Work out your weekly, 4-weekly and annual ADP award for 2026/27, and see exactly how Scotland's version of PIP differs in process, assessment and the upcoming UK-wide rule changes.
Your Components
?Based on the 10 daily living activities (preparing food, washing, dressing, communicating, budgeting decisions, and so on). 8–11 points total gives the standard rate, 12+ gives the enhanced rate.
?Based on 'planning and following journeys' and 'moving around'. 8–11 points total gives the standard rate, 12+ gives the enhanced rate. Any Mobility award supports automatic Blue Badge eligibility.
Your Estimated ADP Award£0.00 / week
Not sure which band applies to you? Score yourself activity-by-activity first with the PIP Points Calculator — ADP uses the identical 12-activity framework, just administered by Social Security Scotland instead of the DWP.
How Adult Disability Payment Works in 2026
Maximum combined award
£194.60
Per week — both components enhanced
Recipients in Scotland
190,000+
As of early 2026
Standard assessment
No face-to-face
Decided from written evidence by default
Paid out since 2022
£6.1bn
To 31 January 2026
Adult Disability Payment replaced Personal Independence Payment for new claimants across Scotland between March 2022 and August 2022, and is now administered entirely by Social Security Scotland rather than the DWP. It is made up of two components — Daily Living and Mobility — each paid at standard or enhanced rate depending on a points score from the same 12-activity framework used for PIP. You can be awarded one component, both, or neither, and each is decided independently.
The points thresholds are identical to PIP: 8 to 11 points gives the standard rate, 12 or more points gives the enhanced rate, scored separately for Daily Living and Mobility. If you've already used the PIP Points Calculator or the PIP Eligibility Guide to estimate your score, the same result band applies directly to ADP.
The biggest 2026 difference from PIP: from November 2026, new PIP claims and reviews in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will need at least 4 points in a single daily living activity, on top of the 8/12 point total, to get the daily living component. The Scottish Government has explicitly ruled out applying this rule to ADP — existing scoring rules continue to apply in Scotland, with no single-activity minimum.
ADP vs PIP — What's Actually Different
The money is the same. The process and the protections around it are not. This is what genuinely changes when a claim sits with Social Security Scotland instead of the DWP.
Feature
Adult Disability Payment (Scotland)
PIP (England / Wales / NI)
Administered by
Social Security Scotland
DWP (NI: Department for Communities)
Rates 2026/27
Identical to PIP
Identical to ADP
Default assessment
Written evidence only, as standard
Independent health professional assessment
November 2026 4-point rule
Not adopted
Applies to new claims and reviews
Terminal illness fast-track
BASRiS form
DS1500 (England/Wales) or SR1 (NI)
Dispute route
Re-determination (42 days) → First-tier Tribunal for Scotland
Payment continues at previous rate during Mandatory Reconsideration in most cases
ADP Rate Table 2026/27
Rates rose by 3.8% from April 2026, in line with September 2025 CPI inflation, the same uprating the Scottish Government applies every year to match DWP rates.
Component & rate
Weekly
Every 4 weeks
Annual
Daily Living — standard
£76.70
£306.80
£3,988.40
Daily Living — enhanced
£114.60
£458.40
£5,959.20
Mobility — standard
£30.30
£121.20
£1,575.60
Mobility — enhanced
£80.00
£320.00
£4,160.00
Maximum combined
£194.60
£778.40
£10,119.20
ADP is tax-free and paid every 4 weeks, in arrears. Annual figures are weekly rate × 52, rounded to the nearest 20p.
Three Worked Scenarios
Chronic pain, daily living only
£76.70/week
A claimant with fibromyalgia scores 9 points across several daily living activities — enough for the standard rate — but does not meet the mobility threshold. No Motability or automatic Blue Badge eligibility, but the Daily Living award alone is worth £3,988.40 a year, tax-free.
Mixed award, mental health condition
£194.60/week
A claimant with severe anxiety and depression scores 14 points on daily living (enhanced) and 10 points on 'planning and following journeys' due to overwhelming psychological distress (standard mobility) — the maximum combined award, plus automatic Blue Badge eligibility.
Terminal illness, BASRiS route
£114.60/week minimum
Someone with a terminal diagnosis applies under Special Rules using a BASRiS form. They receive the enhanced Daily Living rate automatically, with no points assessment and no waiting period, and their application is fast-tracked by specially trained staff.
What an ADP Award Actually Unlocks
ADP is not means-tested, is not counted as income for Universal Credit, and does not reduce any other benefit you receive — it sits entirely on top. An enhanced Daily Living and enhanced Mobility award is worth over £10,000 a year, tax-free, before counting what it opens the door to.
Any Mobility award, standard or enhanced, supports automatic eligibility for a Blue Badge. The enhanced Mobility rate specifically also makes you eligible to lease a car, scooter or powered wheelchair through the Motability Scheme, provided you have at least 12 months left on your award when you apply. If someone cares for you for 35 or more hours a week, your award can support their claim for Carer's Allowance — worth checking even if you assumed your relative or friend wasn't eligible.
Against that, the practical cost of not applying — or of under-describing how a condition affects a "bad day" on the application form — is usually a missed standard-rate award that would otherwise have been straightforward to evidence. Social Security Scotland's own guidance stresses being specific about how often bad days occur and what help is needed, rather than only describing your best days.
