The Adult Disability Payment (ADP) benefit is currently replacing Personal Independence Payment (PIP) as part of a phased rollout, and is set to launch in North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and Angus on June 20.
New benefits claimants in Dundee, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles already apply for the new benefit, while it will be launched in Fife, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray, North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire in July.
As reported by the Daily Record, all existing PIP claimants in Scotland will be moved to ADP starting August 29.
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Social Security Scotland has stated that the process of transferring the over-305,000 claimants to the new benefit will be a "safe and secure process".
The Scottish Government recently unveiled new details regarding the transfer process from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to Social Security Scotland in the “Disability Assistance for Working Age People (Transitional Provisions and Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2022”.
This presented further information regarding pending award reviews, as well as the transfer process, and stated that after ADP launches nationwide on August 29, “individuals will, wherever possible, be transferred before they are required to undergo a DWP face-to-face assessment”.
In addition, the Scottish Government has launched a new individual consultation service that is intended to assist the decision-making process.
It stated: “This will be substantially different from the assessments used to determine entitlement to Personal Independence Payment by the Department for Work and Pensions.
“The Scottish Ministers have developed a safe and secure transfer process, which will require no action on behalf of the individual wherever possible.”
Additionally, the process has been created with the following case transfer principles in mind:
- No individual will be required to re-apply for their benefit
- After Adult Disability Payment is launched nationally individuals will, wherever possible, be transferred before they are required to undergo a DWP face-to-face assessment
- Individuals will continue to receive the right payment, at the right time
- Social Security Scotland will complete the case transfer process as soon as possible while ensuring it is safe and secure
You can read the full Impact Assessment on mygov.scot here.
Who will be eligible to make a claim for Adult Disability Payment?
The eligibility for ADP is similar to that of PIP, meaning to qualify you must be over 16 and under the State Pension age, have problems with day-to-day tasks or getting around outside your home — or both — and you must expect your condition to condition to persist for at least nine months.
If a person is terminally ill these qualifying periods do not apply.
How are claims assessed?
In making a decision about whether a claimant is entitled to ADP, Social Security Scotland will consider their account of their circumstances, as well as existing supporting documentation where possible.
There will be far less face-to-face assessment involved than with PIP, and will only be required in situations where there is no other practical way to reach a decision.
In addition, claimants will no be required to carry out tasks to demonstrate how their disability, long-term illness or mental health condition affects them as part of the application process.
Assessments will be audio-recorded to allow the assessor to focus on what the claimant is saying - people can choose to opt-out of this, but it may be useful if a decision is challenged.
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
The payment rates for ADP will be the same as those for PIP, and will rise in line with inflation every year.
Payment rates are weekly and paid every four weeks.
Daily Living part
- Standard rate: £61.85
- Enhanced rate: £92.40
Mobility part
- Standard rate: £24.45
- Enhanced rate: £64.50
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?
Those who receive the top rate of the ADP mobility component will be permitted to 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.
Clients who have an existing Motability lease will be able to retain their vehicle until the end of that lease.
