Scotland welfare benefits
If you are disabled, you may be entitled to benefits and financial support. This page explains what help is available.
What disability benefits can I claim?
Disability benefits
Disability benefits in Scotland are not means-tested, which means your entitlement isn't affected by how much money you have. Instead, the amount of benefit you receive will depend on how severe your disability is.
If you need help with day-to-day tasks because of a mental illness or physical disability, you may be able to get personal independence payments or attendance allowance (if you're 65 and over).
If you can't work because you are disabled, you may be able to claim employment and support allowance,
If you've been injured in an accident at work, you may be entitled to industrial injuries disablement benefit and constant attendance allowance.
If you were injured and disabled while serving in the army, you may be entitled to war disablement pension/armed forces compensation scheme and constant attendance allowance.
Income-related benefits
If you are on a low income, you may be able to claim:
Additional support is available through these benefits for disabled people.
Carers
If you have a carer, they may be able to claim carer's allowance.
Social fund
You may also be able to get a community care grant, a budgeting loan or a crisis grants from the social fund to help you set up home.
Getting help with benefits
Working out which benefits you can claim can be complicated - and filling in the forms can be worse. So it's a good idea to get some help from a Citizens Advice Bureau, welfare rights agency or a disability advice service.
An adviser can help you:
find out what you're entitled to
fill in the forms
sort out any problems with your benefits.
You can also call the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 882 200 for help with filling in benefit forms. If you are deaf or have a hearing impairment you can use the minicom line on 0800 24 33 55.
Financial help and support for disabled people
You may be able to get help to pay for housing support and other care costs yourself, including self-directed support (direct payments), so you can arrange and pay for your own care services.
In addition, depending on your situation, you may be entitled to additional financial support, such as:
Support from the independent living fund
Help to pay for adaptations - Care and Repair - check your council website and charities
Help with heating bills - winter fuel bills or cold weather payments and home efficiency and free online efficiency check