Pension Age Disability Payment applications since 2020: FOI release
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
FOI Reference: FOI/202500494100
Date received: 10 November 2025
Date responded: 5 December 2025
Information requested
Request for information 1:
How many applications for Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP), previously Attendance Allowance, were received each year from 2020?
Request for information 2:
How many were routinely refused first time round?
Request for information 3:
How many appeals were lodged, and how many were successful?
Request for information 4:
How many times were GP’s consulted?
Response
Request for information 1:
Statistical information on the number of Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) applications received are available at our Official Statistics Publication page. This can be found in “Table 1 – Applications by month”.
The most recent publication provides statistics up to 31 July 2025 and can be accessed here:
Pension Age Disability Payment statistics to 31 July 2025
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
The next publication is due to be released on 16 December 2025 which will include statistics up to 31 October 2025. The publication can be accessed here:
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested. This is because prior to the launch of PADP on 21 October 2024 and the subsequent national roll out which was completed on 22 April 2025, Attendance Allowance applications and payments were managed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that Social Security Scotland does not have some of the information you have requested.
If you would like to request this information from DWP you can go to:
Make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to DWP
Request for information 2:
We have interpreted your request to mean the number of Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) applications that were denied at the first decision.
Statistical information on the outcomes of Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) applications are available at our Official Statistics Publication page. This can be found in “Table 1 – Applications by month”.
The most recent publication provides statistics up to 31 July 2025 and can be accessed here:
Pension Age Disability Payment statistics to 31 July 2025
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
The next publication is due to be released on 16 December 2025 which will include statistics up to 31 October 2025. The publication can be accessed here:
Request for information 3:
We have interpreted your request to mean how many times has a Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) decision been challenged by the applicant.
For Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) there is a two-stage process to challenge a decision. The first stage is called a re-determination, this considers your original benefit application and the information provided. The second stage is called an appeal. If you disagree with your re-determination (stage 1) decision, you have a right to make an appeal to the First-tier Tribunal.
Statistical information on Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) redeterminations are available at our Official Statistics Publication page. This can be found in “Table 19 – Re-determinations”.
The most recent publication provides statistics up to 31 July 2025 and can be accessed here:
Pension Age Disability Payment statistics to 31 July 2025
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
The next publication is due to be released on 16 December 2025 which will include statistics up to 31 October 2025. The publication can be accessed here:
The number of Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) appeals that have been lodged between 21 October 2024 and 10 November 2025 are shown in the table below:
| Financial Year | Number of appeals |
|---|---|
| 2024-2025 | 1 |
| 2025-2026 | 38 |
There has been 1 appeal withdrawn with the remaining 38 appeals yet to be completed.
Request for information 4:
We have interpreted your request to mean the number of times a GP was contacted by Social Security Scotland when processing Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) applications.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested would exceed the upper cost limit of £600. To ascertain if a GP has been contacted would require manual interrogation of over 10,000 cases.
Under section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12.
You may, however, wish to consider reducing the scope of your request in order that the costs can be brought below £600, for example, by asking for information on a small sample size. You may also find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner's 'Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs' on his website at: How do I ask for information?
About FOI
Social Security Scotland is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. The Scottish Government also publishes responses to requests.