Self Directed Support Scotland
Self Directed Support Scotland is a national Scottish membership organisation and Disabled People's Organisation that links government policy with local experience to improve Self-directed Support implementation, serving 93 member organisations, disabled people, PA employers, and Personal Assistants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersEdinburgh, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Self Directed Support Scotland does
Self Directed Support Scotland (SDSS) is a national membership organisation and Disabled People's Organisation, registered as a Scottish charity (SC039587) and company limited by guarantee (SC371469), headquartered in Edinburgh. It links national policy with local experience to improve the implementation of Self-directed Support (SDS) under the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013. SDSS serves 93 member organisations spanning Disabled People's Organisations, Independent SDS Support Organisations, Carers' Centres, advocacy services, peer support groups and other third-sector bodies, and indirectly serves disabled people who use SDS, Personal Assistant (PA) employers, Personal Assistants themselves, and social work professionals across Scotland.
SDSS's product surface includes online self-serve tools (Find Help search, Training Locator, PA Employer DocLaunch), free e-learning modules on the Learning Hub, the SDS Handbook and PA handbooks, original research (three cycles of the PA Workforce Survey, Connected Conversations, the 2026 Direct Payments report), the annual SDS National Voice conference, the SDS Forum online community, and a piloted AI-assisted web chat for 24/7 information and signposting. Its technology stack is built on third-party SaaS: Salesforce for contact and data management, Campaign Monitor for email, Hootsuite for social, Eventbrite for events, Xero/Co-operative Bank for finance, and Form Titan for site search — no proprietary platform, no public API, and no in-house AI model.
The business model is grant-and-membership: core funding comes from the Scottish Government, supplemented by tiered membership fees (£23-£175 per member per year based on member organisation income), SQA-recognised training delivery (Community Brokerage Award), event income, and project-specific grants. A 6-person staff team executes operations across policy influence, research, training, member services, and digital product. SDSS is a founder member and convener of the Personal Assistant Programme Board (established 2021), co-develops SDS Standards with Social Work Scotland, and partners with the Scottish Government and COSLA through the National SDS Collaboration to deliver the SDS Improvement Plan.
Self Directed Support Scotland firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Self Directed Support Scotland
- Legal name
- Self Directed Support Scotland
- Website
- https://sdsscotland.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Self Directed Support Scotland is a national Scottish membership organisation and Disabled People's Organisation that links government policy with local experience to improve Self-directed Support implementation, serving 93 member organisations, disabled people, PA employers, and Personal Assistants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Self Directed Support Scotland industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability Advocacy Services
- NAICS
- Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)
Keywords
Where Self Directed Support Scotland is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edinburgh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Self Directed Support Scotland business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership fees: Annual membership fees from member organisations based on income level tiers, ranging from £23 to £175 per year
- Government funding: Core funding from the Scottish Government to support the organization's mission of improving SDS implementation
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Highest income tier (over £1,000,000) |
| Subscription | Annual | High income tier (£500,000+) |
| Subscription | Annual | Upper-middle income tier (£300,000+) |
| Subscription | Annual | Middle income tier (£200,000+) |
| Subscription | Annual | Lower-middle income tier (£100,000+) |
| Subscription | Annual | Entry income tier (£50,000+) |
| Subscription | Annual | Lowest income tier (£0 - £49,999) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
Self Directed Support Scotland product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Self Directed Support Scotland is a membership organisation and Disabled People's Organisation that links national policy and local experience to improve the implementation of Self-directed Support (SDS) in Scotland. It provides tiered membership services to 93 member organisations, runs Scotland's only national SDS conference (SDS National Voice), convenes the Personal Assistant Programme Board, delivers practical online tools (Find Help, Training Locator, PA Employer DocLaunch Tool, Learning Hub e-learning, AI-assisted enquiry chat), and conducts research such as the annual PA Workforce Survey.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SDSS Membership Annual membership providing access to SDSS's collective policy voice, training, resources and networking for Scottish third-sector organisations supporting Self-directed Support. Tiered annual fees range from £23 to £175 based on organisational income.
- Find Help Search Tool Online self-service search tool that helps people find independent Self-directed Support organisations in their area across Scotland.
