MSP: Ministers quietly changed disability benefit payment targets
The Scottish Government has been accused of “moving the goalposts” after information about its flagship disability benefit was deleted from a website.
The adult disability payment provides financial support to people aged between 16 and state pension age who are disabled, have a long-term health condition or have a terminal illness.
Guidance for the payment stated that Social Security Scotland “aim to make a decision in 8-10 weeks”.
This target has now been removed from the website, with no update on how long processing applications will take.
Scottish Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy said: “The SNP are already breaking promises on social security – but instead of fixing the problem, they are moving the goalposts.
“This is a shameless attempt to hide the fact they’re missing their targets, and they’ve left far too many people waiting weeks on end for the help they urgently need.
“The SNP can’t just change targets to suit their failures – people need the fairer social security system they were promised.”
The benefit replaces the UK Government’s personal independence payment.
A Social Security Scotland spokesperson said: “Our priority is to give people timely decisions on their applications for the new adult disability payment, which is still in its pilot stage, and we are committed to making the right decisions first time, reducing the need for people to appeal decisions.
“Social Security Scotland will collect information on behalf of people so we have all the information we need from the start.
“Importantly, people who are entitled to adult disability payment will be paid from the day they applied.”