in recognition of the rate of inflation of associated costs of support and assistance.
Sources: National Disability Strategy (publishing.service.gov.uk), A Fairer Scotland For Disabled People and Cost of living: Impact of rising costs on disabled people - House of Lords Library

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 will continue to discuss with and inform Recipients / Award Managers of this policy via our website, and contact with our Assessors and Specialist Caseworkers, Scottish Advisory Group and NI Stakeholder Group.

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

Ongoing monitoring and review of policy impact on Recipients and their Award Manager via feedback from Assessors and Specialist Caseworkers, Management Team, and Senior Management Team. Policy will be signed off by Linda Scott, Director of Policy, Improvement and Engagement.

EQIA: Policy 19 - Independent Living

Archive

This EQIA, for our 2015 Fund, has been archived but is available for reference purposes.

To see existing policies and EQIAs guiding ILF Scotland, visit our main policies page.

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 19 - Independent Living
Name of person completing EQIA: Linda Scott
Date EQIA completed: 31 March 2023

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?

Policy and wording review.

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

All 2015 fund recipients.

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: No
Comments:

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).)

Carers: No
Comments:

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).

Desk research, consultation with ILFS Assessors, Specialist Caseworkers, Recipients, Award Managers, Scottish Advisory Group, NI Stakeholder Group.

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: No
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.

No adverse impact determined

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
Comments: Policy 19 sets out the definition of Independent Living as constructed by the Independent Living Movement which solely consists of disabled people. The positive impact of this is that Independent Living has been defined by disabled people themselves using the Social Model of Disability rather than a medicalised model or one that has been designed in the absence of lived experience.
Sources: https://www.independentliving.org/docs6/evans2003.html and https://www.lothiancil.org.uk/who-we-are/social-model-of-disability/

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 will continue to discuss with and inform Recipients / Award Managers of this policy via our website, and contact with our Assessors and Specialist Caseworkers, Scottish Advisory Group and NI Stakeholder Group.

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

Ongoing monitoring and review of policy impact on Recipients and their Award Manager via feedback from Assessors and Specialist Caseworkers, Management Team, and Senior Management Team. Policy will be signed off by Linda Scott, Director of Policy, Improvement and Engagement.

EQIA: Policy 14 - Qualifying Benefits for ILF Scotland Awards

Archive

This EQIA, for our 2015 Fund, has been archived but is available for reference purposes.

To see existing policies and EQIAs guiding ILF Scotland, visit our main policies page.

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: Policy 14 Qualifying Benefits for ILF Scotland Awards
(previously entitled Policy 14 DLA / PIP / ADP Appeals)
Name of person completing EQIA: Linda Scott
Date EQIA completed: 05/10/2022

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 box): No

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

Review of policy. Wording revision.

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

All 2015 fund recipients.

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: Yes
Comments: Recipients are an aging population and we are aware that many of their informal carers are also older people. We recognise the Social Security Agency Appeals Process can be a source of additional stress, and as older people, Recipients and their Award Managers are more likely to experience the negative effects of stress. Evidence also suggests there are high rates of successful decision appeals in respect of disability / health related benefits.
Sources: 'It's Broken Her' - Assessments for disability benefits and mental health (Rethink Mental Illness)
Personal Independence Payment: Official Statistics to January 2022 (UK Department of Work and Pensions)
Optimising Older Peoples Quality of Life: an Outcomes Framework (NHS Health Scotland)
Struggling with stress? (NHS inform)

Disability: Yes
All recipients are identified as having a substantial disability / impairment. We recognise the Social Security Agency Appeals Process can be a source of additional stress, and as disabled people, Recipients and their Award Managers are more likely to experience the negative effects of stress. Evidence also suggests there are high rates of successful decision appeals in respect of disability / health related benefits.

Sources: DWP admits wrongly refusing PIP to record number of Disabled people (Disability Rights UK)
Personal Independence Payment: Official Statistics to January 2022 (UK Department of Work and Pensions)
'It's Broken Her' - Assessments for disability benefits and mental health (Rethink Mental Illness)
Disability and stress: A study in perspectives (Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability/ researchgate.net)

Gender reassignment: No
Marriage and Civil Partnership: No
Pregnancy and Maternity: No
Race: No
Religion or belief: No
Sex: No
Sexual orientation: No

Carers: Yes
Comments: Award Managers are often informal carers for the recipient, and can also experience high levels of stress in their daily lives. Any change to a Recipient’s eligibility for ILF could have an indirect impact on informal carers by increasing their caring role.
Sources: Chapter 2: Carers' Health and Wellbeing - Scotland's Carers - (Scottish Government)

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).

