Policy paper

Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare Minutes 3 February 2026

Published 25 March 2026

1. 1. Attendees

• (Chair) Kirsty McNeill, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Scotland Office (PuSoSS)
• Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (CSSJ), Scottish Government
• Andrew Western, Parliamentary-Under Secretary of State (Minister for Transformation) at Department for Work and Pensions (MfT)

2. 2. Current priorities - Carer Support Payment and Case Transfer 

• CSSJ noted that pension-age winter heating payment has been delivered since the last meeting and thanked DWP for their collaboration.
• CSSJ said that Scottish Government (SG) has received correspondence from Stephen Timms on the Carers Allowance Overpayment Reassessment; further discussions are planned on Scottish awards once details are known.
• CSSJ added that Section 104 order work and consequential legislation for Carer Support Payment are progressing and that legislation is on track for March.
• CSSJ noted that the case transfer process is nearing conclusion with a very small number of challenges. Officials from both governments have resolved issues promptly.

• MfT agreed that work has progressed well and noted the challenges that a small number of cases are experiencing. 

• MfT agreed that both governments have collaborated effectively to limit impacts given the transfer size.

3. 3. Future delivery and Planning - Employment Injury Assistance / Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

• CSSJ noted that the steering group on Employment Injury Assistance has met 5 times and is developing recommendations on priorities and next steps for delivery.
• CSSJ said that the recommendations of the steering group will be considered by the next government. 
• MfT noted that it would be helpful to receive regular updates as this work progresses. 
• PuSoSS said that the Scotland Office were on hand to assist with Scotland Act Orders where needed. 

4. 4. Future of the JMWGW

• CSSJ noted that the group had been a useful vehicle during this programme of work and suggested that the group’s future arrangements should be revisited after the May elections. 
• CSSJ noted that the group is a separate collaborative forum from four‑nations meetings given its particular focus on discussing social security policy and implementation implications associated with the changes arising from Scotland Act 2016 specifically and that it would be useful to maintain direct contact between governments for this purpose.
• MfT agreed that the group had been useful and that the next meeting of the JMWGW was a good opportunity to revisit the group’s future and its terms of reference. 

5. 5. AOB 

• No issues raised.