Starting this month, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will begin to be replaced in Scotland by the new Adult Disability Payment (ADP).
Applications for the new benefit will open on March 21 in three areas — Dundee City, Perth and Kinross or the Western Isles — with others following.
As reported by the Daily Record, the Scottish Parliament has now formally approved legislation for ADP.
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People of working age living in any of the three mentioned areas who have a disability or long-term physical or mental health condition should enquire about disability assistance through Social Security Scotland and not the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) starting March 21.
The new benefit will be launched in Scotland's remaining council areas in a phased manner, with a nationwide launch set to commence on August 29.
Those who already claim PIP through the DWP do not need to apply for ADP, as their awards will be moved automatically to the new system.
According to the Scottish Government, the transfer “will be done safely and securely so that people will still get the same amount of money, to the same account” with the date of their first payment confirmed in writing before they transfer.
What will be different between Adult Disability Payment and PIP?
Guidance from the Scottish Government states: “Treating people with dignity, fairness and respect will be at the heart of delivering Adult Disability Payment. It has been designed in partnership with people who will use it.
Their input has been crucial in designing an improved service.”
Removal of routine face-to-face assessments
People who claim ADP will not be required to undergo routine face-to-face assessments.
As stated by the Scottish Government: “People with experience of applying for disability benefits have told us that assessments carried out on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions can be stressful and anxiety inducing.
“Where we cannot make a decision on the available information, people may be invited to a consultation, which can be held virtually or in person. This will be a person-centred conversation with a health and social care practitioner employed by Social Security Scotland.
"Clients will be informed of everything that has been noted during the consultation and they will have a chance to review and respond to this. The consultation will also be audio recorded to ensure transparency and openness.”
Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said: “The unanimous passing of the regulations for Adult Disability Payment is a significant milestone for Scotland’s social security system.
"It means we can now take a very different approach to delivering disability benefits - in comparison to the current DWP system - and our focus is on providing a positive and compassionate experience for people applying for and receiving our new benefit.
“We know people have found applying for DWP disability benefits stressful in the past. That is why we have listened to their experiences and designed our new system to work for people, not against them. We are committed to doing things differently - we are ensuring that accessing Adult Disability Payment is as straightforward as possible and we will always start from a position of trust.”
He continued: “Importantly, we have abolished assessments in the form currently undertaken by the DWP.
“Instead, and only where required, we will hold consultations between the person and a Social Security Scotland health or social care practitioner. Our consultations will not involve functional examinations.”
The government also revealed that, to make sure it does not produce a two-tier system in the transfer process from the DWP, it will be “largely keeping the eligibility criteria for Adult Disability Payment the same [as PIP].”
Additionally, there will be a two-stage independent review of the new benefit, with Macpherson stating: “This review will begin later in the year, to consider what further changes and improvements could, and should, be made in the future".
More than 300,000 Scots are expected to be claiming PIP and around 40,000 people are expected to be claiming Disability Living Allowance (DLA) when applications for Adult Disability Payment open nationwide in August.
Who will be eligible to make a claim for the Adult Disability Payment?
The eligibility criteria for ADP is similar to that of PIP.
This benefit is for people who meet the following criteria:
You are aged between 16 to State Pension age
You have difficulties with daily living or getting around outside your home (or both)
You have had the physical or mental difficulty for at least 3 months and expect it to continue for at least 9 months
The qualifying periods are not applicable for people terminally ill.
How are claims assessed?
Decisions will be made by Social Security Scotland on the basis of applicants' account of their situation, as well as existing supporting information where possible.
Face-to-face assessments will only be carried out when it is the only feasible method of making a decision.
Claimants will no longer have to undergo tasks to demonstrate how their disability, long-term illness or mental health condition affects them as part of the application process.
Examples of supporting information
This will be used to help make a decision about your claim and will include:
a social care needs assessment
a report from a community psychiatric nurse
information from a carer
Payment rates for Adult Disability Payment
Social Security Scotland will provide the same rate of all forms of Disability Assistance as the current rate of the equivalent UK disability benefit (PIP) and will increase in line with inflation each year.
Based on 2021/2022 rates the weekly amounts of Adult Disability Payment are:
Daily living
Standard rate: £60.00
Enhanced rate : £89.60
Mobility
Standard rate : £23.70
Enhanced rate : £62.55
How often will my award be reviewed?
Unlike DWP payment awards which are reviewed regularly over a fixed-period of time, the ADP will be rolling, with no set end date.
Reviews will be ‘light touch’ and as non-intrusive as possible.
Will I still be able to swap all or part of my mobility payment for the Motability Scheme?
People who get the highest rate of the mobility component of ADP will be able to transfer either the whole or part of the money they get for the mobility component to access the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme.
This new Scottish scheme will provide a service similar to the current Motability scheme, with a range of cars, wheelchair accessible vehicles, scooters and powered wheelchairs on affordable leasing terms, with a range of adaptations at little or no cost.
Clients who have an existing Motability lease will be able to retain their vehicle until the end of that lease.
