The new Adult Disability Payment (ADP) will begin to replace Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for approximately 305,000 Scots in 2022, with the benefit opening to new applicants in three Scottish council areas starting March 21.
The introduction of the devolved benefit means that, starting Monday, people of working age living in Dundee City, Perth and Kinross or the Western Isles council areas who have a disability or physical or mental health condition can apply for financial support.
As reported by the Daily Record, ADP will be administered through Social Security Scotland rather than the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
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The rollout of the new benefit will continue in a phased manner for council areas across Scotland throughout the upcoming months, before a nationwide launch on August 29.
Those who already receive PIP do not need to apply for ADP, as they will automatically be moved over to the benefit through Social Security Scotland.
According to the Scottish Government, this 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 the move.
Adult Disability Payment rollout dates
- March 21 - Dundee City, Perth and Kinross or the Western Isles
- June 20 - Angus, North Lanarkshire or South Lanarkshire
- July 25 - Fife, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray, North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire or South Ayrshire
- August 29 - if you live elsewhere in Scotland
New PIP data revealed by the DWP shows that there wee almost 3 million people in the UK receiving financial support in January for 547 disability, long-term illness or health conditions.
ADP will introduce many changes to how Scots apply for disability assistance for the first time, as well as those who already receive PIP or Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
One such change will be the scrapping of face-to-face assessments, which the Scottish Government clarifies in its online Adult Disability Payment Q&A factsheet.
It says: “We have replaced controversial private sector face to face assessments with compassionate consultations.
“A consultation will be a compassionate conversation between a client and a health and social care practitioner focused on the client’s needs.”
Another big change that will impact thousands of claimants who have a long-term health condition is the launch of an "indefinite award", which the Scottish Government intends to ease potential worries caused by the prospect of the length of a payment award, which under PIP guidelines, can be anywhere between three months and 10 years - often referred to as a “light touch” review.
In a PIP review, the claimant has to redo the assessment process in order to determine if there has been any changes in their needs.
However, Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson revealed that those who receive the highest level of ADP will receive long-term support via an indefinite award in order to make sure that they do not have to undergo an "unnecessary" review when it is “reasonably expected that their situation will not change”.
He said: “The introduction of indefinite awards, as part of ADP, underlines our commitment to deliver on the principles of Scotland’s social security system to treat people with dignity, fairness and respect.
"In making this decision, we have engaged with a wide range of people with lived experience of the current system and will continue to listen as we design and build a social security system that works for disabled people.
“We want to ensure that people on the highest levels of Adult Disability Payment awards receive long-term and adequate support, because those with lifelong conditions, or disabilities resulting in needs highly unlikely to change, should not be subject to unnecessary reviews when it is reasonably expected that their situation will not change."
He continued: “Under the UK Government’s Personal Independence Payment, similar awards have generally been reviewed between every two to 10 years. However, disabled people tell us that even review periods of 10 years can create stress and anxiety.
“That is why we have decided to introduce indefinite awards - we are determined to do things differently and build a more compassionate system in Scotland.”
In order to assist people in understanding how the new benefit will be different from PIP, a policy paper has been put up on mygov.scot.
It says: “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.”
Differences in disability benefit delivery
The document summaries how Social Security Scotland will administer the devolved benefit.
1. “We are ensuring that accessing Adult Disability Payment is as straightforward as possible and we will always start from a position of trust.”
2. “People will be able to choose how to apply, using a channel that meets their needs.”
3. “The application form will be straightforward and easy to use.”
4. “We are funding an independent advocacy service which will support people to access support.”
5. “There will be no DWP-style assessments and there won’t be any functional examinations.”
6. “Social Security Scotland will only need to collect one piece of formal supporting information when making a decision.”
7. “The onus will be on Social Security Scotland to collect information on people’s behalf.”
8. “We will place equal consideration on all sources of information, including clients’ family, carers and friends.”
9. “We will apply the eligibility criteria fairly and consistently to get more decisions right, first time.”
10. “We will take full account of people’s needs and of fluctuating conditions.”
11. “People challenging an Adult Disability Payment decision will be able to access Short Term Assistance when challenging a decision.”
12. “We will fast-track applications from people with a terminal illness.”
13. “Clinicians will use their judgement to determine whether a person is terminally ill, rather than using fixed periods of life expectancy.”
Additionally, there is a list of FAQs that is available here.
Current PIP payment rates
PIP consists of two separate components — the daily living component and the mobility component.
Whether a claimant gets one or both of these is dependent on how much their condition or disability affects them.
You could receive the following amounts per week depending on your circumstances:
Daily living
Standard rate - £60.00 (£61.85 from April 11)
Enhanced rate - £89.60 (£92.40 from April 11)
Mobility
Standard rate - £23.70 (£24.45 from April 11)
Enhanced rate - £62.55 (£64.50 from April 11)
The Scottish Government has also committed to undertaking an independent review of Adult Disability Payment within a year of its full introduction, to consider the eligibility criteria, gather feedback from people who have applied and collect data to inform any proposed changes.
Social Security Scotland has also been working with people with lived experience and relevant organisations to develop all aspects of the disability benefit application process to make it easy and inclusive for people to access support they are entitled to.
There are a number of ways to apply for the new benefit, these include:
- Online
- By post
- Over the phone
- Face-to-face
Social Security Scotland local delivery teams will also be available to provide assistance in all 32 local authority areas.
