Adult Disability Payment (ADP) has already replaced Personal Independence Payments (PIP) for new claimants, over 16 and under State Pension age, applying for financial support in Dundee, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles.
The next pilot areas to open for applications from new claimants will be in Angus, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire on June 20.
While eligibility criteria is similar to PIP, the disability benefit delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Social Security Scotland will administer ADP and has published its Decision Making Guidance which includes details on how people approaching State Pension age this year may still be able to make a claim for the new payment - even if they’ve never applied for PIP.
The phraseology to understand here is ‘Relevant Age’ in the ADP regulations this means pensionable age or aged 65 if this is higher than an individual’s State Pension age.
An individual’s State Pension age depends on when they were born:
- For those born before October 6, 1954 their State Pension Age is 65
- For those born between October 6, 1954 and March 5, 1961 their State Pension Age is 66
- For all individuals born after March 5, 1961 their State Pension Age is 67
New Applications for ADP
Social Security Scotland will treat an application for ADP as made on the day it is received.
However, if the individual is likely to meet all of the relevant criteria, including the age criteria within 13 weeks of the date the application is received, a case manager can choose an alternative date within these 13 weeks on which the application is treated as made.
This means that an individual can make an application for ADP before reaching the relevant age, but a determination may not be completed until after they reach the relevant age.
Social Security Scotland explains: “If the only reason not to make an award is that the individual has now reached the relevant age, age eligibility won’t apply in these circumstances and an award of either or both components can be made.”
It also provides an example to illustrate what could happen if an individual applies before reaching the relevant age but a determination is only made after the individual reaches that age.
Social Security Scotland said: “Margaret was born on 10 September 1956 and as a result the date in which she reached the relevant age was 10 September 2022.
“Margaret had a stroke on 1 August 2022 and due to the after effects caused by this, she applied for ADP for the first time on 1 September 2022.
“A determination was made on 25 September 2022 that found Margaret was entitled to the daily living component of ADP at the enhanced rate.”
It goes on to explain that while this determination was made after Margaret reached the relevant age, because she applied prior to this, she would be entitled to ADP, but her entitlement would begin 13 weeks following her stroke, on October 31, 2022 when she met the backwards test, and it was deemed her condition was likely to meet the forwards test as well.
To be eligible for PIP, you must have a health condition or disability where you:
- have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for 3 months (12 weeks)
- expect these difficulties to continue for at least 9 months (36 weeks)
Eligibility for new applications for individuals older than State Pension age
An individual who is over the relevant age is eligible to receive ADP of either the daily living or mobility component or both, if they were already in receipt of a previous award on the day before they reached the relevant age (State Pension age).
If a new application for ADP is received after a person has reached the relevant age, then they may still be able to claim if they have had a previous award which ended no more than a year before the day their new application is made.
However, Social Security Scotland advisies: “Entitlement under a new application in these circumstances has to result because of the same physical/mental condition(s) that the previous award made, or a new physical/mental condition(s) which developed because of the condition(s) that the previous award made.”
More examples of different types of claiming scenarios can be found here.
ADP rollout dates
More than 305,000 existing PIP claimants, including nearly 51,000 in the three council areas set to open in a few weeks, will start to move from the DWP system to Social Security Scotland from August 29.
Existing PIP and DLA claimants do not need to apply for the new benefit and will be contacted by Social Security Scotland when their case is due to transfer from DWP to the devolved system.
Adult Disability Payment launch dates:
- Open now: Dundee, Perth and Kinross, the Western Isles
- June 20: Angus, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire
- July 25: Fife, North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, Moray, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire
- August 29: If you live anywhere else in Scotland
Adult Disability Payment rates
Payment rates for ADP are the same as PIP.
If you are awarded the daily living part you will be paid:
- £61.85 each week - for a standard award
- £92.40 each week - for an enhanced award
If you are awarded the mobility part you will be paid:
- £24.45 a week - for a standard award
- £64.50 a week - for an enhanced award
If you get an enhanced award for the mobility part, you can apply to lease an accessible vehicle - find out more here.
If you are terminally ill you will automatically get the enhanced daily living award.
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