The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has devolved some powers to Scotland, with the government north of the border launching a new benefit that will eventually see Attendance Allowance scrapped in the country.

Major DWP Attendance Allowance change for state pensioners 'starts today'

by · Birmingham Live

A major change for thousands of state pensioners on benefits starts today. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has devolved some powers to Scotland, with the government north of the border launching a new benefit that will eventually see Attendance Allowance scrapped in the country.

The government in Scotland is introducing a new benefit: the Pension Age Disability Payment. The benefit will give extra cash to pensioners suffering from long-term illnesses or who are terminally ill, the government has said.

The payments are open for pensioners in Argyll and Bute, Aberdeen, Orkney, Shetland and Highland before a nationwide rollout. Successful claimants will receive between £290 and £434 per month to help them, officials have said.

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Shirley-Anne Somerville, social justice secretary welcomed the rollout, saying it is “more important than ever that older disabled people across Scotland get all the financial support they are entitled to” due to the cost of living.

“This new benefit has been developed by listening to older disabled people and we have made many changes, including making it easier for them to nominate someone to support them in their engagement with Social Security Scotland, something they told us was important to them,” she said.

Tommy Campbell, an executive committee member at the Scottish Pensioners’ Forum, said: “We support many people of state pension age and over with long-term health conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s and arthritis who would really benefit from this financial support."

You can apply for the pension age disability payment now, if you are of state pension age and you live in Aberdeen City, Argyll and Bute, Highland, Orkney, Shetland. You’ll be able to apply from March 24 2025 if you live in Aberdeenshire, Angus and Clackmannanshire.

Dundee City, East Ayrshire, Falkirk, Fife, Moray, Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles), North Ayrshire, Perth and Kinross, South Ayrshire and Stirling will also be given the new benefit.