ADP Independent Review: Hear from our Director for Scotland

ADP is a benefit to help with the extra costs of being disabled or having a long-term health condition.

Since its introduction, we’ve been campaigning to change parts of the criteria that were kept from PIP: criteria that don’t work for people with fluctuating conditions like MS.

The Independent Review of ADP

The Scottish Government has now published the final report from the Independent Review of ADP, which began work in 2024.

For people living with MS in Scotland, this review marks an important moment in the fight for a benefits system that truly reflects their experience of MS.

Our Director for Scotland, Jo Anderson, said:

"We welcome the final report on the independent review into Adult Disability Payment (ADP). And we’re pleased the voice of the MS community has been listened to throughout the review process.

More than 17,000 people in Scotland live with multiple sclerosis (MS), and we estimate that almost half are claiming ADP. MS is a condition that affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord and this impacts how people move, think, and feel. Everyone’s MS is different and many of the symptoms people experience are invisible.  

MS is a fluctuating condition, meaning a person’s symptoms can vary from one day to the next, or even throughout the same day. The rigid eligibility criteria for ADP, particularly for the mobility component, make it impossible to accurately assess the needs of people living with a disability that fluctuates. That’s why we’ve been campaigning, alongside the MS community, to scrap the ‘20m rule’ and make changes to the ‘50% rule’.

We’ll now take some time to reflect upon the findings of the report and speak with people affected by MS. We’ll engage with the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament over the coming weeks, to further scrutinise the findings of the report and emphasise the importance of a system that understands and supports people living with a life-long condition like MS."

What’s the 20 metre rule?

The ‘20 metre rule’ is part of the eligibility criteria within the ‘Moving Around’ component of Adult Disability Payment. Under the rule, if a person can walk just one step further than 20 metres, even using a walking aid, they won’t qualify for the enhanced (higher) rate of mobility support. 

What’s the 50% rule?

The ‘50% rule’ is used to assess fluctuating conditions, like MS. The rule states that if a person’s symptoms affect them less than half the time, then they aren’t entitled to support in relation to them. For example, if someone uses a mobility aid for less than half the days in a month, they can’t make a claim in relation to that under the ‘Moving Around’ component. 

What’s next for the MS Society and ADP?

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be reviewing the recommendations the Independent Review makes in more detail and keeping our community updated on what they could mean for people with MS in Scotland.

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