Desk research, consultation with ILFS Assessors, Specialist Caseworkers, Recipients, Award Managers, Scottish Advisory Group, NI Stakeholder Group.

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: Yes
Comments: As above

Disability: Yes
Comments: As above

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.

Recipients have been identified as those primarily affected by this policy as a direct result of any decision to reduce or withdraw their DLA, PIP, CAA, AA, ADP or AFIP by the relevant authorities. In recognition of the stress associated with any change to benefit entitlement, the high rate of overturned decisions to reduce or withdraw benefits, and the impact of the potential loss of ILF eligibility, we have incorporated the benefit appeal timeframe into our policy to ensure that ILF payments remain in place until the appeal process has been completed. This will permit some additional time for recipients to liaise with social services or other sources of support in respect of their care or assistance needs should they no longer be eligible to receive ILF. The policy is available on the ILFS website and available in alternative formats upon request.

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: Yes
Comments: By having a policy for benefit appeals, Recipients and Award Managers are made aware of what impact any loss of specified benefits will have on their eligibility to receive ILF. Additionally, the policy outlines what to expect if they are in the process of appealing a benefit entitlement decision.

Disability: Yes
Comments: By having a policy for benefit appeals, Recipients and Award Managers are made aware of what impact any loss of specified benefits will have on their eligibility to receive ILF. Additionally, the policy outlines what to expect if they are in the process of appealing a benefit entitlement decision.

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 will continue to inform Recipients / Award Managers of this policy via our website, and contact with our Assessors and Specialist Caseworkers, Scottish Advisory Group and NI Stakeholder Group.

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

Ongoing monitoring and review of policy impact on Recipients and their Award Manager via feedback from Assessors and Specialist Caseworkers, Management Team, and Senior Management Team. Policy will be signed off by Linda Scott, Director of Policy, Improvement and Engagement.

EQIA: Policy 8 - Carer's Allowance

Archive

This policy, for our 2015 Fund, has been archived but is available for reference purposes.

To see existing policies guiding ILF Scotland, visit our main policies page.

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 8 - Carer's Allowance
Name of person completing EQIA: Linda Scott
Date EQIA completed: 15 July 2022

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?

Review of policy and wording revision.

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

Recipients and their partner / spouse.

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: Yes
Comments: With an aging population of recipients, informal carers tend to be older people. The exact number who qualify or are already in receipt of Carer’s Allowance (CA) is undetermined however this type of income is identified as being essential to informal carers in order to sustain their role. By disregarding CA as income for a recipients partner or spouse, this increases and retains the recipients eligibility for an ILF award.
Sources: caring-about-older-carers.pdf and Carer's Allowance - Citizens Advice

Disability: Yes
Comments: By disregarding CA as income for a recipients partner or spouse, this increases and retains the recipients eligibility for an ILF award. It also means they are able to continue to have the same person providing them with informal assistance / support.
Sources: Carer's Allowance - Citizens Advice

Gender Reassignment: No
Comments:

Marriage and Civil Partnership: No
Comments:

Pregnancy and Maternity: No
Comments:

Race: No
Comments:

Religion or belief: No
Comments:

Sex: Yes
Comments: Evidence shows informal carers are more likely to be female and also live on a reduced income. CA is an essential benefit that ensures some financial support for carers.
Sources: 3. Information on Carers - Carers Census, Scotland, 2019-20 and 2020-21 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and Equality analysis - Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2016-19 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

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).)

Carers: Yes
Comments: Informal carers will benefit from the policy if they are the partner / spouse of the recipient as this income will not be used as part of the financial assessment.

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).

Desk research.

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: No
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.

Recipients and their partner / spouse.

