Last year, the Scottish Government announced that 19 projects supporting people with neurological conditions were to benefit from a third round of funding. As part of a five-year neurological care and support action plan, innovative projects which harness new techniques and technology will be helped with £1million commissioned for work across Scotland.
The ongoing award is also continuing to support earlier projects as well as invest in new schemes. These include a collaborative bid from the Migraine Trust and NHS Grampian to work with community, primary and secondary care pharmacists to help people with migraines manage their symptoms and treatments more effectively - a full list of projects can be found here.
The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that there are now 3.25million people across Great Britain claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP), including more than 319,000 living in Scotland. Of that total, nearly 442,000 people are receiving financial support for a number of neurological conditions, including more than 42, 500 living in Scotland.
Number of people claiming PIP for neurological conditions
The breakdown of claimants includes:
- Scotland: 42,544
- England: 341,866
- Wales: 27,474
- Total: 441,887
Similarly, data from Social Security Scotland shows that by the end of January 2023, some 23,660 people across Scotland were receiving Adult Disability Payment (ADP). The new devolved benefit is replacing PIP and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for existing claimants aged under 65 on April 8, 2013.
The benefit replaced PIP for new claims at the end of August last year and is designed to help cover the extra costs for someone living with a disability, having a long-term health condition (physical or mental) or a terminal illness.
A successful claim for PIP or ADP is worth between £26.90 and £172.75 each week in additional financial support and as the benefit is paid every four weeks, this amounts to between £107.60 and £691.00 every payment period.
Neurological conditions supported through PIP, ADP and Attendance Allowance
This is the list of 70 neurological conditions being supported through PIP, ADP or Attendance Allowance. A claimant’s main disabling or medical condition is recorded during their assessment. The categories and groupings are based on DWP data. If your condition is not listed, it may be classed as 'unknown'.
Cerebrovascular disease
- Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
- Cerebrovascular disease - Other / type not known
- Transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs/mini stroke)
Epilepsy
- Cataplexy
- Generalised seizures (with status epilepticus in last 12 months)
- Generalised seizures (without status epilepticus in last 12 months)
- Narcolepsy
- Partial seizures (with status epilepticus in last 12 months)
- Partial seizures (without status epilepticus in last 12 months)
- Seizures - unclassified
Non epileptic disturbance of consciousness
- Disturbances of consciousness - Non-epileptic - Other / type not known
- Drop attacks
- Non epileptic Attack disorder (pseudoseizures)
- Stokes Adams attacks (cardiovascular syncope)
- Syncope - Other / type not known
Movement disorders
- Blepharospasm
- Essential tremor - benign
- Huntington's disease
- Movement disorders - Other / type not known
- Parkinson's disease
- Parkinson's syndrome / Parkinsonism
- Torticollis
- Tourette's syndrome
- Writer's cramp
Multiple sclerosis
Benign tumours
- Neurofibromatosis
- Tumours - benign - Other / type not known
Hydrocephalus
Headache
- Dizziness - cause not specified
- Headache - Other causes of / cause not known
- Migraine
Head injury
- Head injury - Cognitive and sensorimotor impairment
- Head injury - Cognitive impairment
- Head injury - Sensorimotor impairment
Spinal cord compression
- Paraplegia (traumatic)
- Spinal cord compression - Other causes of / cause not known
- Syringomyelia / Syringobulbia
- Tetraplegia (traumatic)
Degenerative neuronal diseases
- Degenerative neuronal diseases - Other / type not known
- Motor neurone disease
Cerebral palsy
- Cerebral palsy - Ataxic
- Cerebral palsy - Athetoid
- Cerebral palsy - Diplegic
- Cerebral palsy - Hemiplegic
- Cerebral palsy - Other / type not known
- Cerebral palsy - Quadriplegic
Spina bifida
Ataxia
- Ataxia - Friedrich's
- Ataxias - Other / type not known
Neuropathy
- Charcot Marie Tooth disease
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Guillain Barre syndrome
- Neuropathies - Other / type not known including peripheral
Peripheral nerve injury
- Brachial plexus
- Peripheral nerve injury - Other / type not known
Disease of muscle
- Dermatomyositis
- Dystrophia myotonica
- Muscle - Other diseases of / type not known
- Myasthenia gravis
- Polymyositis
Muscular dystrophy
- Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy
- Muscular dystrophy - Becker type
- Muscular dystrophy - Duchenne
- Muscular dystrophy - limb girdle
- Muscular dystrophy - Other / type not known
Infections
- Creutzfeldt - Jacob disease (CJD)
- Infections - Other
- Poliomyelitis and post polio syndrome
- Prion diseases - Other / type not known
Other neurological disorders
- Neurological disorders - Other / type not known
Below is a quick overview of PIP and ADP, to help you understand the eligibility criteria, claims process and payment rates.
