Ongoing benefit changes

3 mins read

This advice applies across the UK.

Find out more about ongoing changes to the welfare system that may affect the financial situation of families with disabled children.

Universal Credit

Universal Credit replaces all new claims for means-tested benefits and tax credits for people of working age.

If you currently claim one of the legacy benefits Universal Credit is replacing, there are two ways in which you could be moved to Universal Credit: your circumstances change, or the government asks you to claim Universal Credit as part of the “managed migration” process.

The roll-out of managed migration started in May 2022. Read more about moving onto Universal Credit from legacy benefits.

We are concerned that many families with disabled children will be worse off on Universal Credit over time.

Changes in Scotland

Introduction of new devolved disability and carers benefits in Scotland

The Scottish Government is introducing a package of new disability and carers benefits in Scotland.

This includes:

• The introduction of a new Child Disability Payment to replace new claims for Disability Living Allowance (DLA). 
• The introduction of an Adult Disability Payment to replace new claims for Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
• The introduction of Pension Age Disability Assistance to replace new claims for Attendance Allowance.
• The introduction of Scottish Carer’s Assistance to replace new claims for Carer’s Allowance. 

Since 22 November 2021 onwards, Child Disability Payment has replaced new claims for DLA in Scotland. Children in Scotland already on DLA will automatically transfer onto Child Disability Payment without the need to make a claim. This will happen gradually between Winter 2021 and Spring 2023. The Scottish government has also confirmed that once transfers start, families who currently get DLA for a child will have no change in their payment rates or payment dates.

Adult Disability Payment has already replaced new claims for PIP in all parts of Scotland. From 13 June 2022, working-age adults in Scotland who already get PIP began to transfer onto Adult Disability Payment.

Initially the Adult Disability Payment will have very similiar rules to PIP. But the Scottish Government intends to carry out a full review of the benefit in the summer of 2023.

No dates are yet available for the introduction of pension age Disability Assistance or Scottish Carers Assistance.

When you’re claiming benefits

The benefit cap

Benefits at 16

Changes in circumstances

Revisions, appeals & complaints

Ongoing benefit changes

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