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Social Security Scotland spends over £3 million on translation services

Social Security Scotland has spent over £3 million on translation and interpretation services in the past 4 years, according to figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives.

Between 2021/22 and 2024/25, Social Security Scotland spent £3,071,104.85 on services including interpreting phone calls and meetings, translating letters, and proof-reading documents.

Total costs have increased in every consecutive year, shooting up from just £103,373.06 in 2021/22 to a whopping £1,367,718.44 in 2024/25.

Some 90 languages were interpreted or translated including Albanian, Belarusian, Romany, Bengali, Farsi, Oromo, Turkish, Tamil, Swahili, Urdu, and Somali. This even includes languages like Dibo, which is spoken only by around 200,000 people across twenty villages in central Nigeria.  

Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Social Security Alexander Stewart criticised the “spiralling” figures and called for action to tackle the ballooning benefits bill.

Scottish Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Social Security Alexander Stewart MSP said: “While some translation costs are to be expected, these figures are clearly spiralling out of control.

“Consecutive increases every year are only adding to Scotland’s already ballooning benefits bill and action is needed to tackle it.

“The scale of spending on welfare is completely unsustainable but neither the SNP at Holyrood nor Labour at Westminster have the will to grasp the nettle.

“Only the Scottish Conservatives will crack down on these rising costs and will make work pay.”

NOTES:

 

Social Security Scotland has spent over £3 million on translation and interpretation services in the past 4 years. Between 2021/22 and 2024/25, Social Security Scotland spent £3,071,104.85 on services including interpreting phone calls and meetings, translating letters, and proof-reading documents. (Scottish Government FOI, 12 June 2025, available upon request)

Total costs have increased in every consecutive year, rising by 7% between 2023/24 and 2024/25. Total costs were £103,373.06 in 2021/22, £323,865.95 in 2022/23, £1,276,147.40 in 2023/24, and £1,367,718.44 in 2024/25. Between 2023/24 and 2024/25, the costs increased by 7%. (Scottish Government FOI, 12 June 2025, available upon request)

90 languages were interpreted or translated between 2021/22 and 2024/25. This included Albanian, Belarusian, Romany, Bengali, Farsi, Oromo, Turkish, Tamil, Swahili, Urdu, and Somali. This even includes languages like Dibo, which is spoken only by around 200,000 people across twenty villages in central Nigeria. (Scottish Government FOI, 12 June 2025, available upon request; Blench, 2013, link)