Supporting clients moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK

Clients can find information on moving to Scotland in our guide on mygov.scot.

It explains:

what they need to do and when
who to contact for support

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) disability and carer benefits have been replaced with new benefits in Scotland. This has happened as part of Scottish devolution.

It’s estimated that the case transfer of all disability and carer benefits from DWP to Social Security Scotland will be complete by the end of 2025.

Once the process of case transfers ends, clients who move to Scotland from the rest of the UK will follow the process of making a new application for the replacement Scottish benefit.

These new applications will be processed by Social Security Scotland for the following benefits:

Replacement Social Security Scotland benefits
DWP benefit	Replacement Social Security Scotland benefit
Attendance Allowance	Pension Age Disability Payment
Carer's Allowance	Carer Support Payment
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults	Scottish Adult DLA
Disability Living Allowance for children	Child Disability Payment
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)	Adult Disability Payment

Launch dates for the new process

This new application process for clients who move to Scotland from the rest of the UK will go live for each benefit as follows:

Thursday 6 November 2025

For:

Adult Disability Payment
Carer Support Payment
Child Disability Payment

Monday 23 February 2026

For:

Pension Age Disability Payment
Scottish Adult DLA

Unlike case transfers, we will not get any client record details from DWP when a client moves to Scotland from the rest of the UK.

We’re relying on clients making a new application with us after they’ve told the relevant government department that pays their benefits. This will either be the DWP or the Department for Communities Northern Ireland (NI).

Once a client tells DWP or the Department for Communities (NI) they’ve moved to Scotland, they’ll get a disallowance (‘goodbye’) letter from DWP or the Department for Communities (NI) to say:

when their DWP award entitlement and payments will end
what Social Security Scotland benefit they can apply for
to contact Social Security Scotland, call free on 0800 182 2222
how to find out more at mygov.scot/moving-to-scotland

This triggers a 13 week run-on period, which means DWP or the Department for Communities (NI) will continue to pay a client’s disability and carer benefits for 13 weeks from their date of move.

If a client moves to Scotland from England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, they’ll need to:

Tell their benefit provider their change of address as soon as they move to Scotland.
Make a new application to Social Security Scotland for the replacement Scottish disability and carer benefits.
Plan ahead.

Social Security Scotland can help them get everything they’re entitled to.

Advise clients to act quickly to reduce the risk of any disruption or delays to:

their disability or carer award payments
processing their new application
any other related benefits they get
support available to them

Signpost clients to the Moving to Scotland guide on mygov.scot to make a checklist based on their own circumstances. It’ll help them find out:

what they need to do and when
who to contact for support
the documents that’ll help Social Security Scotland process their application

The sooner a client submits their application the better. This will help us reduce the risk of a break in payment.

Application submission deadlines by benefit
Benefit name	Time to submit application
Adult Disability Payment	Clients will have up to 26 weeks from their date of move to complete part 1, and 34 weeks from their date of move to complete part 2.
Carer Support Payment	Clients will have up to 26 weeks from their date of move to complete their full application.
Child Disability Payment	Clients will have up to 26 weeks from their date of move to complete part 1, and 32 weeks from their date of move to complete part 2.
Pension Age Disability Living Allowance	Clients will have up to 26 weeks from their date of move to complete part 1, and 34 weeks from their date of move to complete part 2.
Scottish Adult DLA	Clients will have up to 26 weeks from their date of move to provide their details to Social Security Scotland, and 34 weeks from their date of move to submit their Scottish Adult DLA request form.

If a client misses these deadlines, they can still apply for the benefits mentioned above under business as usual new application rules. This means they will not get their application backdated.

Deadlines may be extended for cases with good cause.

Find information on the definition of good cause under the decision making guide for each benefit.

There is no part 2 application for Carer Support Payment, only a one-part form.

Clients can find details on making a new application to Social Security Scotland on mygov.scot, either:

online
by phone
on paper

Social Security Scotland can take several weeks to process applications. If clients delay applying, they could:

have a break in payment
miss out on benefits or money they might be entitled to

Advise clients to apply online or by phone to reduce the risk of any delays.

Scottish Adult DLA is not open for new applications like other benefits, it's only available for people with an award of DLA. If a client gets DLA for adults they can find more information and contact details for Social Security Scotland on mygov.scot.

There’s a different disability benefits application process for clients with a terminal illness who move to Scotland from the rest of the UK. This is called an application under Special Rules for Terminal Illness.

