The Scottish Government will take over the delivery of certain disability benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over the next few years starting with the new Child Disability Payment on Monday, November 22 after a successful trial period during the summer.
The benefit replaces Disability Living Allowance Child (DLA Child) and will provide additional financial support to children and young people across Scotland with disabilities, as well as their families, to help with the additional costs they incur as a result of having a long-term illness or health condition.
Families currently receiving DLA Child payments from the DWP will start to be transferred to the new Scottish system this autumn.
This benefit roll-out will be followed by the introduction of the Adult Disability Payment, which is replacing Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and will be piloted from spring 2022 before becoming available across Scotland by summer 2022.
Scottish claimants who currently receive UK Government disability benefits, delivered by the DWP, will be transferred to the new devolved system in stages after the new benefits are introduced. Full transfer of benefits from the DWP is expected to be completed by 2025.
Once Adult Disability Payment has been rolled out, anyone on PIP or Working Age Disability Living Allowance (DLA) who reports a change in condition, circumstances, has an upcoming review date, or is about to reach the end of their DWP award period, will transfer to Social Security Scotland so that they do not have to undergo a DWP-administered face-to-face assessment.
Social Security Scotland is implementing several notable changes to the current disability benefit application process and making it simpler and easier to use for everyone.
In a recent update to the Social Security Scotland benefit take-up strategy, the Scottish Government said: “Our aim is to make the application form simple and self-explanatory so that people find it straightforward to fill in. However clients will also be able to access additional support through telephone or webchat as they fill in the application form.
“In addition, clients who need further assistance or would prefer face-to-face support to apply will be able to access our new Social Security Scotland Local Delivery service.”
Social Security Scotland will have staff in co-located sites across the country from rural to urban to islands settings.
These staff will be mobile and flexible, so that they can support claimants in places most convenient to them - including their own homes, venues in their local community, hospitals, care homes and prisons.
Once Social Security Scotland is fully operational there will be at least 400 local delivery staff across Scotland.
Social Security Scotland's Local Delivery staff will provide people with one-to-one support and help them understand what devolved benefits they may be entitled to.
To ensure that services are fully accessible and that claimants’ needs are met, they have developed an Accessibility toolkit.
This will provide Local Delivery teams with a tool which enables them to assess where they could meet applicants, against agreed physical accessibility criteria ranging from colour and light levels to access to public transport, in order to make the experience as comfortable as possible and to ensure as many people access the support they are entitled to as possible.
Making an application
Social Security Scotland said: “We are making the application process as simple and easy as possible to encourage and support people to apply for the payments they are entitled to.
“The application process for disability assistance will be inclusive, accessible, provided in a range of formats and available through a range of routes (online, phone, post and in-person).
“We are making a number of improvements to the application form to include clear guidance on how the eligibility criteria is applied. This will ensure a client is supported in providing relevant information with in-person support available.”
Supporting Information
Supporting information includes sources of information provided by a claimant’s wider support network in support of the client's application.
Social Security Scotland said: “The client can provide us with supporting information from a professional themselves or if required can ask us for support in requesting it from public health providers, local authorities and relevant organisations within the third sector.
“Only one piece of formal supporting information to support the general care and mobility needs described on an application will be required and equal consideration will be given to all sources of information, including from a client's informal support network.”
Consultations
During an application to Adult Disability Payment, which will replace PIP, a claimant will only be invited to participate in a consultation where it is necessary in order to make a determination of the individual's entitlement.
Social Security Scotland said: “Unlike DWP assessments, a consultation will take place in a way that is convenient to the individual. Consultations will not be a standard duration, they will be tailored to the individual's circumstance.
“Clients will therefore not be asked unnecessary or repeated questions nor will they be rushed in giving an account of how completing an activity makes them feel. Social Security Scotland practitioners will take the time necessary to fully understand the impacts of a disability and/ or health condition on the client.
“Functional examinations will not be carried out as part of a consultation. We believe such examinations do not treat people with dignity, fairness and respect and do not result in accurate and consistent decision making.”
Advocacy service
The Scottish Government is also investing £20.4 million over the next four years in the provision of an independent advocacy service.
The new service will launch in January, and will support disabled people to have their voice heard, express their views, and feel understood.
The service will be available to anyone who identifies as having a disability and requires additional support to communicate.
Advocacy support will be available throughout the whole of the process for seeking support. This will be from the point of application, through any request for redetermination and through to appeals.
Advocacy workers would also be able to provide support at assessments if requested by the claimant.
Timetable for roll-out of new Scottish disability benefits
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Child Disability Payment will replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and is due for a full roll-out from November 22, 2021
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Adult Disability Payment will replace Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and is due for full roll-out by summer 2022 after a pilot scheme in the spring
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Pension Age Disability Payment will replace Attendance Allowance and a roll-out date has still to be confirmed
For now, disability benefits will continue to be delivered by the DWP.
If you need to make a claim for additional financial support due to a disability, long-term illness or mental health condition, apply for PIP, DLA or Attendance Allowance through the DWP website here.
Find out more about all the new Disability Assistance being delivered by Social Security Scotland website here.
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