What is supporting information?

Our approach to information about an individual’s needs

The approach you take when

• understanding
• interpreting
• and gathering, where necessary

information about an individual’s needs to establish their entitlement must align with the principles of dignity, fairness and respect. These principles are outlined in our Social Security Charter.You must apply our decision-making principles when making a decision on an individual’s entitlement, based on the information you have available. These are set out in the Principles of Decision-Making chapter.

You must approach information with understanding and consideration of the following concepts:

• trust-based approach
• balance of probabilities.

These are set out in the Principles of Decision-Making chapter

Related reading

• our charter

• the role of supporting information in the decision-making process

• supporting information operational guidance
• Equal consideration

Can I make a robust decision with the information available?

A number of Scottish Adult DLA reviews will be submitted without confirmation from a professional. In those cases, it will not always be necessary for you to either

• request confirmation from a professional from the individual
• gather confirmation from a professional on behalf of the individual

You should refer to the Relevant considerations when making a determination as part of an award review (determination without application) guidance to determine whether you need supporting information, including a confirmation from a professional, to make a determination.

In cases where you determine supporting information is required, you may be able to establish good cause and make a robust entitlement determination without confirmation from a professional. You can read more about the meaning of good cause in this chapter’s section on Good Cause.

This is because confirmation from a professional is less likely to be available to people whose awards have transferred to Scottish Adult DLA, for example, because they have had their condition for a long time without any input from professionals.

What is supporting information?

Supporting information is information from:

• professionals
• the individual’s wider support network

It’s added to the information provided by the individual in their review form.

The review form should always be the main source of information that you use to determine entitlement to disability assistance.

There are two types of supporting information:

• confirmation from a professional
• additional supporting information

A confirmation from a professional can only come from a professional. The key role of this type of supporting information is to broadly confirm the individual’s conditions, disabilities or needs. It is likely that confirmation from a professional will provide little to no detail on how the individual is impacted by their condition or disability in their life and what their needs are.

Additional supporting information can come from the client’s wider support network or a professional. Its purpose is to help you establish the individual’s level of need and entitlement. It adds detail to the review form by describing the individual’s needs on a day-to-day basis.

Additional supporting information is just one decision-making tool available to you to help understand a case and make a determination. If you do need more information to make a decision, you should consider which tool would best provide this information. Additional supporting information will not always be the best tool to establish an individual’s entitlement.

For example, a follow-up call to the individual or a case discussion may be the easiest way to get further clarification rather than asking another professional or their wider support network.

For example, supporting information may provide details on:

• a diagnosis
• a treatment being received, such as medication or physiotherapy
• how an individual’s condition or disability impacts their life
• steps taken to find out about the individual’s condition and make a diagnosis
• aids and equipment that an individual uses to manage daily life
• support that the individual needs at work , in a club they attend, carrying out their interests/hobbies, or when attending social events, although this information is more likely to be found in additional supporting information.

The role of supporting information in the decision-making process

Supporting information, where available, should be used to support an individual’s application or review. It should not be used to “evidence” or “prove” every detail of what the individual has described.

Where an individual has not provided supporting information with their review, we will not automatically request it. Here, it is your responsibility to decide whether supporting information is needed for that particular determination.

However, where an individual provides supporting information with their review, it should always be considered in your decision-making process.

You are legally obligated to consider all relevant information in your decision-making process.

This applies to both the supporting information used as the confirmation from a professional or additional supporting information.

If supporting information has been provided, you will have to consider it. This is also the case if you already have enough detail to establish the individual’s needs, for example from their review form.

Possible formats

Supporting information can be:

• documentary
• written
• verbal
• photographic or video

Documentary

Documenrary supporting information is from professional sources. It consists of official documents that were not necessarily produced to support the individual’s review.

For example, a:

• report from a specialist doctor based on their interaction with the individual and medical records
• prescription list of the individual’s medications

Written

Written supporting information is a statement written for the purpose of supporting the individual’s Scottish Adult DLA review, rather than a pre-existing official document.

For example, a statement from a relative of the individual about the impact of their disability on their day-to-day life.

We can provide supporting information request forms to professionals and members of the individual’s wider support network, should you conclude that (more) supporting information is needed to make a robust determination. These have questions to help them give us necessary information.

Verbal

Verbal supporting information is taken directly from relevant sources.

For example, information provided over the phone by the individual’s wider support network about the impact of the individual’s condition.

Photographic or video

Pictures that have been taken by a medical professional as part of treatment or diagnosis, such as X-ray pictures, can be accepted as supporting information.

Individuals might also submit photographs or videos of their conditions. For example, a photograph of themselves in a wheelchair.

However, individuals are encouraged not to submit images or videos in support of an application.

Likewise, you must not ask the individual or the person acting on behalf of the applicant to submit personal photographs or videos.

However, if submitted, personal photographs or videos should not be discounted as the individual has clearly felt it important to share.

For more information on how photos/videos should be considered in the decision making process, see the understanding and interpreting chapter

Related reading

• Confirmation from a professional
• Additional supporting information
• Decision-Making Tools
• Supporting information request forms
• how to contact the individual’s wider support network by phone
• how to consider photographic supporting information
• Rates and Payment Chapter