Supporting information for Adult Disability Payment: guidance for local authorities and health boards

You can tell us things like whether they:

• can use knives and other food preparation utensils
• understand how to use or read the setting on an oven or other cooking devices
• need someone to encourage, prompt or watch over them
• understand the hazards of eating uncooked or unrefrigerated foods

Tell us:

• if the help needed can vary at different times or in different situations
• how often they need help and how long it can take

You can tell us things like whether they:

• need support to eat or drink
• need supervision when eating or drinking
• are tube or pump fed
• can use a spoon
• need their food cut up on their plate
• can drink using a cup
• need someone to encourage, prompt or watch over them

Tell us:

• if the help needed can vary at different times or in different situations and why they need this help
• how often they need help and how long it can take

For each treatment, medication or therapy, tell us:

• how often they need help with it
• how often they receive it
• how long it takes

For example:

• chemotherapy, once a month, for two hours
• talking therapy, once a week, for one hour

You can also tell us about side effects of their treatment or medication. Side effects can be anything that affects their daily life, that would not happen if they did not take the medication or treatment.

Treatments and therapies can be given by:

• healthcare professionals
• the client’s partners or family members
• anyone involved in helping or supporting the client

Treatments and therapies can include:

• medical treatments like chemotherapy or dialysis
• counselling
• sessions to improve wellbeing like art therapy or working with animals
• cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• hypnotherapy
• play therapy

You can tell us:

• if this can change from day to day
• about anything we haven’t mentioned that you think may be relevant

You can tell us about the help the client needs to:

• have a wash
• wash their hair
• get in or out of the bath or shower
• clean themselves in the bath or shower

Include:

• how often they need help
• why they need help
• how long it can take
• if they need someone to encourage, prompt or watch over them

You can include things like:

• how often they need to use the toilet
• if they need someone to encourage, prompt or watch over them
• if they need special facilities like a raised toilet seat
• if they need to use a colostomy bag or similar appendage
• if there are health risks

Include:

• how often they need help
• how long it can take

You can tell us about any help or support the client needs to:

• manage clothes
• get dressed
• get undressed
• manage zips, buttons or other fastenings
• choose the right clothes

Tell us if they need:

• someone to encourage, prompt or watch over them
• specific aids to complete tasks
• other help or support

Include:

• how often they need help
• how long it can take

You can tell us how the client communicates, for example, if they:

• cannot speak clearly in sentences
• cannot put words together to make simple sentences
• cannot speak single words
• have other difficulties speaking

You can also tell us if the client’s symptoms may result in non-verbal communication.

For example:

• writing
• BSL (British Sign Language)
• lip-reading
• hand movements, facial expressions
• Makaton
• Signalong
• sign supported English (SSE)
• signed English (SE)
• picture exchange communication system (PECS)
• Tadoma
• other ways of communicating
• cannot communicate with someone they know
• cannot communicate with someone they do not know

Tell us:

• if the help they need can vary at different times or in different situations
• about anything we have not listed in the examples

You can tell us if the client:

• has language delay
• has dyslexia
• has problems maintaining concentration or attention
• cannot process written information

You can tell us if the client uses:

• assistive technology like screen readers
• learning aids like computer programmes
• sensory aids
• communication aids like picture exchange cards
• adapted lighting
• any other equipment or adaption

You can also tell us if the client experiences:

• blindness
• partial sight (sight impaired)
• visual processing difficulties (cerebral or cortical visual impairment)
• cannot see letters on a computer keyboard
• cannot see large print in a book, reader or screen
• cannot see single words displayed one at a time

You should include:

• how often they need help
• how long it can take

You can tell us how the client mixes with other people, for example:

• are they confident in an environment without a direct carer?
• do they need support before, during or after to help them mix with other people?
• do they find it difficult to socialise on their own in familiar or unfamiliar environments?
• do they receive support or need support for psychological needs?

You should include:

• how often they need help
• how long it can take

You could include information about how the client:

• understands their finances
• works out prices and change when paying for things
• knows what bills need paying and when
• spends inappropriately due to their condition
• follows instructions
• is able to count
• needs other help or support

For example, you can tell us if the supervision needed can vary at different times or in different situations.

You can then tell us about their choices, or add other descriptions of the help they need.

You should include:

• how often they need help
• how long it can take

You could include information about how the client plans and follows a journey. For example:

• equipment and what help they need to use it
• ability to leave the home at all
• if they require support before, during or after leaving the home
• understanding of their local environment
• ability to understand maps
• finding their way around places they know
• asking for and following directions
• able to keep themselves safe while following a journey
• crossing a road safely
• understanding common dangers

Include:

• what you have to do to help them
• if this help can change from day to day
• how often they need help
• how long it can take

This could include information about the problems they have and why they have these problems.

For example, if they:

• walk with support
• walk with a limp
• walk with an unusual gait
• walk on their toes
• shuffle
• drag their leg
• have balance issues
• struggle to keep up with friends
• move slowly
• are unable to walk under any circumstances
• are a full-time wheelchair user or are unable to leave the home at all
• have some ability to walk, but need help or support for physical or emotional issues
• experience pain while moving
• are tired
• have broken bones
• have pulled muscles
• have breathing problems
• have emotional distress
• are confused
• refuse to walk
• have other issues

Include:

• how seriously they can be affected
• how often it can happen

You could include information about how the client moves around outdoors.

For example:

• physical issues
• mental health issues
• emotional issues
• sensory issues
• learning difficulties
• any equipment or adaptations
• some ability to walk but needs help or support for physical or emotional issues
• may put themselves in danger
• gets confused or lost
• becomes anxious
• displays unpredictable behaviour
• runs away
• becomes a danger to self or others
• has other issues

You should include:

• how often they need help
• how long it can take

Here you can include any other information you think may be relevant to the client’s application, that has not been mentioned in the other questions.

To be eligible for Adult Disability Payment, the client must:

• have had their conditions and symptoms for 3 months or more
• expect to have their conditions and symptoms for the next 6 months

Please give us any relevant details below. For example, if you understand the client’s condition is likely to:

• get worse
• get better
• be variable