A four nations approach to social security is crucial; changes to reserved social security will have a significant impact in Scotland, and Scotland’s experience of devolving Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and developing Adult Disability Payment (ADP) provides valuable learning for the Timms Review.
ADP in Scotland was co-produced with disabled people, resulting in a design rooted in dignity, fairness and respect, supported by in-house medical expertise, and a broader approach to gathering supporting information. This approach is transformative, with people describing interactions with Social Security Scotland as humanising and promoting self-worth.
An early independent review of ADP highlights a strong commitment to continuous learning, offering valuable insights for the Timms Review by showing how pro-active evaluation, grounded in lived experience, can shape fairer, more effective reform.
Scotland’s ADP Review was thorough, transparent and grounded in lived experience, identifying the need for rigorous decision-making and a simpler application process. It concluded that modernised criteria that are holistic, wellbeing, and quality of life-based would empower both individuals and decision makers to correctly identify aspirations and break down barriers.
Well-resourced, trusted advice services are essential to making any reform of PIP effective in practice, they play a pivotal role in supporting people to navigate and realise the benefit of changes to the social security landscape, while helping social security to achieve more by bridging fragmented service provision.