There is no part 2 application for clients who are terminally ill. There is instead a dedicated Special Rules for Terminal Illness application process, either:

with a one-part application form on the mygov.scot website
a dedicated pathway to process the application over the phone
clients with a terminal illness with an award of DLA at the time of their move should contact Social Security Scotland to ask about Scottish Adult DLA. Scottish Adult DLA is not open for new applications like other benefits, it's only available for people with an award of DLA.

The information requested from a client in this process is equivalent to part 1 of a normal rules application, with the additional need for supporting information confirming the terminal illness (the clinical judgement), and payment details.

The definition of terminal illness in Scotland is different to the rest of the UK.

Outside of Scotland, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) provides disability benefits for those with a terminal illness. These benefits are awarded under ‘special rules for end of life’.

Benefits awarded under Special Rules for Terminal Illness by Social Security Scotland differ from the rest of the UK in two ways:

Social Security Scotland does not require a client’s healthcare professional to determine life expectancy when supporting their application
they're lifetime awards and we will not review them unless their circumstances change

Clients can apply for Scottish disability benefits if they have a terminal illness on mygov.scot.

It's free for clients or their representative to apply to Social Security Scotland in a language that’s not English. This is only available over the phone.

Contact Social Security Scotland to apply over the phone. This can be done in over 100 languages with an interpreter they’ll give you on the phone. You can also book a call in advance.

The online and paper application forms are only in English.

When a client applies they can ask that any letters Social Security Scotland send them to be in another language or format.

We’ll send both a letter in plain English and a letter in the preferred language or format.

We can usually provide information between 2 and 4 working days in these languages:

Polish
Russian
Romanian
Arabic
Urdu
French

For some of our letters, it may take longer.

We can also provide information in other languages but it may take longer.

We can provide information in these formats:

large print
easy read
braille
audio recording

We can provide these services for clients who need them:

British Sign Language interpretation
text relay
electronic note takers
Deafblind interpreters
communicator guide with Deafblind people
lipspeakers
palantypists

Contact Social Security Scotland to request a letter in a different language or format.

Who else a client needs to tell about their change of circumstances depends on which benefits they get.

Clients will need to report their change of address to more than one organisation, if they get more than one of these benefits:

Universal Credit
Pension Credit
Housing Benefit
Child Benefit
other benefits including Employment and Support Allowance

Clients moving to Scotland from England or Wales can find contact details for the relevant government department on GOV.UK.

Clients moving to Scotland from Northern Ireland can find contact details for the relevant government department on nidirect.gov.uk.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will normally tell Motability if their client has moved to Scotland.

Clients should contact Motability and their vehicle insurer to give them their new address. This means Motability can then keep them updated on any information related to their lease.

To contact Motability clients can either:

call Motability on 0300 456 4566
sign in to their Motability account
for more contact options, go to the Motability website

If a client’s application to Social Security Scotland is successful

Their new entitlement to the replacement Social Security Scotland benefit may be backdated to the day after their DWP or the Department for Communities (NI) benefit stops. The DWP or the Department for Communities (NI) benefit should be paid for 13 weeks after they move to Scotland.

The backdated period will depend on the client’s circumstances and when they apply.

Clients could experience a break in payment. Depending on when a client makes a new application and on Social Security Scotland application processing times, this could happen from 13 weeks after their date of move because:

the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or the Department for Communities (NI) will end their award entitlement from 13 weeks after they move
they're still waiting for Social Security Scotland to process their application

Anyone moving from the rest of the UK to Scotland getting any of the disability or carer benefits could be affected by a break in payments. This could affect their eligibility for any linked benefits or support.

If there is a break in a client’s disability benefits, it could affect the Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment of anyone who is getting those benefits or caring for them.

If a client’s DWP benefit has already stopped and they have a break in payment, you can signpost them to:

Clients who make a new application are not eligible for Short-term Assistance. This is because Short-term Assistance is only available when a client is challenging a decision to reduce or stop a disability payment they already get from Social Security Scotland.

Before they move, advise clients to collect and store all their benefit-related paperwork in one place.

Clients may need supporting information to help Social Security Scotland process their benefit application and to avoid delay or disruption to payments.

Supporting information is information for disability benefits that:

confirms a person’s conditions, disability or needs
describes the impact the conditions or disability has on that person’s life

Supporting information for Carer Support Payment includes information that confirms a person’s:

employment
earnings
expenses

This is usually copies of documents or letters the client may already have at home.

