Having your benefit moved to Social Security Scotland research
The Scottish Government has asked an independent research organisation, The Lines Between, to find out about people’s experiences and impacts of having their disability benefits transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to Social Security Scotland.
The researchers would like to speak with people whose benefits have transferred from DWP to one of the following Social Security Scotland benefits (see table below). They would also like to speak to parents, carers or other representatives that manage someone else's disability benefit on their behalf.
The table below shows the benefits people have moved from and to.
| DWP benefit | Social Security Scotland benefit |
|---|---|
| Disability Living Allowance for Children (DLAC) | Child Disability Payment (CDP) |
| Personal Independence Payment (PIP) | Adult Disability Payment (ADP) |
| Disability Living Allowance (DLA) | Adult Disability Payment (ADP) or Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (SADLA) |
| Attendance Allowance | Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) |
This research is not being done by the Client Panels research team. The contact details below are for The Lines Between. They have their own processes for handling your data. They will not tell us who has taken part.
What does taking part involve?
If you decide to take part, there are three ways to do so:
- Complete an online survey and register your interest for an interview (link to survey below)
- Complete an online survey only (link to survey below)
- Register your interest for an interview by contacting the Lines Between (details on how to do this below)
Please quote the code we included in the email, letter or text message we sent you when prompted.
Taking part in any of this is completely voluntary and you can change your mind about participating at any stage.
The online survey
This is available to do online on a smartphone, tablet or computer. The survey will include questions about how you found different aspects of the transfer process. It will take about 10-15 minutes to complete.
The interviews
These involve speaking to a researcher from The Lines Between by telephone, online or in-person for around 30-45 minutes. People who take part in an interview will be given a £40 gift card for Amazon or Love2Shop.
The interview will cover your overall experience of having your benefit transferred to Social Security Scotland.
The researchers are interested in things like how you found the process and whether you felt informed about what was happening. There are no right or wrong answers, the aim is to understand how the process has been for you. You can have a family member, friend or someone else that supports you with you during the interview if you would like.
How do I sign up?
To find out more and to complete the survey, visit: Case Transfer Survey for Individuals
(Please use the code we included in the email, letter or text message we sent you when prompted)
The survey will ask you whether you would like to take part in an interview too.
If you would prefer to only take part in an interview, please contact The Lines Between by:
- Emailing: casetransfer@thelinesbetween.co.uk and quoting the code we sent you in the subject line
- Phoning: 0131 235 2012
- Writing to: Ian Christie, The Lines Between, 3 Piershill Place, Edinburgh, EH8 7EH and quoting the code we sent you
If you have any questions about this study, please contact The Lines Between using the details above.
Could taking part affect my benefits?
No. No one involved in making benefit decisions now or in the future will have access to your answers or know if you have taken part. Nobody will be able to identify you in any of the reported results and taking part will not affect any of your applications or benefits.
If I volunteer for an interview, will I definitely get to take part?
There is a maximum number of interviews The Lines Between can do, so it may not be possible to interview everyone who wants to take part, and they might have to be selective to make sure they speak to a diverse range of people across the country.
Thank you for your interest in this important research study.
If you want to leave the Client Panels
You can leave the Client Panels at any time. If you would no longer like to take part, or want us to stop contacting you for a while, contact us either by:
- going to mygov.scot/client-panels/contact-client-panel
- writing to Social Security Scotland Social Research, PO Box 27202, Glasgow, G4 7ER
- calling the research helpline free on 0800 029 4974, Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm
We’ll then remove your name and contact details from the Client Panels. This does not affect the information Social Security Scotland hold about you in relation to your applications or benefits. If you apply for other benefits in the future, you may still receive this type of message again. You may also be invited to take part in other research related to Social Security Scotland by other areas of the organisation or by the Scottish Government.
If you have questions about your benefits
The Client Panels team do not have access to your case information and can’t give advice. You can contact Social Security Scotland by:
- web chat: chat.socialsecurity.gov.scot/
- Freephone: 0800 182 2222 (8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday). If you're a British Sign Language user, you can use the contactSCOTLAND app to contact Social Security Scotland by video relay.
- or post: Social Security Scotland, General Enquiries, PO Box 10301, Dundee, DD1 9FY
You and your data
You can find out more about how Social Security Scotland uses your data in the privacy notice at mygov.scot/social-security-data. You can contact our data protection officer to request a paper copy or ask questions at:
- email: DataProtectionOfficer@socialsecurity.gov.scot
- post: Data Protection Officer, PO Box 10298, Dundee, DD1 9FS