IT contract for Scotland’s social security system awarded to IBM

Jeane Freeman - Image credit: Scottish Government Flickr

The contract to build the first phase of Scotland’s new social security IT system has been awarded to IBM.

The two-year, £8.3m contract will support the establishment of two new Scottish Government benefits: the Best Start Grant and Funeral Expense Assistance.

These will be provided by Scotland’s new social security agency by summer 2019.

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Provision for delivering up to two more benefits is included in the IBM contract once the timeline for delivery is clear.

This is the first of a number of procurement exercises for digital services for the new social security powers that have been devolved to Scotland, with IT spend over the course of the programme estimated at £190m.

Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman said: “Transferring the newly devolved benefits to Scotland safely and securely is our number one priority and the award of this contract marks another major step in that work.

“Our new social security system will be the largest, most complex programme of change since devolution.

“From the very beginning of this process we have been clear that our social security system will be developed in partnership with people who have personal experience of the current benefits system and the IT system is no different.

“This new service will be directly shaped by the needs and views of the people who will use it, as will all of our Scottish social security system.”