Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment: consultation

Foreword

This consultation is being hosted on behalf of Edel Harris OBE in her role as Chair of the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment. The consultation is mainly meant for people with lived and living experience of accessing – or trying to access – Adult Disability Payment, although anyone can respond. A separate call for evidence that is mainly meant for organisations to respond to is also available.

I am pleased to have been asked by the Scottish Government to Chair the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment. The Scottish Government has asked me to consider how to ensure that Adult Disability Payment meets the needs of disabled people, terminally ill people, and people living with long term mental and physical health conditions, both now and in the future.

I want to hear directly from disabled people, terminally ill people, and people living with long term mental and physical health conditions as part of the Independent Review, about their experiences of Adult Disability Payment. I also want to hear from people and organisations who support people who currently or are likely to access Adult Disability Payment.

You may not identify as a disabled person. You might have a long-term health condition that affects your day-to-day life, but your experience is just as important to me. Gathering all your views will help me to make my recommendations to the Scottish Government.

I have already met with many people since I started working on the Independent Review and some of the questions in this consultation have come from those discussions.

I want to assure you that once the consultation is over, there will still be opportunities for you to take part. I want to make it as easy as possible for you to take part, whether that is through the consultation or attending an event. Events are planned both online and in-person.

I look forward to receiving your submissions and want to thank you for taking the time to respond to the consultation.

Edel Harris OBE

Chair of the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment