Aberdeenshire roll-out of Adult Disability Payment welcomed by MSP Gillian Martin
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A NEW benefit, which will replace current disability grants, has been launched early in Aberdeenshire.
Adult Disability Payment has been rolled out in Aberdeenshire, ahead of the national launch on August 29.
By 2025, over 300,000 people will be moved to the Scottish Government benefit from current Personal Independence Payments and Disability Living Allowance schemes.
Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin has welcomed the news.
She said: “I am delighted the Adult Disability Payment has now been extended to Aberdeenshire.
“The Adult Disability Payment is an important financial support to provide security and help people live well
“I would encourage anyone in Aberdeenshire who could be eligible to please check and apply – it’s so important constituents get the support they’re entitled to, because social security is a shared investment to help build a fairer and better society together.”
Currently, Adult Disability Payment is available in 13 council areas ahead of the opening nationwide.
It is the twelfth and most complex benefit to be delivered by the Scottish Government and provides financial support to people aged between 16 and state pension age, who are disabled, have a long-term health condition or have a terminal illness.
People already receiving the UK Government’s Personal Independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance do not need to make an application for Adult Disability Payment.
These existing awards will transfer automatically from the DWP to Social Security Scotland.
Scottish Government Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said: "The Scottish Government is committed to treating people with dignity, fairness and respect and we start from a position of trust.
“Adult Disability Payment is an important financial support to provide security and help people live well.
“When people apply for our disability benefits, we are focused on making the right decisions first time to reduce the need for people to go through a redetermination or appeal.
"When Social Security Scotland is making a decision it will only need one formal piece of supporting information from a professional, such as a social care assessment, medical report or prescription list, and if required we will obtain that information for people.
"We will never use the private sector to carry out health assessment and there won’t be any degrading functional examinations such as asking a client to ‘touch their toes’.”
For more information about applying for Adult Disability Payment, if you are not already receiving disability benefits use the link.
