People on Adult Disability payment to get new payment rates before PIP claimants
The SNP’s Budget Bill has passed its final vote in the Scottish Parliament, setting out the Scottish Government’s tax and spending plans for the upcoming financial year. Annual uprating for social security benefits administered by the Scottish Government has also been approved and will provide a payment uplift of 1.7 per cent for an estimated two million people.
The new financial year begins on April 1 in Scotland, which means claimants on Adult Disability Payment (ADP), Child Disability Payment and PensionAge Disability Payment (PADP) will see payments go up a few days earlier than those delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance (DLA), as these payment rates are due to go up on April 7.
READ MORE: People on PIP may be able to backdate other benefits to the start of their award
However, most claimants in Scotland, England and Wales, will have to wait until May before they receive the full amount of higher payments because benefits are typically made four-weeks in arrears. People due a payment after April 1 or 7 will see a blend of old and new rates until a full payment cycle has passed since the uprating was applied.
A successful claim for PIP or ADP is currently worth between £28.70 and £184.30 each week in additional financial support and as the benefit is paid every four weeks - resulting in 13 payments over the course of a year instead of 12 - this amounts to between £114.80 and £737.20 every payment period.
Weekly component rates for 2025/26
An uprating of 1.7 per cent will see people on disability benefits receive between £29.20 and £187.45 each week, some £116.80 or £749.80 every four-week pay period. Over the course of the financial year, this will see people on the highest awards receive £9,747 in extra cash help.
It's important to be aware the highest figure of £749.80 is based on someone in receipt of the highest award for both the daily living and mobility components. Attendance Allowance does not include a mobility component.
The DWP and Social Security Scotland will issue letters before the annual uprating in April which will tell you how much you can expect to receive over the new financial year.
It’s important that you keep this letter in a safe place as it acts as proof of entitlement and can provide access to other means of support.
Weekly disability benefit payment rates 2025/26
Weekly rates are shown for all disability benefits, most are paid every four weeks so to calculate your own uplift simply look for your award rate and multiply by four. We have also calculated the payment rate combinations for PIP and ADP.
Daily living
Lower care award (CDP, DLA only): £29.20 (from £28.70)
Standard: £73.90 (from £72.65)
Enhanced: £110.40 (from £108.55)
Mobility
Standard: £29.20 (from £28.70)
Enhanced: £77.05 (from £75.75)
Attendance Allowance
Lower rate: £73.90 (from £72.65)
Higher rate: £110.40 (from £108.55)
PIP and ADP payment combinations 2025/26
Single component award only
People on the lower or higher daily living or mobility component:
Standard daily living only - £73.90 per week, £295.60 per pay period
Enhanced daily living only - £110.40 per week, £441.60 per pay period
Standard mobility only - £29.20 per week, £116.80 per pay period
Enhanced mobility only - £77.05 per week, £308.20 per pay period
Lower rate of daily living and mobility
People on the lower rates of both components:
Standard daily living and standard mobility - £103.10 per week, £412.40 per pay period
Higher rate of daily living and mobility
People on the higher rates of both components
Enhanced daily living and enhanced mobility - £187.45 per week, £749.80 per pay period.
Mixed awards
People on the lower rate of one component and the higher rate of the other:
Standard daily living and enhanced mobility - £150.95 per week, £603.80 per pay period
Enhanced daily living and standard mobility - £139.60 per week, £558.40 per pay period
Online PIP 'test'
If you are thinking about making a claim for PIP - or ADP - an online ‘PIP test’ could help you make up your mind as it gives an indication of the number of points you would be awarded, which in turn, determines the level of award you might receive - standard or enhanced rate.
It’s important to be aware that the free online ‘PIP test’ provided by the independent benefits advisory forum, Benefits and Work, is not a guarantee that someone will be eligible for PIP or ADP.
An application to the DWP for PIP or Social Security Scotland for ADP also takes other eligibility factors into account including supporting evidence on how a disability, physical or mental illness or long-term health condition affects you.
According to DWP guidance on GOV.UK, entitlement to PIP is not based on an individual’s health condition or disability alone, but on how much a long-term health condition or disability impacts an individual’s daily life or mobility.
This PIP self-test is completely anonymous and has questions plus the points awarded for each descriptor answer and will help you understand:
Whether you would score enough points to receive PIP for each component (daily living and mobility)
Whether you would qualify for the standard or enhanced rate of each component
If you submit your email on the self-test page you will also be sent a copy of your results which could help you accurately complete the ' How your disability affects you' evidence form that you will receive from the DWP. Take the PIP self-test online here.
It’s slightly different for people in Scotland applying for ADP as this can be done online and the questions asked contain images and more detail per question to help people understand what is being asked. You can find out more about the ADP assessment questions on the CPAG (Child Poverty Action Group) website here.
Below is an overview of PIP and ADP. Even though new claims for PIP have been replaced in Scotland by ADP, it shares most of the same eligibility criteria. Full guidance on ADP can be found on the MYGOV.SCOT website here.
Who might be eligible for PIP or ADP?
To be eligible for PIP or ADP, you must have a health condition or disability where you:
have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for 3 months
expect these difficulties to continue for at least 9 months
You usually need to have lived in the UK for at least two of the last three years and be in the country when you apply.
In addition to what we have outlined above, if you get or need help with any of the following because of your condition, you should consider applying for PIP or ADP.
preparing, cooking or eating food
managing your medication
washing, bathing or using the toilet
dressing and undressing
engaging and communicating with other people
reading and understanding written information
making decisions about money
planning a journey or following a route
moving around
There are different rules if you are terminally ill, you will find these on the GOV.UK website here.
DWP or Social Security Scotland will assess how difficult you find daily living and mobility tasks. For each task they will look at:
whether you can do it safely
how long it takes you
how often your condition affects this activity
whether you need help to do it, from a person or using extra equipment
How are PIP and ADP paid?
PIP and ADP are usually paid every four weeks unless you are terminally ill, in which case it is paid weekly. It will be paid directly into your bank, building society or credit union account. ADP is paid at the same rates as PIP.
How you are assessed
You will be assessed by an independent healthcare professional to help the DWP determine the level of financial support, if any, you need, for PIP.
Face-to-face consultations for health-related benefits are offered alongside video calls, telephone and paper-based assessments - it's important to be aware that the health professional and DWP determine which type of assessment is best suited for each claimant. You can find out more about DWP PIP assessments here.
Adult Disability Payment assessments will not involve face-to-face assessments, unless this is preferred by the claimant - find out more about the changes here.
How do you make a claim for PIP?
You can make a new claim by contacting the DWP, you will find all the information you need to apply on the GOV.UK website here.
Before you call, you will need:
your contact details
your date of birth
your National Insurance number - this is on letters about tax, pensions and benefits
your bank or building society account number and sort code
your doctor or health worker’s name, address and telephone number
dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent abroad, in a care home or hospital
How to apply for ADP
People can apply for ADP, over the phone, by post or in-person. To find out more or apply, visit the dedicated pages on mygov.scot here or call Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222.
