Third sector organisations receive fees for providing supporting information

Third sector organisations can receive a payment for providing supporting information for people applying for Child Disability Payment or Adult Disability Payment. When we ask organisations to complete a supporting information request form for a client, a fee of £33.50 is payable following the completion and return of the form.

When someone applies for Adult Disability Payment or Child Disability Payment, we only need one piece of supporting information from a professional to process their application. Supporting information is used to broadly confirm someone’s conditions, disability or needs. This could be a social care assessment, test results, care plans, medical report or prescription list.

As well as information from health and social care professionals, information can also be provided by charities and third sector organisations who support disabled people. In addition to providing broad confirmation of a person’s disability, conditions or needs, third sector organisations that support the person in their everyday life might also be able to provide details that help us understand how a person’s condition or disability affects their daily lives and what support they need,

People applying for disability benefits who would prefer us gathering supporting information on their behalf can name organisations who can provide this for them.

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 we are doing things differently to better support people applying for benefits.

Guidance for third-sector organisations wishing to claim a fee for providing supporting information can be found on our website.

If someone needs additional help to apply for our benefits, the free and independent advocacy service, provided by VoiceAbility, is available by calling 0300 303 1660 or by visiting voiceability.org.

• Social Security Scotland pay a fee for providing supporting information when they have requested the completion of a supporting information form in writing from a third sector organisation.
• Independent GPs, and those employed by independent GP practices, also get a fee when they provide supporting information which has been requested by us.
• Clients can ask third sector organisations that are familiar with the client’s circumstances for supporting information and then submit this information to us. Organisations will not be paid a fee unless Social Security Scotland directly request the information from them.
• 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 was in place will be able to have their payments backdated.