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What we publish

Our publications are organised into classes of information within the following areas:

Who we are and what we do

Classes of information published in this area are:

Roles and responsibilities and Organisational structure – information showing the senior management structure for the core department, Social Security Agency and Child Maintenance and Enforcement Division
Information about legislation relevant to the department’s functions – information relating to the legislation relevant to Social Security, Child Support, Social Policy, Housing Policy and the Private Rented Sector
Organisations the department has responsibility for – links to the Executive and non–Executive Non Departmental Public Bodies for which the department has responsibility or oversight
Department Minister, Permanent Secretary, Chief Executive, management board members and senior executives – information about the identification, responsibilities and biographical details of the department’s Minister, senior civil servants in the department and those making strategic and operational decisions about the provision of the department’s services
Locations and contact details – information about the department’s offices showing contact details, maps and opening hours

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What we spend and how we spend it

Classes of information published in this area are:

Financial statements, budgets and variance reports – information about departmental budgets and how the department spends public money
Capital programme – details regarding major capital programmes within the department are reported in the annual DSD Resource Account Reports
Spending reviews – information about spending reviews and efficiency saving plans within the department. Information about spending reviews can also be found in the annual DSD Resource Account Reports
Financial audit reports – information about financial audits of the department. Audits are carried out by the Northern Ireland Audit Office
Staff and board members’ allowances and expenses – information about the expenses and allowances which can be claimed by staff and board members
Ministerial expenditure (Word 45KB) – information about Ministerial expenditure and allowances
Pay and grading structures – information regarding Northern Ireland Civil Service pay and staff grading within the Northern Ireland Civil Service
Procurement Procedures – information regarding procurement within the Northern Ireland Civil Service
Lists of contracts awarded and their value - the Investment Strategy Tracking website provides information regarding contracts relating to capital projects across Northern Ireland. The Central Procurement Division website provides information about contracts awards across the NICS on a monthly basis
Financial statements for projects and events - information regarding financial statements for projects and events can be found in the annual DSD Resource Account Reports
Internal financial regulations – internal financial guidance

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What are our priorities and how are we doing

Classes of information published in this area are:

Strategic plans – the strategic plans and policies of the department
Annual business plans – annual business plans for the department as a whole and the Social Security Agency
Annual reports – annual reports published across the department
Internal and external performance reviews – internal and external performance reviews, carried out by the Northern Ireland Audit Office
Inspection reports – the department has responsibility for inspections of Housing Associations
Impact assessments – information about impact assessments carried out in respect of departmental policies and plans
Service standards and Customer Charters – information about service standards and customer charters published by the Social Security Agency
Statistics produced in accordance with departmental requirements – statistics published in connection with housing and Social Security benefits
Public service agreements – information published concerning department’s Public Service agreements and the performance against agreements and targets

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How we make decisions

Classes of information published in this area are:

Major policy proposals and decisions and Background information for major policy proposals and decisions – strategy and policy documents from across the department’s business areas
Public consultations – information about current and archived public consultations
Minutes of senior–level meetings – minutes of Departmental and Agency Management Boards
Reports and papers provided for consideration at senior–level meetings – papers considered by the Departmental Management Board are indicated in the minutes with the prefix ‘DMB’ and maintained by the Corporate Services Unit. Papers considered by the Agency Management Board of the Social Security Agency are prefixed ‘AMB’ and maintained by the SSA Chief Executives Office.
Internal communications guidance, criteria used for decision making, internal instructions, manuals and guidelines
o Urban Regeneration
o Social Security Agency
o Child Maintenance & Enforcement Division
o Housing
o Voluntary & Community

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Our policies and procedures

Classes of information published in this area are:

Health and Safety reports (including the current risk assessments, accident reporting etc) – information about Health & Safety at Work within the department is published on the departmental intranet and maintained by Accommodation Services
Human Resource policies including equality and diversity , recruitment etc. – information about personnel policies, procedures and recruitment (maintained by the Department of Finance & Personnel on behalf of the NICS as a whole).
Procurement including tendering, contracts etc (PDF - 214KB) – Central Procurement Directorate , a directorate with the Department of Finance and Personnel develop procurement policies and procedures across the Northern Ireland public sector.
Internal guidelines, instructions and manuals
o Social Security Agency
o Child Maintenance & Enforcement Division
Customer service
o Social Security Agency
o Child Maintenance & Enforcement Division
o The Appeals Service
Charging regimes – The department makes no charge for information routinely published. However, please note that the department reserves the right to charge for the production of multiple copies of documents.

There may be a charge for some of these reports. Where a charge applies, this will be indicated in the relevant document.

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Lists and registers

Classes of information published in this area are:

Public registers
o Rent Register – compiled under the Private Tenancies (NI) Order 2006
o Government Funding Database – grants available from Government Departments
Asset registers – details of departmental assets (tangible fixed assets and assets held for resale) are contained in the annual DSD Resource Account Reports. Individual branches and business areas maintain detailed asset registers recording individual items of office machinery and information technology
Corporate level risk registers with mitigation information – corporate risk registers are maintained by the departments Corporate Planning, Governance and Housing Benefit Advice Unit and are considered on a monthly basis by the Departmental Management Board.
Disclosure Logs – lists of the FOI requests received by the Department for Social Development since 2009

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The services we offer

Classes of information published in this area are:

Advice and Guidance
o Social Security Agency
o Child Maintenance & Enforcement Division
o Urban Regeneration
o Housing
o Social Policy
o Voluntary & Community
o The Appeals Service
Transactional information – details of departmental transactions, particularly in the areas of housing and urban regeneration, are contained in the annual DSD Resource Account Reports
Media Releases
o Press Releases
o Public Notices
Leaflets and booklets
o Social Security Agency
o Child Maintenance & Enforcement Division
o The Appeals Service
o Urban Regeneration

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Freedom of Information

► What we publish

Requesting Information

Comment or Complaint

Equality Statement

Disclosure Log