PIP ADHD Scotland Re-determination: Challenging an ADP Decision

If you live in Scotland and your Adult Disability Payment decision for ADHD came back with fewer points than you expected — or no award at all — the challenge route works differently from PIP in England and Wales. Scotland uses a process called re-determination, and it comes with a financial safety net that the rest of the UK doesn't have.

What Re-determination Is

A re-determination asks Social Security Scotland to look at your ADP decision again with fresh eyes. It is Scotland's equivalent of the Mandatory Reconsideration used for PIP in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland — but with some important differences.

You have 42 calendar days from when you were told of your right to request re-determination to submit your request. That clock starts after a 48-hour period from when the determination was issued. If you miss the 42 days, you can still request one for up to 12 months with a good reason — executive dysfunction, hospital admission, or not understanding the process can all count.

Social Security Scotland must complete the re-determination within 56 calendar days. If they miss that deadline, you gain an automatic right to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland — you don't need to wait for their decision.

How to Request It

You can request a re-determination by phone (0800 182 2222), online through mygov.scot, or using the paper form available from Social Security Scotland. You don't need to submit new evidence at this stage, though you can — and you should if you have it.

When requesting, explain clearly why you disagree with the decision. Focus on the specific activities and descriptors where you think the scoring was wrong, and reference the reliability criteria: can you do the activity safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, and within a reasonable time?

Short-Term Assistance: Scotland's Safety Net

This is unique to Scotland and genuinely important. If an existing ADP award is reduced or removed on review, you can apply for Short-Term Assistance (STA) at the same time as requesting your re-determination.

STA tops up your income to match your previous award level while the re-determination (and any subsequent appeal) is processed. It is non-repayable — even if the tribunal ultimately dismisses your appeal, you don't have to pay STA back. This removes the financial pressure that forces many people in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to accept reduced awards rather than challenge them.

Apply for STA using the ADP Re-determination/STA form, available from Social Security Scotland or mygov.scot.

If the Re-determination Fails

If Social Security Scotland upholds the original decision, you have 31 calendar days from the date on the re-determination notice to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Social Security Chamber). The tribunal is independent of Social Security Scotland and looks at your case from scratch.

Scotland's tribunal process is designed to be less adversarial than the GB system. Social Security Scotland may accept the tribunal's decision rather than defending it — though this is not guaranteed.

Evidence That Matters

Scotland's ADP system places weight on supporting information from people who know you. Unlike PIP in England and Wales where outsourced assessment providers carry out most consultations, Social Security Scotland gathers supporting information directly and only uses consultations when other evidence isn't enough.

This means a strong carer statement, a detailed diagnostic report, and GP records showing ongoing functional impact can be decisive at re-determination without you ever attending an assessment. Make sure your evidence specifically addresses the descriptors and the reliability criteria — not just your diagnosis.

Our ADHD claim guide covers Scotland's ADP system alongside PIP, including the re-determination process, STA, and how to evidence ADHD executive dysfunction in terms that Social Security Scotland's case managers assess.

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