When a client applies for a benefit or reports a change in circumstances, Social Security Scotland may ask them to send in some documents. This is to help them make a final decision or process their changes.

Clients can find out more about documents they’ll need on mygov.scot.

If a client needs proof of a benefit application

Clients have the right to get a copy of any information the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or the Department for Communities (NI) holds about them. This is called the 'right of access'.

You can share links with clients about:

Identify and verification checks

Photo evidence with an old address is acceptable, but clients will also need to provide other evidence of their current address to clear a check.

If a person has the legal right to act for someone applying

A person does not need to apply to become an appointee if they already have the legal right to act for someone. This could be because they have:

Power of Attorney
a Guardianship order
a Deputy order in England and Wales
a Controller order in Northern Ireland
another court order allowing them to manage the person’s benefits

Social Security Scotland will need to see proof of their legal rights. They’ll ask the person to send them the original legal documents or certified copies.

To find out more about the different types of legal representatives in Scotland and the rest of the UK, read the statutory client representative guidelines on the Social Security Scotland website:

Part 2: Parents and legal guardians of children
Part 3: Power of Attorney
Part 4: Guardians and Court Appointed Acting Bodies

Clients can find information about acting on behalf of someone applying for benefits on mygov.scot.

If a person wants to become an appointee

A person can apply to become an appointee if they do not already have the legal right to act for a client.

A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) appointee cannot normally act for someone’s Social Security Scotland applications and awards. This is because Scottish law about appointees is different to UK law. Scottish law aims to give greater protection to disabled adults and support their wishes and feelings.

To find out more about the appointee process, read the statutory client representative guidelines on the Social Security Scotland website:

Part 5: Introduction to Social Security Scotland appointees

Clients can find information about becoming an appointee on mygov.scot.

Third party representatives

If a client can make their own decisions, they cannot have an appointee. However, a person can still help them as a third party representative.

To find out more about the third party representative process, read the statutory client representative guidelines on the Social Security Scotland website:

Part 7: Third party representative

Clients can find out how to set up a third party representative and the form on mygov.scot.

We’ll make sure we consider safeguarding for clients who move to Scotland from the rest of the UK. This is because some clients might have been without funds for some time if their qualifying benefit and any related benefits have stopped.

If backdating is for a substantial amount and a client is vulnerable, we’ll help vulnerable clients manage high value payments.

If we decide a client is eligible for a Social Security Scotland benefit, we’ll normally pay this from the day after their DWP benefit stops.

We’ll send them an award letter to tell them:

their award rates
when their Social Security Scotland benefit will start
their regular payment details
if they’re due a one-time payment if their award is backdated
their right to request a re-determination if they disagree with the decision
their right to request an appeal if they disagree with the outcome of any re-determination

If the client thinks their Social Security Scotland disability or carer award is wrong, they can ask Social Security Scotland to look at their decision again. This is called a ‘re-determination’. A client can only ask for a re-determination once they’ve got their award letter from us.

Clients have the right to appeal Social Security Scotland’s re-determination decision about their disability or carer award.

Find out more about what re-determinations and appeals are on mygov.scot.

Clients cannot withdraw their re-determination request once they’ve made it. This is because Social Security Scotland is legally required to complete the re-determination process and give the client a new decision.

How to request a re-determination or appeal

Find out more about how to request a re-determination or appeal on mygov.scot.

If a client’s Scottish disability benefit is reduced or stopped, they may be able to access Short-term Assistance while they challenge this decision.

Clients can get independent support and advice from Citizens Advice Scotland.

Client can either:

call them free on 0800 028 1456
go to the Citizens Advice Scotland website

Other support organisations

If a client has a disability or care needs, they can get independent support after they move to Scotland.

A free independent advocacy service funded by the Scottish Government is provided by VoiceAbility.

If a client needs an advocate, they can:

contact Social Security Scotland
ask them to refer you to VoiceAbility

To contact Social Security Scotland:

call free on 0800 182 2222, 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
use Social Security Scotland's webchat
Text Relay Service on 18001 +0300 244 4000
British Sign Language users can go to Contact Scotland BSL

To contact VoiceAbility direct:

call 0300 303 1660, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
go to the VoiceAbility website
email: SocialSecurityAdvocacy@voiceability.org

Supporting clients moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK

Moving to Scotland guide for clients