In this article
What is Adult Disability Payment?
Adult Disability Payment is a disability benefit for disabled adults aged 16 and over in Scotland.
The Scottish government has introduced Adult Disability Payment to replace Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which applies in the rest of the UK.
Initially, Adult Disability Payment has very similar rules to PIP. But the Scottish Government intends to carry out a full review of the benefit.
Who can claim Adult Disability Payment and when?
New claimants
If your child is 16 or over and does not already get one of:
then they can make a new claim for Adult Disability Payment.
Adult Disability Payment has replaced new claims for PIP in Scotland. If your child doesn’t already receive one of the benefits above, they won’t be able to make a new claim for PIP (or DLA or Child Disability Payment). They will need to claim Adult Disability Payment instead.
Child Disability Payment claimants
Child Disability Payment is the main disability benefit for children in Scotland.
If your child gets Child Disability Payment, they will not be automatically transferred onto Adult Disability Payment. Instead, you or your child will have to make a claim for Adult Disability Payment at some point between their 16th and 18th birthday.
When your child is approaching the age of 16, Social Security Scotland will write to you asking if they need an appointee to manage their benefits. Social Security Scotland will also explain that they have the option of making a claim for Adult Disability Payment once they turn 16. They don’t have to do this. If they prefer, your son or daughter can choose to continue to get Child Disability Payment, and claim at a later date. They can claim Adult Disability Payment at any point while they are 16 or 17.
Avoiding a gap in payments
However, they should try and make sure they claim before they turn 18. This is so they can avoid any gap in their disability benefit payments.
So long as your child makes a full application for Adult Disability Payment before their 18th birthday, their existing Child Disability Benefit payments can continue temporarily until a decision has been made on their Adult Disability Payment claim. (A full application means they have completed and submitted both part one and part two of the claim form.)
However, if they have not submitted a full claim before they turn 18, their Child Disability Payment will stop on their 18th birthday. They can still claim Adult Disability Payment after they turn 18, but they won’t receive any Child Disability Payment while they are waiting for a decision.
If your child chooses to claim Adult Disability Payment before 18 but they are refused this benefit, they will continue to receive Child Disability Payment up until their 18th birthday. They can also re-apply for Adult Disability Payment at any time, despite the fact that their earlier claim was unsuccessful.
A note about these rules
The rules allowing Child Disability Payment to be paid until the age of 18 only applies to young people who were getting Child Disability Payment immediately before their 16th birthday.
If someone isn’t already getting Child Disability Payment by their 16th birthday, they can’t make a claim for Child Disability Payment after that date. They will need to claim Adult Disability Payment.
Existing PIP claimants
All existing PIP claimants in Scotland have now been transferred onto Adult Disability Payment.
Adult Disability Payment and Motability
Where a child moves from Child Disability Payment to Adult Disability Payment it’s possible that their award may change.
If your child previously got the higher rate mobility component of Child Disability Payment but doesn’t qualify for the enhanced rate of the mobility component under Adult Disability Payment, they will no longer be eligible for the Motability Scheme.
Motability Operations Ltd will be in touch to arrange for the vehicle to be returned. However, you may also be eligible for a package of transitional support, as long as you return the vehicle to the dealership in good condition and by the agreed date. The transitional support available depends on when your child first joined the scheme.
Joined before 2013
You have two options. You can either:
- Choose to keep the vehicle for eight weeks (starting from the day of your last mobility allowance payment) and receive a £2,000 transitional support payment. You must return your car within eight weeks, in a good condition.
- Choose to keep the vehicle for 26 weeks and receive a reduced transitional support payment of £500. You must return your car within 26 weeks, in a good condition.
Joined during 2013
You have two options. You can either:
- Choose to keep the vehicle for eight weeks and receive a £1,000 transitional support payment. You must return your car within eight weeks, in a good condition.
- Choose to keep the vehicle for 26 weeks and receive a reduced transitional support payment of £250. You must return your car within 26 weeks, in a good condition.
Joined since 1 January 2014
If you joined on or after 1 January 2014, you can choose to keep your vehicle for eight weeks and receive a standard £250 ‘Return to Dealer’ payment.
You must return your car within eight weeks, in a good condition. As well as one of the above transitional support package options, you have the option of buying the vehicle outright.
Related information
Parent guide: Adult Disability Payment – Scotland
Download now
Child Disability Payment
Child Disability Payment is the main benefit for disabled children in Scotland, paid by Social Security Scotland.
Read more
Carer Support Payment
Carer Support Payment is a new benefit the Scottish government is introducing to replace Carer’s Allowance in Scotland.
Read more