Documents you'll need

What you need to do

Collect and store all your benefit-related paperwork in one place. It’s a good idea to do this before you move. You might need these documents when you apply to Social Security Scotland.

Warning

You may need supporting information to help process your benefit application and to avoid delays or disruption to payments.

Supporting information for disability benefits is information that:

  • confirms a person’s conditions, disability or needs
  • describes the impact the conditions or disability has on that person’s life

Supporting information for Carer Support Payment includes information that confirms a person's:

  • employment
  • earnings
  • expenses

This is usually copies of documents or letters you may already have at home.

When you apply for a benefit or report a change in circumstances, Social Security Scotland may ask you to send in some documents. This is to help them make a final decision or process your changes.

How to do it

Gather the following information or documents if you have them:

Example documents
What you'll need Example documents or information
Proof of your new address
  • a tenancy agreement
  • utility bill
Identification
  • National Insurance number
  • passport
  • driving licences for you and your family
Benefit correspondence
  • letters of award entitlement from your benefit provider
Medical records
  • any relevant medical reports
  • health assessments
Bank details for payments
  • bank statements

Find out more about the types of supporting information you’ll need.

If you need proof of a benefit application

You’ve the right to get a copy of any information the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or the Department for Communities (NI) holds about you. This is called the 'right of access'.

Find out how to:

If you’re over State Pension age getting PIP 

Whether a person can get the mobility component over State Pension age will depend on whether they were receiving it as part of PIP.

A copy of a person’s most recent DWP award will help confirm this.

Check your State Pension age on GOV.UK.

Sending your documents to Social Security Scotland

Once you’ve started your application, you can:

Uploading your documents is the fastest way to send them. It also helps Social Security Scotland to process your application more quickly.

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