Rollout of Adult Disability Payment

People living in Angus, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire can now apply for Adult Disability Payment.

The new Scottish Government benefit replaces the UK Government’s Personal Independence Payment and provides financial support to people aged between 16 and state pension age, who are disabled, have a long-term health condition or have a terminal illness.

People already receiving Personal Independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance do not need to make an application for Adult Disability Payment. These existing awards will transfer automatically from the DWP to Social Security Scotland. Cases will transfer in stages starting from this summer and this process is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

Adult Disability Payment is being introduced in pilot areas ahead of opening nationwide on 29 August. It was successfully introduced in Perth, Dundee and the Western Isles in March and further council areas will be introduced in July.

Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said:

“We are taking a positive, responsible and compassionate approach to delivering disability benefits, centred around our principles of dignity, fairness and respect. Adult Disability Payment is the twelfth Scottish benefit to be introduced, and without doubt the most complex.

 “People can apply for Adult Disability Payment in the way that suits them best. As well as online and over the phone, local delivery staff can provide pre-application advice and encourage people to take up their entitlements. I encourage those who think they could be eligible to check and apply.

We would urge people who think that they may need additional support in applying, as well as with re‑determinations and appeals, to consider using VoiceAbility, an independent advocacy service that we are funding.

“Our approach to delivering disability benefits has been designed with people with lived experience of disability benefits, and we are taking a different approach to that of the UK Government. People will be treated with dignity and respect and we will start from a position of trust. There will be no private sector assessors and clients will be given greater choice to help them, including times and locations of meetings, with home visits available.”

Lorraine Van Beuge, Project Manager at North Lanarkshire Disability Forum (NLDF), said:

“NLDF are delighted to be involved in the launch of the Adult Disability Payment in North Lanarkshire, we encouraged our members to participate in the consultations last year and we are heartened to see some of the issues raised have been considered and implemented. We welcome the positive changes this devolved benefit may bring our members.”

Background

• more information on how the Adult Disability Payment will be delivered
• Phase Three of the Adult Disability Payment pilot will be introduced in Fife, City of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire from 25 July 2022.
• Over 300,000 people will be part of the case transfer from Personal Independence Payment to Adult Disability Payment.
• Around 39,000 people are currently in receipt of Working Age Disability Living Allowance. When Adult Disability Payment is nationwide at the end of August, where someone reports a relevant change, or their award is due to be renewed, or they request to transfer, their case will be transferred to Adult Disability Payment on a like-for-like basis. Their award will then be reviewed in line with the usual Adult Disability Payment rules after the transfer completes.
• A new definition of terminal illness has been introduced, removing the time requirement that a person must reasonably be expected to die within six months and instead using the clinical judgement of doctors and registered nurses involved in the individual’s care. We will make sure that people get the highest rate of payments as quickly as possible.
• The advocacy service provided by VoiceAbility is entirely independent of the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland. This can be accessed by contacting VoiceAbility directly for free on 0300 303 1660 or by visiting voiceability.org