THE transfer of benefits to Scotland’s social security system from the UK Government has reached a major milestone.
Almost two-thirds (63%) of adults in Scotland who were previously getting the Personal Independence Payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are now receiving the Adult Disability Payment.
It marks a key stage in the project to devolve the disability and carer benefit awards of everyone in Scotland, which the Scottish Government says will allow them to benefit from a system “based on dignity, fairness and respect”.
The Adult Disability Payment was designed in partnership with disabled people to be better than the benefit it is replacing.
A significant improvement was ending the time-consuming and demanding re-assessments carried out by the DWP to decide if someone’s support should continue.
In Scotland these have been replaced with "light touch" reviews that ensure people are getting the right support without requiring them to provide unnecessary information or face a private sector assessment.
Sylvia Paton, who is registered blind, said she had been put through a “humiliating” experience in her assessment with DWP.
She said: “A lot of people have been put through an assessment process where it feels as though staff are trying to trip you up and implying you are lying about your disability.
“The DWP made me go for a medical assessment. We went into a room with a window facing the door and it was an instant white out for me.
“The lady said, ‘take a seat,’ but I couldn’t see one and she didn’t tell me where it was. It was just awful and humiliating. It was all about ticking boxes with no understanding of my medical condition.
All disability and carer benefits are expected to be transferred to Social Security Scotland by the end of 2025, with benefit awards for disabled children already fully transferred.
James Kyle, 41, delayed telling the DWP about his deteriorating eyesight due to his “traumatic” experiences with them.
On his benefits being transferred, he said: “There was a long form to complete but when I asked for help a gentleman went through the form with me on a video conference call. I couldn’t have asked for a better service and my payment was uprated.”
A recent survey found almost 90% of people who had their disability benefit moved to Social Security Scotland said they were informed about the process and the communication was clear.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This is an important milestone in the devolution of benefits to Scotland.
“People who received DWP benefits talked about the system being inhumane. They had experienced a system which did not get the decision right first time and which involved degrading assessments run by private providers.
“That worry is over for many now as we have moved the awards of hundreds of thousands of people to our new system, where they can benefit from its founding principles of dignity, fairness and respect.
“We are continuing to transfer the awards of disabled people from the DWP to our new system.”
The DWP has been approached for comment.
