Adult Disability Payment and Other Help - I get the daily living component of ADP, what else can I get?

If you or your partner gets any rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment (ADP), you could get the extra benefits and other help listed below,

Severe Disability Premium

Premiums are extra amounts included in some benefits if you fit the criteria. The Severe Disability Premium is generally an extra £81.50 per week for each person (you or your partner) who qualifies.

If you or your partner is getting the daily living component of ADP and no one is claiming Carer's Allowance, Carer Support Payment, or Carer Element of Universal Credit for looking after you, and you are the only adult in the household or all the other adults also have a disability, you could get the Severe Disability Premium included in your Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

Read more about this premium on our Severe Disability Premium page.

If you are getting contributory Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), you may also get a top-up of income-related ESA if you qualify for a Severe Disability Premium. This doesn't apply if you get New Style ESA.

Severe Disability Premium is not paid with Universal Credit. People already getting Severe Disability Premiums in their benefits who then claim Universal Credit are entitled to transitional protection.

Housing Benefit and Universal Credit deductions

Non-dependant deductions can reduce your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Housing Element entitlement. If you or your partner gets the daily living component of ADP, your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit is not affected by non-dependants. 

Disregard from Council Tax

If you get the daily living component of ADP, you are severely mentally impaired and you have a doctor’s certificate that says you are severely mentally impaired, you do not count as an adult for Council Tax. This means that your partner or the person you live with could get 25% single person discount on their Council Tax bill even though you live with them.

You can find more information in our Council Tax Discounts guide. 

Carer’s Allowance / Carer Support Payment

Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment may be available to someone who looks after you. If you are getting the daily living component of ADP, your carer looks after you for 35 hours per week and your carer earns less than £151 per week, they may be able to claim Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment of £81.90 per week.

You can’t get the Severe Disability Premium included in your benefits if someone claims Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment for looking after you. 

You can also get Carer's Allowance Supplement, which is paid twice a year by the Scottish government to people who get Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment. In 2024, the payments are worth £288.60 and are made in July and December. 

Universal Credit Carer Element

The Carer Element of Universal Credit may be available to someone who looks after you. If you are getting the daily living component of ADP and your carer looks after you for 35 hours per week, they may be able to get the Carer element of up to £198.31 per month. You can’t get the Severe Disability Premium included in your benefits if someone claims the Carer element for looking after you. 

Child Winter Heating Payment

You may be eligible to get the Child Winter Heating Payment if you are under 19 and get the enhanced rate daily living component of Adult Disability Payment. This payment helps households with disabled children and young people manage heating costs.

For 2024/25, the payment is worth £251.50 and is usually paid automatically between December and January. You must have been receiving the enhanced rate of ADP for at least one day during the week of 16 to 22 September.

Bus Travel

If you get the daily component of ADP at any rate, you can apply for a disabled person's bus card. The card allows you to travel by bus for free within Scotland. If you qualify, a companion can also travel with you for free.