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Page 23 of the consultation on Disability Assistance sets out our intended approach to the decision making process for children, young people and older people. Policy development regarding face-to-face assessments for children, young people and older people will be informed by consultation responses.

The consultation can be found at:

The Disability Assistance consultation sets out the Scottish Government’s proposed policy approach to replacements for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Attendance Allowance (AA). The consultation document states that Scottish Government does not intend to open eligibility to new DACYP applicants age 16 or over due to the potential disruption involved with applying for the benefit then being required to apply for a working age benefit sooner after.

provides a guided way to explore DWP benefit statistics, currently holding data relating to 16 different benefits/programmes. Information on the volumes of PIP claims currently in payment to Scottish 16 and 17 year olds is publically available via this website.

Based on advice from the Disability and Carers Benefits Expert Advisory Group, our Experience Panels and stakeholders, we have decided not to introduce automatic entitlement to disability assistance as it is not deemed to be person centred.

This can be found in our position paper here:

Re-determinations and DWP mandatory reconsiderations involve different processes. In our system, a re-determination means that Social Security Scotland will make a fresh determination carried out by a different officer, taking any new evidence into account, which replaces the earlier determination.

The Scottish Government is focused on building a fairer, rights based appeals system that responds to the needs and views of people who receive benefits. Short-term Assistance will be available where a continuing entitlement has been reduced or stopped and that decision is subject to a re-determination or appeal. This will ensure that individuals will not have to manage on a reduced income for a period. We are currently consulting on the timescales for re-determinations for disability assistance and will review our position in light of the responses to the consultation.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for the administration of Severe Disablement Allowance and has shared specific information on this on a confidential basis.

You can access data published by DWP about SDA at .

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-22100 on 20 March 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at .

Guidance on decision making timeframes is being developed for Social Security Scotland case managers. The guidance will set out how decisions will be reached by case managers, using a person-centred approach.

Through advice from clinical experts, significant developmental milestones for children will be defined within guidance being developed for Social Security Scotland case managers. The guidance will set out where exceptions to the Scottish Government policy on award duration apply.

From the point that Disability Assistance for older people is launched there will be no new Attendance Allowance cases. The caseload to be migrated will therefore reduce as clients cease to claim the benefit prior to the cases being transferred.

The Disability Assistance consultation is focussed on the new benefits we will be introducing in Scotland. People over 65 applying for Disability Assistance for the first time will not be able to apply for Disability Living Allowance and as outlined in the consultation paper, will apply for Disability Assistance for Older People. Scottish people over 65 already receiving Disability Living Allowance, will be transferred to the Scottish Government as outlined in the published on Case Transfer.

The policy paper can be found here: .