The Social Security (Up-rating) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2026: Scottish Government response

Ed Pybus
Scottish Commission on Social Security
c/o Secretariat
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ

info@socialsecuritycommission.scot

28 January 2026

Dear Ed,

ANNUAL UP-RATING OF SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE

Thank you for your letters of 5 December 2025 and 19 January 2026 in accordance with section 97 of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 on the draft ‘The Social Security (Up-rating) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2026’.

I very much appreciate the Commission’s consideration of this instrument in the shortened timescales and your prompt response.

I note that the Commission is satisfied with the draft regulations and has made no recommendations. With regards to the most appropriate measure of inflation to use in the up-rating of social security assistance, we remain committed to carrying out a further multi-criteria decision analysis in due course.

Please accept my sincere thanks for your support for helping to ensure that the regulations could be laid in the Scottish Parliament with sufficient time for them to come into force from 1 April 2026.

Yours sincerely,

SHIRLEY-ANNE SOMERVILLE