Social Security Scotland Feedback: Complaints
type: Dataset
conforms to: http://mlcommons.org/croissant/1.0
contact point: ContactPoint
date modified: 2026-08-13T16:17:21.646615
date published: 2026-08-13T16:16:17.060865
description: Feedback statistics covering the number of complaints received by Social Security Scotland from 4 September 2018 to 30 September 2022. Figures are broken down by financial year. Carer's Allowance Supplement was launched in September 2018, followed by Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment (December 2018), Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment (April 2019), Best Start Grant School Age Payment (June 2019), Best Start Foods (August 2019), Funeral Support Payment (September 2019), Young Carer Grant (October 2019), Job Start Payment (August 2020), Child Winter Heating Assistance (November 2020), Scottish Child Payment (November 2020), Child Disability Payment (pilot July 2021, national November 2021) and Adult Disability Payment (pilot March 2022). Data on [complaint outcomes](http://statistics.gov.scot/data/social-security-scotland-feedback-complaint-outcomes), [compliments](http://statistics.gov.scot/data/social-security-scotland-feedback-compliments) and [suggestions](http://statistics.gov.scot/data/social-security-scotland-feedback-suggestions) are also available in separate datasets. The full publication and tables covering complaints, compliments and suggestions are available on the [Scottish Government website](https://www.gov.scot/collections/social-security-scotland-stats-publications/#socialsecurityscotlandfeedbackstatistics).
accuracy: -Rounding and disclosure control Feedback numbers have been rounded to the nearest five for disclosure control. Figures may not sum due to rounding. -Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints For complaint benefit and reason, we have used the first recorded benefit or reason with a complaint. For complaint outcomes, if an application had both a stage 1 and stage 2 complaint outcome, we have counted this as two separate outcomes - a complaint that progressed from stage 1 to stage 2 will have two outcomes. Complaints that went straight to stage 2 are included in total complaints and stage 2 complaints figures, and used to calculate the percentage of complaints reaching stage 2. -Comparison to clerical data Data from the case management system has been compared to clerical records. Discrepancies have been investigated with the Client Experience team, and errors in case management system data have been manually fixed to match the clerical record where necessary. Discrepancies included: -A small number of items of feedback received had a date before September 2018, or had the date of feedback being recorded rather than date received. There were also errors in date feedback was received and decisions were made on the case management system due to migration of feedback information onto the case management system during the first months following the launch of Carer's Allowance Supplement. Dates have been amended back to the original dates received and decided with reference to the clerical records. -Some feedback had discrepancies in channel, reason or outcome between the case management system and clerical records. Each of these cases have been investigated with the Client Experience team and corrected. -Some feedback on the case management system is recorded as being not benefit specific. While this is true in some cases, in others this occurs where benefit information is missing. Missing benefit information has been completed with reference to clerical records. -In a small number …
comment: Feedback statistics covering complaints received by Social Security Scotland.
completeness: Complaints fall under the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) and their complaints handling procedure. This sets out a 2 stage internal complaints process. Frontline resolution - stage 1, allows 5 working days to respond to the client's complaint. Where a client remains unhappy with this response they can proceed to investigation - stage 2, which allows 20 working days to investigate and provide a response. If the client still remains unhappy then they can choose to take their complaint to the SPSO. A small number of complaints went straight to investigation - stage 2. Not all complaints are suitable for frontline resolution and not all complaints will be satisfactorily resolved at that stage. Complaints handled at the investigation stage of the complaints handling procedure are typically complex or require a detailed examination. Examples of this include: -the client/appointee refuses to take part in frontline resolution -the issues raised are complex and require detailed investigation -the complaint relates to serious, high-risk or high-profile issues The majority of Stage 2 complaints were initially received at stage 1 and later progressed to stage 2. Complaint reasons are categorised by Social Security Scotland staff based on the information received from clients. Complaint reasons were amended from 12 March 2021 to better reflect types of complaints received and provide more focussed data to inform improvement activity. Complaints received prior to 12 March 2021 have been mapped to new categories as set out in the main publication. 'Client expectation not met - Information provided' is a new category that does not map onto previous complaint reasons.
confidentiality: This data contains no sensitive, personal information.
consistency: -Comparisons with DWP complaints statistics The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has a different complaints process to Social Security Scotland, and as such, DWP complaints statistics are not directly comparable to these statistics. Further information about complaints at DWP and links to their latest statistics are available on the [DWP website](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/complaints-about-the-department-for-work-and-pensions).
geographical coverage: S92
license id: uk-ogl
next update: 2023-07-01
quality management: The data used to produce the figures has been checked on a case by case basis with clerical records used for internal reporting within Social Security Scotland, and discrepancies investigated. Additional quality assurance and cleaning has been carried out on specific variables: -The dataset has been checked for duplicate records based on Case ID number. -Variables have been checked for missing information. -Feedback received dates and decisions dates have been checked to see whether they fall within expected ranges (e.g. after September 2018) and are consistent with those produced by clerical records. -Feedback channels, reasons, benefits and outcomes have been checked for consistency with those produced by clerical records. -For complaints, the benefit that a complaint refers to and reason for the complaint have been checked for consistency between Stage 1 and Stage 2. Once the data is aggregated and copied into the publication and supporting Excel tables, the final statistics are quality assured by a different member of the statistics team. The final documents are checked by the lead statistician.
reference period: PeriodOfTime
  end date: 2023
  start date: 2018
timeliness: Datasets will be updated on statistics.gov.scot within one month of the date of the publication. The publications are available on the [Scottish Government website](https://www.gov.scot/collections/social-security-scotland-stats-publications/#socialsecurityscotlandfeedbackstatistics/).
uniqueness: Not assessed
update frequency: annual
validity: Not assessed
will be updated: true
included in data catalog: CKAN
keywords: Economic Activity, Benefits and Tax Credits
license: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/
record set: records

Scottish Government
type: Organization
contact point: ContactPoint
  contact type: customer service

Benefit Type
type: Field
data type: Text
source:
  extract:
    column: Benefit Type

social-security-scotland-feedback-complaints.csv
type: FileObject
description: Data file for Social Security Scotland Feedback: Complaints
comment: Feedback statistics covering complaints received by Social Security Scotland.
dictionary: Column
  column: Stage Of Complaints Process
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: Channel
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: GeographyCode
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: Reason
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: Value
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: Benefit Type
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: GeographyType
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: Measurement
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: Units
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: GeographyName
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: DateCode
  type: text
encoding format: CSV

GeographyType
type: Field
data type: Text
source:
  extract:
    column: GeographyType

Stage Of Complaints Process
type: Field
data type: Text
source:
  extract:
    column: Stage Of Complaints Process

GeographyCode
type: Field
data type: Text
source:
  extract:
    column: GeographyCode

Channel
type: Field
data type: Text
source:
  extract:
    column: Channel

Units
type: Field
data type: Text
source:
  extract:
    column: Units

GeographyName
type: Field
data type: Text
source:
  extract:
    column: GeographyName

Value
type: Field
data type: Text
source:
  extract:
    column: Value

Measurement
type: Field
data type: Text
source:
  extract:
    column: Measurement

Reason
type: Field
data type: Text
source:
  extract:
    column: Reason

DateCode
type: Field
data type: Text
source:
  extract:
    column: DateCode