- Training Locator Online directory of local training providers for PA Employers and their Personal Assistants, listing only organisations that meet verified training standards.
- PA Employer DocLaunch Tool Self-service online tool that enables PA Employers to generate commonly used employment documents including role descriptions, draft contracts, learning plans and teaching plans.
- Learning Hub E-Learning Modules Free e-learning modules hosted on the Learning Hub platform covering topics such as Understanding the Value of a Personal Assistant and Healthy Working Relationships, designed for Personal Assistants and their employers.
- AI-Assisted Web Chat and Telephone Enquiry Service AI-powered text-based enquiry service that processes user questions about Self-directed Support and generates signposting responses based on SDSS-approved knowledge sources, with human oversight.
- PA Recruitment Toolkit Toolkit supporting PA Employers and supporting organisations with recruiting Personal Assistants, developed under the Personal Assistant Programme Board.
- Community Brokerage Award (SQA-Accredited Training) SQA-recognised training programme delivered by SDSS as an approved SQA Centre, with student results verified and recorded through SQA systems; graduates supported by the Approved Brokers Community of Practice.
- SDS National Voice Annual Conference Scotland's only national conference dedicated to Self-directed Support, held annually and bringing together leaders, practitioners, decision-makers and people with lived experience.
- PA Workforce Survey Annual research survey of Personal Assistants in Scotland capturing data on pay, recruitment, wellbeing and job satisfaction, with a publicly published report (third edition in 2025).
- Personal Assistant National Training Framework National framework published by SDSS providing a blueprint for improving access to training for PA Employers and Personal Assistants.
- Personal Assistant Programme Board Multi-stakeholder programme board convened by SDSS bringing together PAs, employers, the Scottish Government and stakeholders to drive systemic improvements for the Personal Assistant workforce in Scotland.
Quantifiable outcome
- 93 member organisations across Scotland
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Self Directed Support Scotland
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Self Directed Support Scotland technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
Self Directed Support Scotland partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Personal Assistant Programme BoardcoreSDSS is a founder member of the PA Programme Board, set up in 2021, which brings together PAs, employers, Scottish Government and stakeholders to improve recognition and support for Personal Assistants in Scotland. SDSS convenes meetings, chairs subgroups, leads on key actions, and produces quarterly newsletter.
- Disability Rights UKminorProud member organisation - Disability Rights UK is a charity working to disable people achieve rights and inclusion in society through campaigning, information and advocacy.
- Human Rights Consortium ScotlandminorProud member organisation - HRCS brings together disabled people, their representative organisations, and allies to promote and protect the human rights of disabled people in Scotland.
- Inclusion ScotlandminorProud member organisation - A strategic partner consortium of Disabled People's Organisations working to achieve equality for disabled people in Scotland.
- European Network on Independent Living (ENIL)minorProud member organisation - ENIL is a European network of disabled people representing those living independently in the community.
- My Job ScotlandcorePartnership to host a dedicated national page for Personal Assistant vacancies, developed as part of the PA Programme Board work. First national space for employers to advertise PA roles and for PAs to find local roles.
- Learning HubcorePlatform hosting free e-learning modules for PAs and their employers, including Understanding the Value of a Personal Assistant and Healthy Working Relationships modules developed by SDSS.
- Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA)minorSDSS is a recognised SQA Centre delivering the Community Brokerage Award, with student results verified and recorded through SQA systems.
- SalesforcecoreCustom Salesforce database used to manage and contain personal data, including subscription preferences and data retention management.
- Campaign MonitorcoreThird-party provider used to deliver monthly e-newsletters and member bulletins, gathering statistics around email opening and clicks.
- HootsuitecoreThird-party provider used to manage social media interactions on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
- Navigator Employment LawminorHR services provider for SDSS to resolve HR issues arising from employment or the employment process.
- IMPACT (Improving Adult Care Together)minorUniversity of Birmingham research centre that conducted wellbeing research on Personal Assistants in Scotland as part of the PA Programme Board work.
- Approved Brokers Community of Practice (ABC of P)minorCommunity of practice for successful Community Brokerage Award students, with SDSS sharing course results and engagement data to support their professional development.
