On 5 October 2022, Scottish Government published further information on the Scottish in-care redress scheme relating to an August 2022 freedom of information request. This information reveals that, as at the end of August 2022, 1,167 applications to Scotland’s redress scheme were awaiting allocation of a named case worker however all applications are initially reviewed by a case worker within six weeks of submission. This initial review process identifies if further information is needed or if the applications are ready to proceed to allocation of a named case worker for verification checks before the applicant’s approval is sought for submission to Redress Scotland. 

As at the end of August 2022, 125 applications were at the stage between initial review and allocation of a named case worker. Scottish Government also confirmed that it does not hold information on how long applications are taking from start to finish. They advise, however, that this varies according to the complexity of the claim and the level of support that may be needed for survivors and other applicants to complete the application. Other factors that can impact on timescale include the time taken by organisations to verify relevant matters and whether any previous relevant payments have been made. Scottish Government concede that “for many applicants, the process is taking longer than they expected” but add that they have “reviewed our ways of working and introduced changes to improve the experience for survivors and applicants”. The specifics of these changes include “an increased focus on the case working team contacting, offering support, and progressing the applications for all applicants, with a view to allocating a named case worker when the application is largely complete and nearing the stage of being ready to send to Redress Scotland for consideration.” Scottish Government has also emphasised that “if a survivor has a terminal illness”, their application is “allocated immediately to a case worker” and that “priority is also given to those applicants over the age of 68.” 

To re-cap, the Scottish redress scheme is for payments on successful application and in return for a signed waiver to those who were abused as children (under 18) in relevant residential care settings before 1 December 2004. Successful applicants receive a redress payment of one of £10k, £20k, £40k, £60k, £80k or £100k. The £10k is a “fixed rate payment” which may be topped-up to any of the higher levels by an “individually assessed payment” taking account of the nature, severity, frequency and duration of the abuse and any other relevant matter. Next of kin of relevant deceased persons can apply for a redress payment of £10k, or a relevant share of that, where the person abused died on or after 1 December 2004. The waiver works to the benefit of Scottish Government and those organisations listed by them as having made a “fair and meaningful” contribution to the scheme.

On payments made to date by Redress Scotland, information is only presently publicly available for the period from its set up on 8 December 2021 to 17 June 2022. In this period, 17 fixed rate payments were made, totalling £170,000, and 32 individually assessed payments were made, totalling £2,020,430.21, hence an average individually assessed payment at £63,138.44 on this early and limited data.