EQIA: Policy 5 - Backdating 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 5 - Backdating Payments
Name of person completing EQIA: Linda Scott, Director, Policy, Improvement and Engagement
Date EQIA completed: 8 July 2022

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?

Review of Policy wording and updating where required.

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

ILF Scotland 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: The change to the Policy is it’s wording to improve clarity and guidance. There is no material change to the policy.

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).)

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).

Desk review

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
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 Award Managers - no adverse impact identified.

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
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 ensure that Policy 5 - Backdated Payments is in line with existing legislation and guidance and monitor the legislative landscape for amendments that may affect this policy in future.

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

Annual review, ongoing monitoring. Signed off by Director of Policy, Linda Scott.