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© 2026. The Purpl Co Limited. All rights reserved.
7 min read
Written by
Georgina, Founder of Purpl
Published on
April 10, 2025
In Scotland, the Adult Disability Payment (ADP) is a financial support system designed to help disabled people and people with disabilities or long-term health conditions in Scotland meet extra costs associated with their conditions. This guide will explain what ADP is, how it works, and how you can apply for it, so you can better understand your rights and access the support available to you.
If you are in England or Wales, you will need to claim PIP and can find out more about it in our Purpl Guide to PIP here.
If you live in Northern Ireland and wish to apply for PIP benefit, you will need to follow their process. Find out more information on how to apply for Personal Independence Payment in Northern Ireland.
Information correct as of 10th April 2025
The Adult Disability Payment (ADP) is a benefit available to disabled people in Scotland who have a disability or long-term health condition that affects their ability to carry out daily activities. This payment helps with the additional costs that can arise from a disability, such as mobility issues, personal care needs, or equipment required for daily living.
ADP is part of Scotland’s devolved social security system, meaning it is administered and managed by the Scottish Government. It replaced Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in Scotland in 2022.
ADP offers two types of support, you may qualify for one or both parts. The amount you get depends on how your condition affects your ability to do everyday activities and get around.
You may qualify for the daily living part if you need help with:
You may qualify for the mobility component of Adult Disability Payment if your ability to plan and follow journeys or move around is limited by a physical or mental health condition or disability.
Did you know that ADP is not means tested? You can work full time and earn a salary without it impacting your ADP disability benefit claim.
Georgina’s Top Disability Savings Tips
There are two components to the ADP payment, each with different rates. The rate you get will depend on how much your mobility is affected by your health condition or disability.
To work this out, Social Security Scotland will look at your ability to carry out the day-to-day activities using a points system:
If you’re terminally ill you’ll automatically get the enhanced daily living award.
To work this out, Social Security Scotland will look at your ability to carry out the mobility activities using a points system:
You can apply to lease an accessible vehicle if you get an enhanced award for the mobility part.
You may be eligible for one or both components, it will be dependent on your individual case.
To be eligible for the Adult Disability Payment (ADP), you must meet certain criteria:
You can use the eligibility checker for ADP here.
Applying for the Adult Disability Payment (ADP) is straightforward, and the process is designed to be as simple as possible for applicants. Here is how to apply for ADP in Purpl’s step-by-step guide:
You can apply:
If you’re a British Sign Language (BSL) user, you can use the contactSCOTLAND app to contact Social Security Scotland by video relay.
During the ADP application process, you may be asked to provide medical evidence to support your claim. Supporting information describes how your condition affects you and what support you need. Social Security Scotland uses supporting information to help them make a decision.
You can provide any information you think will be helpful, but supporting information can be copies of documents that you might have already, for example:
Supporting information can also be a statement from someone who knows you well and how your health problem or disability affects your daily life.
If you don’t have any supporting information, don’t delay returning ‘part 2’ of the application. Social Security Scotland might be able to help get supporting information if you ask them to.
Read more about supporting information on mygov.scot.
In some cases, you may be asked to attend an assessment or interview to discuss your condition and needs. This will help Social Security Scotland determine the level of support you are eligible for.
Once your application is submitted, Social Security Scotland will process it and send you a decision. This typically takes around 10-12 weeks. If you are eligible, you will receive your payments starting from the date your application was approved.
You can get help to apply from:
You can also get help to apply for Adult Disability Payment on mygov.scot, you can also use this if you require support because English is not your main language.
You can also fill in a form to authorise someone to speak to Social Security Scotland on your behalf. This might be helpful if you feel unable to find the information you need or understand things about your application.
You can download a third-party authorisation form on mygov.scot.
You can also get help from the Independent Advocacy Service. This service is provided by VoiceAbility.
You can get an advocate by:
VoiceAbility can help you express your views, get information you need and help you make decisions.
If you are terminally ill, you should apply for Adult Disability Payment straight away. It does not matter how long you’ve been ill for. During this stressful and difficult part of your life, ADP can help you and your family financially.
You can get the enhanced rate of both the daily living component and the mobility component.
To apply, you need to complete a short application form. Once you apply, your application will be fast-tracked and dealt with by specially trained staff.
Get advice and help to apply from an adviser at a Citizens Advice Scotland.
You can ask Social Security Scotland to look again at the decision about your Adult Disability Payment application. This is called asking for a re-determination. The appeal process allows you to challenge the decision, and you may be asked to provide more evidence or attend an independent assessment.
You can ask for a re-determination:
Social Security Scotland – Re-determinations
PO Box 10303
DUNDEE
DD1 9FY
Tel: 0800 182 2222 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm)
British Sign Language: contactSCOTLAND app by video relay
Website: www.mygov.scot
You have 42 days from the date you got a decision, to ask for a re-determination of Adult Disability Payment
Those people who are in receipt of ADP disability benefit will be eligible for other discounts and benefits to help reduce the cost of living with a disability.
Please browse through our other articles on Purpl Life that highlight the benefits for disabled people in the UK.
Some of these benefits include:
If you are a disabled person living in the UK, you could join the UK’s first and fasted growing disabled discount site! Don’t take our word for it! We have thousands of members saving money every week with Purpl!
Georgina is the founder of Purpl, a platform dedicated to helping disabled people save money through exclusive discounts. Living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and ADHD, she understands firsthand the financial challenges of living with a disability. Her mission is to work with brands to secure discounts that ease the cost of essential products, services, and everyday expenses for the disabled community.
She lives in Hampshire, UK, with her husband, son, three stepsons, two cats, and a friendly Labrador. A keen reader, Lego enthusiast, and family-focused person, Georgina is committed to building a supportive, inclusive community for those navigating life with a disability.
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