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: Yes - as above

Disability: Yes - as above

Gender Reassignment: No

Marriage and Civil Partnership: No

Pregnancy and Maternity: No

Race: No

Religion or belief: No

Sex: Yes - as above

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 will disregard CA as a source of income for the purposes of a notional assessment calculation. Where a partner is in receipt of CA in respect of the recipient, ILF Scotland will disregard CA as income.

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

Ongoing monitoring and review of policy impact and any changes to CA. Policy will be signed off by Linda Scott, Head of Policy.

Policy 8 - Carer's Allowance

Archived

This policy has been archived but is available for reference purposes.

To see existing policies guiding ILF Scotland, visit our main policies page.

Version: 3.0
Last Amended: 15 July 2022
Next Review Date: 31 March 2024

1.0 Background

Carers Allowance (CA) (and CA Supplement (Scotland)) involves both a financial amount and an element of care provision. ILF Scotland will consider how to treat CA in the care assessment and, in Northern Ireland, in the financial assessment, where the recipient’s partners receives CA.

2.0 Policy

2.1 Financial Assessment

ILF Scotland disregards CA as a source of income for the purposes of a notional assessment calculation. Where a partner is in receipt of CA in respect of the recipient, ILF Scotland will disregard CA as income.

2.2 Care Assessment

CA is payable if the carer provides a minimum of 35 hours of care per week. The ILF Scotland Assessor must consider this when assessing the total care requirement.

Care provided by a person who is in receipt of CA is not restricted to the support and services listed in Policy 41: Use of ILF Scotland Funding. The recipient and their carer will agree the care and support requirements during the 35 CA hours.

A carers premium should be included as part of the allowances and premiums on the notional assessment if a partner is entitled to receive CA, whether or not CA is actually in payment.

3.0 Procedure

ILF Scotland will verify if CA is in payment but do not require details of who provides it.

The ILF Scotland Assessor will ensure that the care plan includes the 35 hours of CA funded care. The Assessor may recommend that ILF Scotland consider additional level of care above the 35 hours.

ILF Scotland Specialist Caseworkers will ensure that the care grid shows the 35 hours of CA care where someone is in receipt of CA in respect of the recipient. There is no need to ask about the nature of the care tasks during those hours.

4.0 Cross References

Policy 4: Recipients Contributions
Policy 41: Use of ILF Scotland Funding

5.0 History

Version 1: 1 July 2015
Version 2: 15 July 2022
Date Last Reviewed: 31 March 2023

EQIA: Policy 4 - Recipient Contribution Revision

Archive

This EQIA, for our 2015 Fund, has been archived but is available for reference purposes.

To see existing policies and EQIAs guiding ILF Scotland, visit our main policies page.

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 4 - Recipient Contribution
Name of person completing EQIA: Linda Scott
Date EQIA completed: 1 July 2022

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?

Wording revision.

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

Recipients and ILF 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: Yes
Comments: Older people may have reduced income such as when they retire and receive their pension, or if in receipt of benefits these may reduce when someone reaches state pension age. Additionally, older people in particular maybe impacted by the increasing cost of living.
Sources: Poverty in Later Life Briefing - AgeUK (PDF)
Poverty and Income Inequality Statistics - Gov.Scot
Poverty in Scotland - Poverty & Inequality Commission

Disability: Yes
Comments: Many disabled people already live in poverty due to higher associated costs of living, and currently are impacted by the ongoing rise in the cost of living.
Sources: Poverty - Scotland's Wellbeing: national outcomes for disabled people - Gov.Scot
Disabled people's costs of living - Joseph Rowntree Foundation

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:
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).)

Carers: Yes
Comments: Carers are identified as more likely to live in poverty and / or live on a reduced income. Equally they will be impacted by the ongoing increase in the cost of living.
Sources: A Manifesto for Unpaid Carers and Young Carers - National Carer Organisations (PDF)
Poverty in Scotland 2021 - Joseph Rowntree Foundation

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).

Representatives of Stakeholder and Advisory Groups

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: No
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.

No adverse impact on recipients.

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: Yes
Comments: Increase in personal income budget

Disability: Yes
Comments: Increase in personal income budget

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?

No specific actions planned but will monitor the impact of the revised wording on the number of applications for waivers under the policy.

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

Annual policy review. This plan will be signed off by Linda Scott, Director of Policy.

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