Adult Disability Payment is now open to everyone over the age of 16 and under State Pension age with a disability, long-term illness or mental or physical health condition living in Scotland. The national rollout follows successful pilots in 13 local authority areas, which began in March.
It is the twelfth and most complex benefit to be delivered by the Scottish Government and replaces Personal Independence Payment (PIP), administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), for all new claims made in Scotland from August 29. It also promises no “DWP-style assessments or degrading functional examinations” as part of the application process.
The Scottish Government said that new claimants will only be invited to a consultation on occasions when more information is required in order to make a decision. Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson said this will be more of a “conversation” with a health and social care professional to gain better understanding of how their condition affects them.
