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All applicants to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme have their circumstances and income assessed in line with the Regulations setting out the scheme. Those who are receiving specified benefits receive a full reduction in their council tax liability, and pay no council tax. Those who are not receiving specified benefits will continue to have their income assessed against their household circumstances. If their income is beyond that assessed as necessary for their household under the current Regulations they are required to contribute 20% of any excess income towards paying their council tax. The Scottish Government will continue to proactively amend the Council Tax Reduction scheme where evidence indicates any element of its impact or operation is unsatisfactory.

All applicants to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme have their circumstances and income assessed in line with the Regulations setting out the scheme. Those who are receiving specified benefits receive a full reduction in their council tax liability, and pay no council tax. Those who are not receiving specified benefits will continue to have their income assessed against their household circumstances. If their income is beyond that assessed as necessary for their household under the current Regulations they are required to contribute 20% of any excess income towards paying their council tax. The Scottish Government will continue to proactively amend the Council Tax Reduction scheme where evidence indicates any element of its impact or operation is unsatisfactory.

I can confirm that £24,500 will be made available for a welfare advice service facilitator in 2018-19.

As we design and develop our policy around cold-spell heating allowance we will give appropriate and proportionate consideration to winter weather conditions and to the recommendations of the Fuel Poverty Strategic Working Group and the Rural Task Force in ensuring that these new powers operate in the best interests of the people of Scotland.

The report 'Forecast Social Return on Investment Analysis on the Co-location of Advice Workers with Consensual Access to Individual Medical Records in Medical Practices' was published in 2017 and is available on the Improvement Service website.

http://www.improvementservice.org.uk/documents/money_advice/SROI-co-location-advice-workers.pdf

The Scottish Government do not have any plans for further reporting at this time.

As we design and develop our policy around cold-spell heating allowance, we will consider the most appropriate, accurate and cost-effective ways in which to ensure that weather forecasting and monitoring can support the targeting of the assistance to those in greatest need.

Carer’s Allowance Supplement is a temporary measure until the Scottish Government takes over full control of Carer’s Allowance. Payments of the supplement will be made by the Scottish social security agency. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will continue to pay Carer’s Allowance to carers in Scotland in the same way and at the same time as it is currently paid. This arrangement will be set out in an Agency Agreement and Service Level Agreement with the DWP.

Explanatory notes provided with the Social Security Bill at introduction outline plans for the end of the Carer’s Allowance Supplement as follows: ‘It is envisaged that the supplement will cease to be needed once regulations under section 11 have been made to provide a scheme for carer’s assistance, as that can provide for payments at the increased rate. Section 48 allows the Scottish Ministers to repeal the duty to pay the supplement and revoke any regulations made under it.’ (Paragraph 75)

The Scottish Government's position statement on the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) will be published by 30 April 2018.

On 25 October 2016 the Scottish Government published on its website a Memorandum of Understanding between the Scottish Government and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on joint working arrangements for the implementation of devolved powers. It sets out a framework for co-operation and collaboration, including the development of delivery options. Transaction costs for the Central Payment System were provided to the Scottish Government in confidence under the terms of this MOU.