New update for people claiming Adult Disability Payment or other devolved benefits this week

People making a new claim for certain devolved payments this week will be unable to make an online claim from Friday evening until Monday morning. Social Security Scotland has announced that online services for benefits including Adult and Child Disability Payment, Carer Support Payment or Scottish Child Payment will be unavailable from 6pm on April 19 until 8am on April 22.

An update on the Social Security Scotland website explains: “We are making some essential improvements to our IT systems which means some of our online services will be unavailable at certain times this week.”

People making a new claim for disability benefits can start the application and save their progress to resume later when the system is back up and running on Monday if it’s not completed before 6pm on Friday. Those applying for low-income benefits will be given the option to fill out a PDF application form that can be posted to Social Security Scotland.

Benefits affected by system downtime

Applications for the following benefits will be unavailable during this time:

• Adult Disability Payment

• Best Start Grants

• Best Start Foods

• Carer Support Payment - for residents of Dundee City, Perth and Kinross, and Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles)

• Child Disability Payment

• Funeral Support Payment

• Job Start Payment

• Scottish Child Payment

• Young Carer Grant

15 benefits and payments unique to Scotland

Below is everything you need to know about devolved benefits and payments with direct links to the dedicated pages on the Social Security Scotland website here.

The payment rates shown are the new ones for the 2024/25 financial year, these started on April 1, 2024.

Winter Heating Payment - £58.75 annual payment

The new annual payment replaces the Cold Weather Payment delivered by DWP last year and will be worth £58.75 during winter 2024/25.

It is designed to help people on a low income or benefits who might have extra heating needs during the winter - find out more here.

Child Winter Heating Payment - £251.50 annual payment

This is an annual payment will rise to £251.50 this year to help families of youngsters up to the age of 19 on the highest rate care component of disability benefits. This includes Disability Living Allowance for Children, Child or Adult Disability Payment and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - find out more here.

Scottish Child Payment - £26.70 weekly payment

This is a payment of £26.70 per week, per child - £106.80 every four weeks - to help towards the costs of looking after each child under 16 for families who get certain benefits - find out more here.

Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment

This is a one-off payment of up to £754.65 from 24 weeks in pregnancy up until a baby turns six months for families who get certain benefits - find out more here.

Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment

This is a one-off payment of £314.40 when a child is between two and three years and six months for families who get certain benefits - find out more here.

Best Start Grant School Age Payment

This is a one-off payment of £314.40 when a child would normally start primary one for families who get certain benefits - find out more here.

Best Start Foods

This is a pre-paid card from pregnancy up to when a child turns three for families on certain benefits to help buy healthy food - find out more here.

Funeral Support Payment

This is money towards the costs of a funeral at a difficult time like this for people on certain benefits who are responsible for paying for a funeral. The current average payout is £1,800 - find out more here.

Payment rates 2024/25:

• Higher rate: £1,257.75 (from ££1178.75)

• Lower rate: £153.50 (from ££143.85)

• Medical device removal rate: £25.35 (from £23.75)

Job Start Payment

This is a one-off payment for 16 to 24 year olds who have been on certain benefits for six months or more to help with the costs of starting a job - find out more here.

Payment rates:

• Higher rate: £503.10 (from £471.50)

• Standard rate: £314.45 (from £294.70)

Child Disability Payment - up to £737 every four weeks

This is extra money - up to the value of £737 every four weeks - to help with the costs of caring for a child with a disability or ill-health condition. It replaces Disability Living Allowance for children in Scotland that was previously delivered by the DWP - find out more here.

Adult Disability Payment - up to £737 every four weeks

This is extra money - up to the value of £737every four weeks - to help people who have a long-term illness or a disability that affects their everyday life. It replaces Personal Independence Payment people in Scotland previously delivered by the DWP - find out more here.

To find out more about any of the benefits or payments, or to apply visit Social Security Scotland online here or contact them on 0800 182 2222.

Young Carer Grant - £383.75 annual payment

This is an annual payment of £383.75 for people 16, 17 or 18 who care for people who get a disability benefit from the DWP for an average of 16 hours a week or more - find out more here.

Carer’s Allowance Supplement - £270 paid twice a year

This is an automatic payment of £288.60 made twice a year to people who get Carer’s Allowance through the DWP on certain dates each year - find out more here.

Carer Support Payment - £81.90 weekly payment

Carer Support Payment replaced new claims for Carer's Allowance from November 20, 2023 for people living in Dundee City, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles. Full details about the new benefit can be found here.

Pension Age Disability Payment - pilot launch due in Autumn

Pension Age Disability Payment will replace Attendance Allowance as part of a phased pilot launch from Autumn 2024 for new claimants, before rolling out nationwide in early 2025.

People living in Scotland will receive either £72.65 or £1018.55 each week - the same rate as Attendance Allowance.

Pension Age Disability Payment will support older people who have a disability that means they need assistance with looking after themselves, or supervision to keep them safe. Find out more about the new payment here.

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