Adult Disability Payment (ADP) will replace Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for more than 305,000 people living in Scotland this year, having already opened to new applicants in Dundee City, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles in March as part of a pilot launch programme.
The next council areas to open for applications from new claimants will be in Angus, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire on June 20.
The Scottish Government has said Adult Disability Payment will bring many positive changes to people applying for disability assistance for the first time and those already receiving PIP or Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
One of the major changes that will affect thousands of people living with a long-term condition is the introduction of an “indefinite award”, the Scottish Government hopes this will alleviate the potential worry caused by the prospect of the length of a payment award, which under PIP guidelines, can be anywhere between three months and 10 years - often referred to as a “light touch” review.
A PIP award review involves the claimant having to complete the assessment process again in order to establish if there has been any change in their needs relating to their condition.
However, Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson, recently announced that people awarded the highest levels of Adult Disability Payment awards - enhanced rates for daily living and mobility components - will typically receive long-term support, through an indefinite award to ensure they do not need to go through an “unnecessary” review when it is “reasonably expected that their situation will not change”.
He explained: “The introduction of indefinite awards, as part of ADP, underlines our commitment to deliver on the principles of Scotland’s social security system to treat people with dignity, fairness and respect. In making this decision, we have engaged with a wide range of people with lived experience of the current system and will continue to listen as we design and build a social security system that works for disabled people.
“We want to ensure that people on the highest levels of Adult Disability Payment awards receive long-term and adequate support, because those with lifelong conditions, or disabilities resulting in needs highly unlikely to change, should not be subject to unnecessary reviews when it is reasonably expected that their situation will not change.
“Under the UK Government’s Personal Independence Payment, similar awards have generally been reviewed between every two to 10 years. However, disabled people tell us that even review periods of 10 years can create stress and anxiety.
“That is why we have decided to introduce indefinite awards - we are determined to do things differently and build a more compassionate system in Scotland.”
In the newly published Decision Making Guidance for Adult Disability Payment, more details are given about how the length of an award review date will be determined - although it’s worth noting this in draft format and may change ahead of the national rollout on August 29, 2022.
The document sets out guidelines for decision makers on how to select a suitable review date when processing a successful claim for the benefit.
It states that when making a determination of entitlement for Adult Disability Payment, a case manager may choose to do one of the following:
- Set a review date - based on when the individual’s circumstances are likely to have changed
- Not set a review date - as it is highly unlikely that the individual’s circumstances will change
The guidance states: “We expect that the majority of individuals who qualify for Adult Disability Payment will have an award review date.
“In most cases, it will be appropriate to set a review date because it is likely that the impact of the individual’s condition on their level of needs may change with time.”
However, the Scottish Government has committed to longer periods between award reviews for individuals whose condition is unlikely to change and the guidance adds that there should be “at least a minimum of five and a maximum of ten years between award reviews for these individuals”.
It adds: “Generally, review periods should be at least 24 months long. The overriding objective is to ensure that no individual is subject to unnecessary reviews for disability assistance.
“For individuals whose condition is broadly stable but may be subject to minor changes, a longer reviewed period of a minimum of five years and a maximum of ten years may be appropriate.”
The guidance then covers the ‘indefinite awards’ mentioned at the start of this article.
Why do awards need to be reviewed?
The main reason, and this applies to PIP too, is so that people are receiving the right amount of financial support to help them with their condition.
Six key factors which determine the award review date
The Scottish Government states the following factors are all relevant in setting an award review date:
- Age of the individual
- Level of award
- Whether there is likely to be an improvement or deterioration in the individual’s condition or the impact it has on the individual
- How long the individual has had their condition
- Whether the supporting information suggests further treatment or surgery is scheduled or likely in the future
- The anticipated progress of the underlying condition
However long the award given to new claimants is for, it is clear from the transparency of the decision making guidance that the focus will be on the health and wellbeing of the person receiving support and not paperwork.
You can read the full guidance on the key factors and more about the Adult Disability Payment on the Social Security website, here.
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