The Application Process, Step by Step
1
Start your claim
Call 0800 182 2222, apply online at mygov.scot, or request a paper form. You complete Part 1 of the application first — your ADP can be paid from the date Part 1 is received, so it's worth starting as soon as you can.
2
Case manager contact
A named case manager calls you back within 10 working days to help complete the application or send a paper form, and to confirm your 8-week deadline for Part 2.
3
Supporting information
You describe how your condition affects each daily living and mobility activity, supported by evidence from your GP, specialists, or other professionals. There is no automatic requirement to attend an assessment.
4
Optional consultation
A phone or in-person consultation is only arranged if Social Security Scotland genuinely needs more information. You can have a friend, family member or independent advocate with you throughout.
✓
Decision and ongoing award
You receive a detailed decision letter. Awards typically run for 2–10 years with a review at the end, or indefinitely if you're on enhanced-enhanced and your needs are unlikely to change. If refused, you have 42 days to request a re-determination.
Common Mistakes That Cost People Points
Assuming a face-to-face assessment is required
It generally isn't. Spending weeks worrying about an assessment that may never happen often means less time is spent on what actually decides the case — the written application and supporting evidence.
Missing the 8-week Part 2 deadline
If you can't complete Part 2 in time, tell Social Security Scotland before the deadline — with good reason you may get more time, but silence risks the claim being closed.
Describing only your best days
Scoring is based on how a condition affects you most of the time, including bad days. Underplaying difficulty to "not make a fuss" is one of the most common reasons genuine claims score lower than they should.
Trying to claim ADP and PIP at the same time
You cannot hold both. If you live in Scotland you claim ADP; an existing PIP award is transferred automatically when your area's rollout reaches you — there's no separate application needed.
Not reporting a cross-border move promptly
Moving between Scotland and the rest of the UK can mean switching between ADP and PIP. Failing to notify the right agency promptly risks a payment gap or an overpayment that has to be repaid later.
Edge Cases Worth Knowing About
Still on adult DLA in Scotland
If you hadn't yet been moved to ADP, you're being automatically transferred to Scottish Adult DLA at the same rate and on the same criteria as your existing award — no new claim or reassessment is needed.
Reaching State Pension age while on ADP
You stay on ADP under the same rules rather than moving to Pension Age Disability Payment, which is only for people who are not already receiving ADP when they reach State Pension age.
Turning 18 on Child Disability Payment
Young people move from Child Disability Payment to ADP, with their own transitional process — read mygov.scot's guidance on moving from CDP to ADP before your 18th birthday approaches.
Disputing a decision while your award is reduced
If a review cuts or stops your award and you request a re-determination or appeal, Short Term Assistance can maintain your previous payment level while the dispute is ongoing, so you're not penalised for challenging a decision.
Indefinite awards
If you're awarded enhanced rate on both components and your needs are highly unlikely to change, your award can be made indefinite with no future review, unless you report a change yourself.
Decision Guide — Which Situation Is Yours
Live in Scotland, not yet claiming
Apply for ADP
Apply directly through Social Security Scotland — not PIP — by phone, online, or paper form. Use the PIP Points Calculator first if you want to estimate your likely score before you start.
Moving to Scotland on an existing PIP award
Tell DWP & Social Security Scotland
Report your change of address promptly. Your case is normally transferred to ADP at the same rate without a new assessment, but delays in reporting a move can hold up the switch.
Unsure of your likely score
Score yourself first
Work through the PIP Points Calculator activity by activity — the descriptor framework and point values are identical for ADP — then come back here to see the exact weekly, 4-weekly and annual amount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Adult Disability Payment the same as PIP?
It pays the same rates and uses the same 8/12 point thresholds, but it's administered by Social Security Scotland, decisions are usually made without a face-to-face assessment, and ADP will not adopt PIP's new 4-point rule from November 2026.
Can I claim both PIP and Adult Disability Payment?
No. If you live in Scotland you claim ADP instead of PIP. An existing PIP award is transferred to ADP automatically — you don't need to make a new claim or go through a new assessment.
Will the new PIP 4-point rule affect my ADP?
No. The Scottish Government has confirmed it will not apply the 4-point single-activity rule that PIP introduces for new claims and reviews from November 2026. Existing ADP scoring rules continue to apply.
Do I have to attend a face-to-face assessment for ADP?
Not as standard. Most decisions are made from your application and supporting information. A consultation is only arranged if more information is genuinely needed, and you can bring a friend or advocate.
What happens to my ADP when I reach State Pension age?
If you're already receiving ADP when you reach State Pension age, you keep it under the same rules — you don't move onto Pension Age Disability Payment, which is only for new claimants over State Pension age.
Does ADP affect my other benefits?
ADP is not means-tested and is not counted as income for Universal Credit, so it doesn't reduce your UC award. It can open the door to extra support, including Carer Support Payment for someone caring for you, a Blue Badge, and the Motability Scheme.
How long does an ADP decision take?
There's no fixed legal deadline, but Social Security Scotland aims to decide most complete applications within a few months. A case manager contacts you within 10 working days of starting your claim.
What if I disagree with my ADP decision?
You can request a re-determination within 42 days, then appeal to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland if still unhappy. Short Term Assistance can bridge a reduced or stopped award while a dispute is ongoing.
