Millions of people over State age who live with health conditions are now eligible to recieve a brand new .

Residents over the State Pension age in five local authority areas will be the first in to qualify for a new disability benefit. This is set to replace the Attendance Allowance for those living north of the border. The Pension Age began its phased rollout from October 21, starting in Argyll and Bute, Highland, Aberdeen City, Orkney and Shetland.

The benefit will extend to 13 more local authority areas in March next year before being rolled out across Scotland by April 2025. The Pension Age Disability Benefit is designed for people aged over 66 years old who have a disability or long-term health condition that require self-care assistance or supervision for safety.

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It is tax-free, not means-tested and the payments are the same as its Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) equivalent. This means it will be worth either £72.65 (lower rate) if you need help during the day or at night, or £108.55 (higher rate) if you need help both day and night, or if you are terminally ill.

Those currently receiving Attendance Allowance will be automatically transferred from the DWP benefits platform to the Social Security Scotland system. This transition will occur in phases, with the first benefit awards expected to be transferred in early 2025.

The latest data from the DWP reveals that nearly 144,000 Scots are currently receiving Attendance Allowance. The Scottish Government has assured existing claimants that they do not need to apply for the devolved benefit and there will be no interruption in payments during the transition.

The Pension Age Disability Payment has been designed with input from those who will be eligible for the benefit and their supporters. Improvements include a simplified process for nominating a third-party representative to assist with communication with Social Security Scotland.

Legislation for the new benefit is yet to be approved, but proposals suggest it will be for people who meet certain criteria. Gov.Scot states that the eligibility rules for Pension Age Disability Payment will remain largely similar to Attendance Allowance. It also adds: "It is our intention that the rate of all forms of disability assistance will remain the same as the current rate of the equivalent UK disability benefit. The rate of assistance will increase in line with inflation each year."

This migration process from DWP systems for those on Attendance Allowance, along with those on Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Carer's Allowance, will see around 700,000 people move to the new Scottish welfare system by the end of 2025. If you need help, contact DWP - full details about Attendance Allowance can be found

Those receiving Attendance Allowance in Scotland will automatically transfer to the new system, so there's no need to apply for the devolved benefit. However, those receiving financial support in England and Wales will not be affected by the change and will continue to receive regular payments from the DWP. The rollout timetable for the Pension Age Disability Payment starts from October 21, 2024.

Existing claimants who currently receive Attendance Allowance will be transferred to the devolved system in stages after the new benefit has been introduced. Eligibility rules for the Pension Age Disability Payment will remain similar to Attendance Allowance. This benefit is for people who are of State Pension age or over, who have had their condition for at least six months and require additional care.

Social Security Scotland will make decisions about entitlement for Pension Age Disability Payment using the applicant's account of their circumstances and existing supporting information. There will be no face-to-face assessments as part of the application process.

Guidance detailed on the official site has made it clear: "We are making the application process as simple and easy as possible to encourage and support people to apply for the payments they are entitled to. The application process for disability assistance will be inclusive, accessible, provided in a range of formats and available through a range of routes (online, phone, post and in-person)."

In addition, "We are making a number of improvements to the application form to include clear guidance on how the eligibility criteria is applied. This will ensure a client is supported in providing relevant information with in-person support available."

Social Security Scotland will offer Pension Age Disability Payment at the same rates as Attendance Allowance, something it is currently doing for both Child Disability Payment and Adult Disability Payment.

The present weekly payment amounts for Attendance Allowance stand at:

- Lower rate - £72.65

- Higher rate - £108.55

For those interested in applying for the Pension Age Disability Payment, it’s not yet open for applications. Individuals over State Pension age requiring help for personal care or supervision for safety reasons should proceed to apply for Attendance Allowance via the

Stay tuned for recent news concerning the fresh Disability Assistance provided by Social Security Scotland by visiting their

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