Plans for a social security support for adults in Scotland living with a long-term health condition or disability have been unveiled.

A new benefit – Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance – will seek to provide continued support to around 66,000 across Scotland under the new proposals.

Legislation will be laid in the Scottish parliament later this year and, if approved, the new benefit  is expected to launch in early 2025.

While not open to new applicants on launch, people who currently receive Disability Living Allowance through the UK government’s Department for Work and Pensions would be eligible for the new benefit.

Set to be delivered by Social Security Scotland, those who are already in receipt of the UK equivalent would have their award transferred automatically to the new Scottish benefit.

After this automatic transfer, they will then have the opportunity to apply for devolved Adult Disability Payment if they choose – which is open to new applicants.

The new Scottish benefit will be introduced on a ‘like-for-like’ basis, with benefit components, rates and review periods being upheld by Social Security Scotland, ensuring the transfer will be straightforward for those affected.

People in Scotland currently receiving Personal Independence Payments will continue to have their awards moved onto Adult Disability Payment.

In January, former third sector and disability social care leader, Edel Harris was appointed to chair an independent review of Adult Disability Payment to ensure it meets the needs of those entitled to it.

The Scottish government says its devolved benefits seek to instil a greater sense of dignity by “trusting what people tell us” in the process, but has been urged to scrap the ‘20m rule’ of the benefit, seen by charities as an unacceptable threshold for assessing mobility.

Now launching the new Adulty Disability Living Allowance, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville says it looks to ensure people have options during this transition period:

“I’m pleased that we can progress plans to bring forward legislation to create a Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance and give people the opportunity to remain on this benefit for as long as they are eligible.

“Once transferred, people can continue to be paid Scottish Adult Disability Allowance or apply for our flagship Adult Disability Payment if they prefer.

“Around 137,000 people are now receiving our Adult Disability Payment and it has provided almost £462m to disabled people since it was launched in 2022.”

The government says this will be introduced on a ‘like-for-like’ basis through Social Security Scotland to ensure the safe, straightforward transfer from Westminster to the Scottish government.

Last week, Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland revealed the lasting impact of long COVID, calling for long-term funding support and  benefit eligibility to be extended to Scots living with long COVID.

The Scottish government has not commented on any future expansion of eligibility of people living with long COVID for either this new allowance or Adult Disability Payment.

Information shared by Social Security Scotland shows that, of the 73 Adult Disability Payment applications processed with a history of COVID-19 as the primary condition, 81% were successful – although only 12% were decided without additional contact between an applicant or medical practitioner.

For now, this legislation is to create the ‘closed’ benefit – for existing recipients of the Disability Living Allowance that it will replace.

Read more: Profile: A social security practitioner; Employment support needed for Scotland's carers; New gallery showcases stories of care; Long COVID: Alone and forgotten; Benefit overlap 'penalising' older carers; New benefit launched for unpaid carers

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