- National SDS CollaborationcorePartnership supporting realisation of the SDS Improvement Plan in partnership with Scottish Government and COSLA, aligning grassroots insights from 'Connected Conversations' project with policy development.
- Social Work ScotlandcorePartnership in developing and publishing the Self-Directed Support Framework of Standards, promoting consistent high-quality practice across Scotland.
- COSLAcorePartnership through National SDS Collaboration supporting SDS Improvement Plan alongside Scottish Government.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Self Directed Support Scotland competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Enable Scotland: A leading Scottish charity for people with learning disabilities, providing support, campaigning, and member services. Enable operates across overlapping Scottish geographies and constituencies with SDSS, including SDS-related work.
- Independent Living Fund Scotland: ILF Scotland administers discretionary payments to disabled people to support independent living. Like SDSS, it is a national Scottish body embedded in the SDS ecosystem, serving overlapping disabled-people constituencies with direct-payment-related support.
- Disability Rights UK: A UK-wide charity campaigning for rights and inclusion of disabled people. SDSS is a member of Disability Rights UK, and the two share an advocacy and rights-based mission for disabled people, including around social care and independent living.
- Inclusion Scotland: A strategic consortium of Disabled People's Organisations working for equality for disabled people in Scotland. Inclusion Scotland is a member of SDSS and operates as a sibling DPO in policy and advocacy across overlapping Scottish constituencies.
- Scottish Care: The membership body for independent social care providers in Scotland. Scottish Care convenes providers in social care delivery, paralleling SDSS's convening role for Disabled People's Organisations and Independent Support Organisations across the SDS landscape.
- People First (Scotland): A Scottish DPO led by and for people with learning difficulties. It is a member of SDSS and operates in the same grassroots-to-policy advocacy space for disabled people in Scotland.
- ARC Scotland: Association for Real Change Scotland, supporting people with learning disabilities and other support needs. ARC Scotland works across Scottish social care and disability policy spaces with significant overlap to SDSS's membership and policy work.
- Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities: A UK charity focused on people with learning disabilities, their families, and the services that support them. It is comparable to SDSS in its focus on independent living, workforce, and policy influence for disabled people, though operating across the UK rather than only Scotland.
Broad incumbents
- Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO): Scotland's national membership body for the third sector. SCVO sits one layer above SDSS in terms of sector scope, but is comparable as a Scottish nonprofit membership organisation offering convening, training, and policy support to member charities.
- Sense: A large UK-wide disability charity supporting people with complex disabilities, including deafblindness. Sense operates a much broader portfolio than SDSS but serves overlapping disabled-people constituencies and engages in UK-level social care policy.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Self Directed Support Scotland social profiles
Digital presenceSelf Directed Support Scotland financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Self Directed Support Scotland leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Self Directed Support Scotland funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Self Directed Support Scotland M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Self Directed Support Scotland
What does Self Directed Support Scotland do?
Self Directed Support Scotland is a membership organisation and Disabled People's Organisation that links national policy and local experience to improve the implementation of Self-directed Support (SDS) in Scotland. It provides tiered membership services to 93 member organisations, runs Scotland's only national SDS conference (SDS National Voice), convenes the Personal Assistant Programme Board, delivers practical online tools (Find Help, Training Locator, PA Employer DocLaunch Tool, Learning Hub e-learning, AI-assisted enquiry chat), and conducts research such as the annual PA Workforce Survey.
Is Self Directed Support Scotland a public or private company?
Self Directed Support Scotland is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Self Directed Support Scotland founded?
Self Directed Support Scotland was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Self Directed Support Scotland based?
Self Directed Support Scotland is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Self Directed Support Scotland make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership fees are the primary driver. The others are government funding.
Who are Self Directed Support Scotland's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Enable Scotland, Independent Living Fund Scotland, Disability Rights UK, Inclusion Scotland, Scottish Care, People First (Scotland), ARC Scotland and Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities. Broad incumbents are Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and Sense.
Does Self Directed Support Scotland have an API?
No public API is recorded for Self Directed Support Scotland.
What industry is Self Directed Support Scotland in?
Self Directed Support Scotland's product category is Disability Advocacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAG, Disability Services & Independent Living Support, with a secondary code of BPAGALAM, Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech). Its NAICS code is 624120 and its SIC code is 8300.