The transfer process

Social Security Scotland and the Department for Work and Pensions work together during the transfer process, which begins in Autumn 2021.

Once Social Security Scotland has your details, they'll send you a letter to let you know that the transfer has begun.

The transfer takes about three months to complete.

Social Security Scotland will then send you another letter letting you know:

• that the transfer has ended
• when your award begins
• when they'll start paying you

Contact from Social Security Scotland during the transfer

Social Security Scotland may need to contact you to confirm:

• that your benefit has transferred
• any personal details
• residency status, including leave to remain

Social Security Scotland may need to contact you for other reasons, depending on the details they get from the Department for Work and Pensions.

To protect yourself against scammers learn more about how Social Security Scotland will contact you.

Why the transfer is happening

The Scotland Act 2016 gave Scotland new powers relating to social security, including responsibility over certain benefits like disability assistance.

Social Security Scotland are using these powers to create a Scottish social security system based on dignity, fairness and respect.

Disability benefits will be transferred to Social Security Scotland as part of this process. 

Find out more information about the benefits that are transferring to Social Security Scotland. 

Where to go for support

If you need support understanding how your benefit will transfer to Social Security Scotland help is available.

You must normally live in Scotland

To have your benefit transferred to Social Security Scotland, you must normally live in Scotland.

This means that:

• your only home, where you spend all of your time, is in Scotland
• you live outside of Scotland part of the time but regularly return home to Scotland

Your benefit will not transfer to Social Security Scotland if you move house during the transfer to:

• England
• Wales
• Northern Ireland

If you move from Scotland to anywhere else in the UK after the transfer

If you move from Scotland to anywhere else in the UK after the transfer, you’ll need to make a new application to:

• the Department for Work and Pensions (in England and Wales) 
• the Department for Communities (in Northern Ireland) 

The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Communities are not required to make the same level of award.

If you need to make a new application after moving from Scotland your payments may:

• go up
• go down
• stay the same
• stop altogether