Moving from Personal Independence Payment to Adult Disability Payment
Your benefit will move from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to Social Security Scotland if you:
- live in Scotland
- get Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
A new Scottish benefit called Adult Disability Payment is replacing PIP. This is happening as part of Scottish devolution.
Many people have had their benefit moved across already. This process started in summer 2022. Not everyone's benefit is moving at the same time. It's happening in phases. It will take until 2025 to move everyone's benefit across.
Your Adult Disability Payment will be the same amount as your PIP, unless you've notified DWP of a change in your health condition. You'll be paid on the same day. There will be no gap in your payments during the move from PIP to Adult Disability Payment.
You do not need to apply for Adult Disability Payment
DWP and Social Security Scotland will move your benefit for you.
Social Security Scotland will not reassess or review your award during the move.
When your benefit will move
Your benefit will start moving if either:
- you've reported a relevant change of condition to DWP
- your PIP award is due to be reviewed
- your PIP award is not scheduled to be reviewed and is due to end
If none of the above apply, DWP will select those furthest from their PIP review date to have their benefit moved first.
You’ll get a letter from DWP to tell you when they’ve started the process of moving your benefit.
Shortly after, you’ll get a letter from Social Security Scotland to tell you:
- your Adult Disability Payment award start date
- what happens during and after the move
- who to contact when, if you need to
How long the move will take
Once DWP and Social Security Scotland start to move your benefit, the process will take around 3 to 4 months (13 to 17 weeks) to complete.
Your move will happen faster, around 1 to 2 months (4 to 8 weeks), if you’ve reported a relevant change in your condition to DWP.
If you get PIP and live outside the United Kingdom
You'll need to ask DWP to have your benefit moved to Adult Disability Payment if you:
- live outside the United Kingdom
- have a genuine and sufficient link to Scotland
A genuine and sufficient link is where you do not live in Scotland, but have a link to Scotland. For example, you or a family member have spent a significant part of your life in Scotland.
If you need support from an independent advocate
You can get independent support, if you need it, as your benefit moves across to Social Security Scotland.
The Independent Advocacy Service is provided by VoiceAbility.
If you need an advocate, you should:
- contact Social Security Scotland
- ask them to refer you to VoiceAbility
Contact Social Security Scotland:
- call free on 0800 182 2222, 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
- webchat
- Text Relay Service on 18001 +0300 244 4000
- British Sign Language users can go to Contact Scotland BSL
You can also contact VoiceAbility direct:
- call 0300 303 1660, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
- go to VoiceAbility.org
- Email: SocialSecurityAdvocacy@voiceability.org
If you need information in other formats
You can call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222. Opening hours are 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
If you're a British Sign Language user, you can get in touch with a video call using the Contact Scotland BSL app.
For other options, go to How Social Security Scotland can help.
Find out what to do if you need help contacting Social Security Scotland, or are calling from abroad.
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