Scottish disability benefits to be rolled out in 2021

Scottish disability benefits are to be rolled out from next year, the Social Security Secretary has said.

Due to Covid-19, plans for the Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payment were put on hold in April.

The Scottish Government planned to have already started making child payments by now, with the adult benefit to start early next year.

However, in an announcement to parliament on Tuesday, Shirley-Anne Somerville said that a pilot of the child benefit will roll out next summer before the full programme begins in the autumn.

The adult benefit will be trialled in the spring of 2022 before going live across the country in the summer of that year, under the plans.

Ms Somerville told MSPs: “Whilst it remains a disappointment to me that the pandemic has led to this inevitable change in our programme, it has not, and does not stop the work we are doing.

“Members will have seen the set of policy papers we published recently on disability benefits, showing how the new service will look, from when people apply through to how decisions are taken and what support can be provided.

“Work has continued to ensure that we have respect, dignity and fairness built into how our disability benefits will look, feel and support people and I am grateful to our stakeholders and experience panel members for helping us make those values a reality.”

She added that she hoped to have Social Security Scotland in control of all benefits paid to Scots by 2025, in line with the timetable set out last year.