Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 78
78
Deferred
The UK Government’s Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, however, told us that he...
Conclusion
The UK Government’s Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, however, told us that he had reservations about the Scottish Government’s ‘potential changes to adult PIP [Personal Independence Payment]’192 and how he felt the potential changes ‘would replicate the limitations and failings of DLA [Disability Living Allowance]’.193 In particular, the Minister raised questions about how the process would work for obtaining the correct supportive evidence to help Social Security Scotland make decisions on the levels of support for disabled claimants. The Minister noted how the Scottish Government wants to ‘have a greater reliance on medical evidence’194 and highlighted that this evidence could be provided by GPs. However, he then raised the issues that ‘not every single claimant regularly visits their GP’195 and that GPs themselves would not want to be ‘part of the benefit process’.196 This would mean that without the supportive evidence from a medical practitioner, greater emphasis would be put on the application form which would in effect be ‘recreating the old Disability Living Allowance benefit, where claimants had a 16% chance of getting a higher rate of support, yet under PIP [Personal Independence Payment] it is 33%.’197 This point was further highlighted in the letter the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work and the Minister for Welfare Delivery sent us after their evidence session where they explained that the highest level of support was only achieved by 6% of DLA claimants whilst 37% of PIP claimants did receive that support.198 Overall the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work worried that the ‘Scottish Government are at serious risk of cutting support to disabled people in Scotland.’199
Government response summary AI-generated
The government redirects responsibility by stating that this is a recommendation for the Scottish Government.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
UK Government Response: This is a recommendation for the Scottish Government. Scottish Government Response: Social Security Scotland will start from a position of trust when considering an application for disability assistance. Case Managers will seek one source of supporting information from a professional involved in the client’s care, where possible, such as confirmation of a diagnosis or letter from a support worker. It need only be sufficient to determine, on the balance of probabilities, that the individual’s condition is consistent with the general care and mobility needs detailed on their application. Social Security Scotland will publish guidance detailing who a client should seek information from and the types of information that will give the most informed insight into their daily life and mobility needs. In addition, forms have been designed to give clients the option for Social Security Scotland to gather supporting information on their behalf from contacts such as GPs, Local Authority support services, education providers, third sector support organisations or carers etc. Formal sharing agreements are being established with Health Boards, GP practices and Local Authorities, with the expectation of frequent systematic engagement at scale with these partners so as to best facilitate requests for information. The number of consultations needed for Adult Disability Payment will be reduced compared to Personal Independence Payments assessments, as Case Managers will support clients to provide the most relevant supporting information and will use that information, in conjunction with the client’s application form to determine their entitlement. Information from a client’s wider support network, including carers and family members, will provide a much clearer picture of their daily life than is often possible from medical professionals. Consultations will only be required when they are the only practicable way of making a determination of entitlement. All of these measures will ensure the supporting information policy is delivered in keeping with Social Security Scotland’s values of dignity, fairness and respect. The Scottish Government is committed to being open and transparent and we have therefore regularly published policy position papers which set out the Government’s latest thinking on matters relating to social security. For example, in October last year, we published a series of position papers detailing Social Security Scotland’s approach to gathering information and making decisions on applications to Disability Assistance.
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