This guidance is for third sector organisations, which include:
Use the guidance to support terminally ill people to apply for Disability Assistance under Special Rules for Terminal Illness.
You can make a Special Rules for Terminal Illness application on behalf of a person using Social Security Scotland’s digital portal.
You’ll be asked for the person’s details and to upload a copy of the paper BASRiS form if you have this.
Currently, you cannot send an editable PDF BASRiS form through the digital portal application channel. This should be emailed to Social Security Scotland by a registered medical practitioner or registered nurse (healthcare professional) who is on the whitelist.
You should set up a digital portal account using your own details. This means you’ll have secure access to the applications you make on behalf of other people.
Register or sign in to the digital portal
Once you’ve created an account, you can make multiple applications for different people.
You can save and access applications any time before they are sent to Social Security Scotland. These will show as a list with the name of the applicant.
You’ll be asked for a BASRiS form when applying.
You can either:
If you ask Social Security Scotland to get a BASRiS form, we’ll contact the clinician on the person’s application form.
You may also ask a Registered Medical Professional to email an editable PDF BASRiS form directly to Social Security Scotland.
Only Registered Medical Professionals can complete the BASRiS form.
The BASRiS can be completed via a web form, an editable PDF BASRiS form or a paper BASRiS form.
The Registered Medical Professional should email the form directly to Social Security Scotland. Check the link for instructions.
If we receive a BASRiS form and we’ve not received the person’s application, we’ll call the person listed on the form to help them apply. This may not always be the person who is terminally ill. In this call we’ll ask limited information to complete the application. This will not include information about their diagnosis.
Child Disability Payment has launched across Scotland. Children aged 0-16 who have been diagnosed as terminally ill should apply under Special Rules.
Adult Disability Payment is piloting in regions in Scotland. Adults aged 16-65 who live in the pilot regions, and who have been diagnosed as terminally ill should apply under Special Rules.
Disability applications are not means tested and do not impact a person’s savings.
A terminal illness diagnosis is the clinical judgement of the Registered Medical Professional who completes the BASRiS form.
If a person is unsure if they’ve been diagnosed as terminally ill, they should be signposted to discuss this with their clinician.
Check if the person is eligible based on their location, and if they require a BASRiS form here: When to complete a BASRiS or a DS1500 form
For people who are of pension age, please make a terminal illness application using a DS1500 to DWP.
Once you submit the application via the portal, you’ll no longer have access to this.
To process an application, Social Security Scotland need both:
Disability Awards made under Special Rules are paid from the date of the person’s application or the date on the BASRiS form, whichever is earliest.
Please do not delay making an application.
The Special Rules for Terminal Illness application process is expedited and we’ll write to the person with the outcome.
If the person is unaware of their condition, this is captured on the BASRiS form. Social Security Scotland will not mention this in any communication with the person.