If you have a terminal illness

If you already get DLA under special rules

You do not need to do anything. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will continue to manage and pay your benefit.

Your benefit will automatically move to Scottish Adult DLA under Special Rules for Terminal Illness sometime before December 2025.

When your DLA starts moving, it will complete the move to Scottish Adult DLA as quickly as possible.  

Social Security Scotland will not review your Scottish Adult DLA, unless you ask them to.

Payments

Once your benefit move is complete, Social Security Scotland will continue to pay you at the same frequency as DWP.

When your Scottish Adult DLA starts, you’ll get the same rate of the mobility and care components that you got for DLA.

If you're newly diagnosed with a terminal illness before or during the move

You need to tell DWP as soon as you can. 

Ask your doctor or healthcare practitioner to send DWP a Benefits Assessment under Special Rules in Scotland (BASRiS) form. 

If they do not have a BASRiS form, DWP will still accept any one of the following:

• SR1 form
• DS1500 form
• a letter confirming that you have a terminal illness

If you already have one of these documents, you can send it to DWP yourself. Find out how to contact DWP’s Disability Service Centre.

DWP will review your award under their Special Rules for End of Life. If you’re awarded under DWP’s special rules, you’ll remain with DWP until your benefit moves. Your benefit will move sometime before December 2025.

If DWP do not award you under special rules

You may still be able to get Scottish Adult DLA under Social Security Scotland’s Special Rules for Terminal Illness. This is because the definition of terminal illness in Scotland is different to the rest of the UK. Find out more about what Social Security Scotland means by terminal illness.

If DWP do not award you under their special rules, your benefit will automatically start moving to Scottish Adult DLA. Your benefit will move to Scottish Adult DLA as quickly as possible. 

Social Security Scotland will then review your award under Scottish Special Rules for Terminal Illness. 

If you’re awarded under Scottish rules, Social Security Scotland will typically pay you from the date you became eligible. This will typically be a date in the past. This makes sure you get the full award amount that you’re entitled to, from the date you were entitled to it.

You’ll automatically get any additional payments you’re due. You do not need to do anything. Social Security Scotland will send you a letter detailing any additional payments you’re due and how much these will be.
 

If you're newly diagnosed with a terminal illness before or during the move

You need to tell DWP as soon as you can.

Ask your doctor or healthcare practitioner to send DWP a BASRiS form.

If they do not have a BASRiS form, DWP will still aceept any of the following:

• SR1 form
• DS1500 form
• a letter confirming that you have a  terminal illness

If you already have one of these documents, you can send it to DWP yourself. Find out how to contact DWP’s Disability Service Centre.  

DWP will start moving your award once they have one of these. Your benefit will move to Scottish Adult DLA as quickly as possible. 

Social Security Scotland will review your award under Scottish Special Rules for Terminal Illness.

If they award you under Special Rules for Terminal Illness, they will not review your Scottish Adult DLA again, unless you ask them to. 

Payments

Once your benefit move is complete, Social Security Scotland will pay you at the same frequency as DWP. 

If you’re awarded Scottish Adult DLA under Scottish rules, Social Security Scotland will typically pay you from the date you became eligible. This means you get the full award amount that you’re entitled to, from the date you were entitled to it.

The payment rates you’ll get for Scottish Adult DLA will depend on your age.

If you were under State Pension age on the date you were diagnosed with a terminal illness, you’ll automatically get the: 

• higher rate of the mobility component
• highest rate of the care component

If you were over State Pension age on the date you were diagnosed with a terminal illness, you’ll automatically get:

• the same rate of the mobility component that you got for DLA
• the highest rate of the care component 

Check if you’re over or under State Pension age on GOV.UK.

You’ll automatically get any additional payments you’re due. You do not need to do anything. Social Security Scotland will send you a letter detailing any additional payments you’re due and how much these will be.