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Literature Review: Decision-making for Adult Disability Payment

This literature review commissioned by the Scottish Commission on Social Security and produced by The Lines Between, explores decision-making for Adult Disability Payment.

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Contents

5. Short-term Assistance

This chapter covers available data on Short-term Assistance, including national statistics and personal accounts of deciding whether to apply for the temporary benefit.

5.1 What is short-term assistance

In 2018, Social Security Scotland introduced Short-term Assistance (STA), a temporary payment to assist people who are challenging a review determination received for ADP, Child Disability Payment (CDP) or Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP). The payment is meant to assist people during the redetermination or appeals period to ensure they are not deprived of needed assistance and for that reason STA is only available to clients who are challenging decisions that reduce or end their ADP, CDP or PADP award. STA is available for clients until the First-tier Tribunal (FtT) make a final determination. STA is not available for further appeals to higher courts or the Upper Tribunal.

STA does not need to be repaid if an individual is unsuccessful in challenging the determination that changed their original award. However, people may need to return STA if there have been instances of fraudulent application. STA was created to ensure that people can continue to receive their benefit award and enable their right to appeal a determination without financial risk. While there was some concern raised in a SCoSS report in 2021 that it may incentivise applicants whose award has been ended or diminished to extend their payment period, there has been no evidence to speak to that concern since the rollout of the award in 2022.¹

5.2 What statistics are available about the uptake of Short-term assistance

There were 4,340 cases that received STA by 31 October 2025.² Social Security Scotland presents raw data on STA, which has been charted in the graphs below. While the breakdown is not available by individual cases, Social Security Scotland provides data broken down by payments of STA. A total of £4.6 million has been paid since the start of the award and ‘£1.6 million was paid in the latest published quarter’, which would align with the increase in the cases per month paid.³ This rapid increase in uptake is reflected in the chart below, which draws on official statistics released by Social Security Scotland.⁴

Social Security Scotland data enables a comparison of the trends in redeterminations and appeals against the changes in uptake of STA. It is important to note that Social Security Scotland presents total redeterminations and appeals on a case basis whereas they only report on STA on a payment basis. While the uptake is visible in the payment changes over time, without data on a case basis, it is not possible to do an exact comparison of the figures.

The graph below shows the change in STA payments over time as compared to the change in redetermination and appeals cases. This chart starts with November 2022, which is the first month that data was collected for all three statistics.⁵ Social Security Scotland provides data on redetermination and appeals broken into two categories, ‘new applicants’ and ‘case transfer’. However, there is no data to indicate how they classify ADP clients undergoing a review. For that reason, the data cannot be broken down further into groups eligible for STA.

The initial trend in growth for both redeterminations and appeals accelerates much earlier on and then levels out as compared to uptake of STA (by payments made). A lack of awareness or confusion about STA could explain slower uptake. This is reflected by client feedback research conducted by Social Security Scotland and research conducted during the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment.⁶ ⁷ A CAS briefing paper covering the third quarter of the 2025-2026 financial year, notes requests for assistance with applications for STA was ‘three times higher this Q than the same time last year’.⁸ However, no further research has been conducted to understand the sudden rapid growth in uptake of STA.

5.3 Experiences of Short-term assistance

The Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment acknowledged the difficulties or confusion people may face when considering an application for STA. The report acknowledges fewer cases of STA paid than originally planned. At the date of reporting, Harris notes that Social Security Scotland paid 2,245 cases of STA.⁹ However, in the same period there were 3,630 planned award reviews where the outcome of the review was a reduction or stopping of the award.¹⁰ The review suggests that rather than asking clients to apply for STA, Social Security Scotland should award STA to all those eligible, allowing anyone to opt out who wished to do so, something discounted by the Scottish Government in their response to the review.¹¹ ¹²

In 2024, Social Security Scotland surveyed their clients to better understand experiences of re-determinations, appeals and complaints. They asked all respondents, regardless of their eligibility, of their awareness of STA¹³, which may inaccurately represent the awareness and experience of STA by those who were eligible to apply. Their research found that only 9% of survey respondents were aware of Short-term Assistance, with 84% saying they were not aware and 6% saying they did not know or could not remember.¹⁴ Respondents highlighted confusion about the eligibility criteria and term of the award.¹⁵ For example, of those who were aware of the award, some felt that the description of the award and eligibility was confusing and one specifically mentioned confusion around the information provided in an award letter. A few mentioned that they felt the staff at Social Security Scotland did not have good knowledge of eligibility with one respondent highlighting an incident where staff told them they were eligible for STA even though they did not receive an award with their initial decision.¹⁶ Only small number of respondents to the survey felt encouraged to request STA alongside their redetermination.¹⁷

Of the survey respondents, including those who were ineligible, only 4% had applied for STA. Among respondents who left further comments, some reflected positive experiences with a process they described as straightforward. However, a few others described issues with the payments, either late delivery of the award or receiving the wrong award.¹⁸

“It was good but I then got a letter saying that I had been overpaid, this made me feel upset even though I am not required to pay it back. I feel like I am being told that I shouldn’t have applied.”³⁷

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) raised an important finding in a blog post and subsequent case study. They suggested that a few people may be at a financial disadvantage when applying for STA, because it, unlike ADP or CDP, is not a passporting benefit or a benefit that qualifies the recipient for further benefit assistance. Receipt of STA rather than ADP paid in arrears may disqualify payment of other support benefits, such as carers payments during that time resulting in a loss of overall money for that period. They note that this is not only dependent on the financial situation of those applying and the immediate need for income in that period but is a concern none the less.³⁹

5.4 Summary

Short-term Assistance (STA) was designed to prevent financial hardship and protect clients’ rights and dignity of while they challenge reduced disability payments. However, uptake has remained low relative to the number of people who Social Security Scotland would consider eligible. Official statistics indicate that STA payments have increased rapidly in recent years, which is an expected trend given the eligibility requirements of the award. Yet, it seems that uptake could still be lagging behind the volume of eligible redeterminations and appeals, suggesting that STA is not yet functioning as a fully embedded or consistently accessed award.

Client surveys suggest that awareness of the payment is limited as is understanding of eligibility requirements.⁴⁰ However there are concerns around the data collection methodology for that survey, which could unnecessarily skew the data to make it seem less well known than it actually is among those eligible. Further research will help ensure STA meets its intended role of enabling people to pursue redeterminations and appeals without financial detriment and will ensure that it does not work as an incentive to prolong an award that has been diminished or terminated.

5.5 Identified research gaps

Given the recent, quick increase in STA award rates, trends in data are difficult to establish.

5.5.1 Qualitative research gaps

There is no data to explain why certain eligible clients decide to apply and why others do not.
There is no clear understanding provided as to the rapid increase in the uptake of the award and if that has been the impact of greater communications about the award or the impact of the voluntary sector.
There is no data to speak to how the availability of STA may impact decision to request redeterminations or appeals.

5.5.2 Quantitative research gaps

There is no understanding of the overall financial impacts of accepting STA alongside benefits that have been passported with ADP, CDP or PADP.