voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
Payments to third sector organisations supporting applications for Disability Payments
Created: 6/1/2023Social Security Scotland have announced that third sector organisations are to be paid a fee for helping provide supporting information for people applying for Child Disability Payment or Adult Disability Payment. The £33.50 fee will be paid when we ask them to complete a supporting information request form.
Third sector organisations who have already been asked to provide supporting information for clients receiving Child Disability Payment or Adult Disability Payment before the fee payments process, from the launch of our disability payments to the launch of Third Sector payments on 26 May, will be able to have their payments backdated.
What is a Supporting Information request form?
Supporting Information helps Social Security Scotland Case Managers to make a determination on an application or review an existing award.
This is information from a professional that describes how the client is affected by their disability or health condition and what support they need.
Supporting Information will help Social Security Scotland understand how the client’s condition affects their life and will help make a determination. Supporting information will be used to help Social Security Scotland find out:
The process of requesting and giving equal consideration to supporting information from third sector organisations is not offered by the Department for Work and Pensions in England and Wales and is an example of how Social Security Scotland are doing things differently to better support people applying for benefits.
If disabled people need additional help to apply for Scottish Government benefits the free and independent Advocacy Service, provided by VoiceAbility, helps people throughout the whole of the process, from the point of application, through to any request for redetermination and appeal.
If someone applying for disability benefits has supporting information available, they are encouraged provide it with their application. If an applicant gives Social Security Scotland all the supporting information needed when they apply, it can speed up the time it takes to make a decision and provide clients with the support they need faster.
Examples of supporting information could be: medical reports, a social care assessment, a prescription list or test results.
Clients can approach third sector organisations to provide supporting information on their behalf, helping to encourage and support applicants to get the benefits they are entitled for. Organisations will not be paid a fee unless Social Security Scotland directly request the information.