If you live in Scotland and currently get Personal Independence Payment (PIP) from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), your award will move to a new benefit called Adult Disability Payment from the end of August this year.
The new benefit will be delivered by Social Security Scotland and opens to new claimants in three council areas on March 21 - Dundee City, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles.
It will have similar eligibility criteria to PIP, and also pays the same rates for the Daily Living and the Mobility component - currently between £23.70 and £152.15 each week. Payments will also be made every four weeks, so that amounts to between £94.80 and £608.60 each period.
Existing PIP claimants in Scotland - nearly 300,000 people - do not need to apply for the new benefit, they will be automatically transferred from DWP to Social Security Scotland once the phased rollouts have been completed.
However, it is important that you make sure two crucial pieces of information that the DWP holds on their system about you is correct as you will be contacted by letter or contacted by phone and if these details are wrong it could leave you in the dark about what’s happening with your transfer.
To make it a smooth transition from one disability payment to the other, make sure the DWP has you correct address and telephone number. This is a good month to check as the new award letters for the 2022/23 financial year are due and obviously, if you receive it, then they have the right address on file.
You may want to contact the PIP general enquiry line to check they have your correct telephone number - you can do this by calling 0800 121 4433.
DWP and Social Security Scotland will contact you before the transfer
DWP will send you a letter to let you know when:
- your benefit will move to Social Security Scotland
- your PIP award will end
Social Security Scotland will send you a letter to let you know what will happen during the move.
They will send you another letter when the move is complete to let you know when your Adult Disability Payment is going to start.
DWP will continue to make payments until Social Security Scotland starts to pay you - there will be no gap in your payments.
The guidance on mygov.scot states: “During the move, Social Security Scotland may need to call or write to you to confirm details like your address.”
DWP and Social Security Scotland will move your award
The guidance continues: “If you live in Scotland DWP and Social Security Scotland will move your award without you having to do anything.
“You will not need to apply for Adult Disability Payment.”
It’s also worth noting that Social Security Scotland will not reassess or review your award during the move.
It said: “If you were due a review with DWP, Social Security Scotland will review your award after you start getting Adult Disability Payment. This may affect your payment.”
Your Adult Disability Payment begins the day after your PIP finishes.
Who will move to Adult Disability Payment
You do not need to apply for Adult Disability Payment if you currently get either of these benefits:
- PIP
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults
Social Security Scotland will:
- move you without you having to do anything
- begin to move claimants to Adult Disability Payment from summer 2022
- send you a letter telling you what will happen when you transfer
To keep up to date with the changes to PIP and other benefits join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook group here, follow Record Money on Twitter here, or subscribe to our twice weekly newsletter here.