What is PIP?
PIP is a benefit which is gradually replacing DLA. If you need extra help because of an illness, disability or mental health condition you could be eligible for PIP.
You will be assessed by a health professional to work out the level of help you can get and your rate will be reviewed to make sure you are getting the right support.
Who is eligible for PIP or ADP?
To be eligible for PIP or ADP, you must have a health condition or disability where you:
have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for 3 months
expect these difficulties to continue for at least 9 months
You usually need to have lived in the UK for at least two of the last three years and be in the country when you apply.
In addition to what we have outlined above if you get or need help with any of the following because of your condition, you should consider applying for PIP or ADP.
- preparing, cooking or eating food
- managing your medication
- washing, bathing or using the toilet
- dressing and undressing
- engaging and communicating with other people
- reading and understanding written information
- making decisions about money
- planning a journey or following a route
- moving around
There are different rules if you are terminally ill, you will find these on the GOV.UK website here.
DWP or Social Security Scotland will assess how difficult you find daily living and mobility tasks. For each task they will look at:
- whether you can do it safely
- how long it takes you
- how often your condition affects this activity
- whether you need help to do it, from a person or using extra equipment
How are PIP and ADP paid?
PIP and ADP are usually paid every four weeks unless you are terminally ill, in which case it is paid weekly. It will be paid directly into your bank, building society or credit union account. ADP is paid at the same rates as PIP.
What are the PIP and ADP payment rates?
You will need an assessment to work out the level of financial help you will receive and your rate will be regularly reviewed to make sure you are getting the right support.
PIP is made up of two components:
Daily living
Mobility
Whether you get one or both of these and how much depends on how severely your condition affects you.
You will be paid the following amounts per week depending on your circumstances:
Daily living
Standard rate: £68.10
Enhanced rate: £101.75
Mobility
Standard rate: £26.90
Enhanced rate: £71.00
How you are assessed
You will be assessed by an independent healthcare professional to help the DWP determine the level of financial support, if any, you need, for PIP.
Face-to-face consultations for health-related benefits are offered alongside video calls, telephone and paper-based assessments - it's important to be aware that there is no choice here, it's up to the health professional and DWP.
Adult Disability Payment assessments will not involve face-to-face assessments, unless this is preferred by the claimant - find out more about the changes here.
You can find out more about DWP PIP assessments here.
How do you make a claim for PIP?
You can make a new claim by contacting the DWP, you will find all the information you need to apply on the GOV.UK website here.
Before you call, you will need:
your contact details
your date of birth
your National Insurance number - this is on letters about tax, pensions and benefits
your bank or building society account number and sort code
your doctor or health worker’s name, address and telephone number
dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent abroad, in a care home or hospital
How to apply for Adult Disability Payment
People can apply ADP, over the phone, by post or in-person. To find out more or apply, visit the dedicated pages on mygov.scot here or call Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222.
To keep up to date with the latest disability benefits news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, follow us on Twitter @Record_Money, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out Monday to Friday - sign up here.
READ NEXT
PIP to stay non means-tested when it becomes the only health assessment for benefits
People on PIP may be able to backdate other benefits to the start of their award
DWP to introduce ‘Virtual Agent’ telephone system over next three years
DWP current call waiting times for PIP, DLA and Attendance Allowance phone lines
DWP announces plans to record all disability health assessments on new system
