Adult Disability Payment is a new benefit replacing Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for people living in Scotland and is scheduled to open for new applicants in Angus, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire on June 20.
The benefit opened in March to new claimants in Dundee, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles. The next stage of the phased rollout will be in July for people in Fife, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray, North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire - if you live anywhere else in Scotland, you can make a new claim from August 29.
The new disability payment will also start to replace PIP for more than 305,000 existing claimants from that date too, and Social Security Scotland have assured people it will be a “safe and secure transfer process”.
But what exactly does that mean?
Below is everything existing PIP claimants need to know about case transfers to the Adult Disability Payment.
Social Security Scotland guidance states that a case transfer is the process of moving someone’s existing benefit award from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) system to the new Scottish social security system.
Put simply, it means transferring responsibility for administering benefits that have been devolved to Social Security Scotland from the DWP.
How will the case transfer process work?
It’s important to understand that existing PIP claimants cannot ask for their benefit to be transferred.
PIP cases are selected for transfer when the client has a Scottish postcode as part of their PIP record and:
- The claimant reports a relevant change of circumstances to DWP that would require a face to face assessment after Adult Disability Payment national launch on August 29
- The claimant’s fixed-term award whose end of award date falls after Adult Disability Payment national launch where they have not already started the process of making an advance claim for PIP
- The claimant’s scheduled review with DWP is due to begin after the Adult Disability Payment national launch where the process for reviewing the case has not already started - for example, they have not yet received the review form from the DWP
This is called ‘natural transfer’, because a specific circumstance triggers the case’s selection for transfer.
Existing PIP claimants who do not fit into the natural transfer group will eventually be selected for transfer based on a set of prioritisation criteria “still to be agreed” - this is called ‘managed transfer’.
Example: Reported change of Circumstances to DWP
Social Security Scotland explains that John receives the standard rate of the daily living component and the enhanced rate of the mobility component of PIP.
John contacts the DWP and reports that his condition has deteriorated and his care needs have increased as a result.
John’s case is selected for transfer.
The transfer determination is made and the Adult Disability Payment award he receives is for the standard rate of the daily living component and the enhanced rate of the mobility component, just as his PIP award was. The reported change of circumstance is not taken into consideration in the transfer determination.
As soon as practicable after the transfer determination is made, a review determination is made.
This determination does include the changes John reported, and as a result his Adult Disability Payment award is increased to the enhanced rate of the daily living component and the enhanced rate of the mobility component.
John reported the change within two weeks of it occurring, therefore his Adult Disability Payment award is backdated to the day he first met the requirements of the enhanced daily living component - 13 weeks after his condition deteriorated.
The amount of Adult Disability Payment he receives for this period is decreased by the value of the PIP he was entitled to for any overlapping period.
Social Security Scotland is keen to reiterate that existing PIP claimants do not need to make a new application for the new benefit - unlike the 2.6 million people on legacy benefits migrating to Universal Credit by the end of 2024.
The DWP will pass the information used to determine the claimant’s PIP award to Social Security Scotland and this will form the basis for the individual’s Adult Disability Payment determination.
Once Social Security Scotland receives the transfer information from DWP, they will send a notification to the existing claimant about the case transfer.
This will explain:
- That their case has been selected for transfer from PIP to Adult Disability Payment
- A determination to begin entitlement of Adult Disability Payment and end PIP will be made within the period of specified time within the communication
- A determination will be made without the individual submitting an application
- The individual will be notified when the determination is made and information about their award and start date of Adult Disability Payment
- The individual’s PIP award will cease immediately before the award of Adult Disability Payment begins so there is no break in entitlement
- What their rights are to request a re-determination or appeal
The Adult Disability Payment determination
Where their case has transferred, an individual’s initial Adult Disability Payment determination - called a ‘transfer determination’.
This is based on:
- Information Social Security Scotland receives from DWP regarding the individual’s PIP award
- Any other relevant information available to Social Security Scotland at the time of the determination unless the individual has reported a change to DWP which has not been taken into account for PIP
Social Security Scotland guidance explains: “A case manager will not typically review the Personal Independence Payment information before the initial Adult Disability Payment determination is made. This is an automatic process.
“In most cases an individual will receive the same components at the same rates of Adult Disability Payment as they received in their Personal Independence Payment immediately before transfer when their initial Adult Disability Payment determination is made.”
Who will be eligible to make a new claim for Adult Disability Payment?
Who will be eligible to make a claim for Adult Disability Payment?
Eligibility rules are similar to 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
If a person is terminally ill these qualifying periods do not apply.
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.
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
Find out more about Adult Disability Payment, here.
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