Adult Disability Payment has started to replace Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for new claimants in three pilot areas across Scotland.
The launch of the new benefit means that people of working age with a disability, long-term illness or physical or mental health condition, living in Dundee City, Perth and Kinross or the Western Isles can now apply for disability assistance to Social Security Scotland instead of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for PIP.
And new claimants could have an award decision made within 10 weeks of applying for the benefit - if Social Security Scotland receives your completed application and all the information they need to make a decision.
The guidelines state: “Social Security Scotland aim to make a decision in 8 to 10 weeks, after getting your completed application and all the information they need to make a decision.”
However, if you have a terminal illness, they aim to make a decision within seven working days.
Social Security Scotland is also warning first-time claimants that the processing time may take longer due to “high demand” for the new benefit.
It said: “As Adult Disability Payment is a new service, some processes may take longer. Processing applications can also take longer because of high demand.”
By comparison, the latest figures released by the DWP show that the end-to-end turnaround time for new PIP applications is 22 weeks.
And you won’t receive an Award Letter to tell you about the outcome, it’s been replaced by a “notice of determination”, which is essentially the same principle as the PIP Award Letter as it will tell you whether your claim was successful or not and how much you will be paid.
What the decision letter will tell you
If your application is successful, the letter will tell you:
- which parts of Adult Disability Payment you will get - daily living, mobility, or a combination of both
- how much you will get for each part
- If your application is not successful, the letter will tell you why
How are claims assessed?
Social Security Scotland uses a points scoring system across 12 activities for the daily living and mobility parts. Each activity has a list of options. These options are descriptions for different levels of need.
One of these options is chosen for each activity based on Social Security Scotland’s understanding of your needs. You then score the points that are linked to that description.
Your decision letter will include a list of the points awarded for each of the 12 activities, and explain why you were awarded these points.
Social Security Scotland have also created a handy tool which allows you check if you qualify for Adult Disability Payment - you can use it here.
You can find out more about Adult Disability Payment, or apply online here.
Adult Disability Payment rates
Adult Disability Payment is made up of two parts:
Daily living
Mobility
Whether you get one or both of these and how much depends on how severely your condition affects you.
You could be paid the following amounts per week depending on your circumstances:
Daily living
Standard rate: £60.00 (£61.85 from April 11)
Enhanced rate: £89.60 (£92.40 from April 11)
Mobility
Standard rate: £23.70 (£24.45 from April 11)
Enhanced rate: £62.55 (£64.50 from April 11)
Adult Disability Payment launch dates
A phased launch of the new support payment has been scheduled for all 32 Scottish council areas with nationwide rollout due to begin on August 29, 2022 for existing PIP claimants.
People living in the pilot areas aged between 16 and State Pension age can now make an application online, in person, over the phone or by post.
Adult Disability Payment rollout dates
- March 21 - Dundee City, Perth and Kinross or the Western Isles
- June 20 - Angus, North Lanarkshire or South Lanarkshire
- July 25 - Fife, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray, North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire or South Ayrshire
- August 29 - if you live elsewhere in Scotland
You do not need to apply for Adult Disability Payment if you already get PIP or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults from the DWP.
Social Security Scotland will move your benefit to Adult Disability Payment without you having to do anything.
Find out more about how your benefit is moving to Social Security Scotland here.
To keep up to date with the latest benefits news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook group here, follow Record Money on Twitter here, or subscribe to our twice weekly newsletter here.
