Our response to the Scottish Government’s ADP Review

“A step forward, but young cancer patients cannot afford to wait” 

The Scottish Government has published its response (19 February) to the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment (ADP), led by Edel Harris OBE, setting out how it intends to act on review’s 58 recommendations. 

Young Lives vs Cancer welcomed the opportunity to feed into the review, submitting evidence and making recommendations grounded in our research, insight and the lived experience of those we support.  

We’re particularly pleased that the Scottish Government has committed to reviewing the 28-day hospital rule, which currently stops ADP payments after a patient has spent more than 28 days in hospital, including where this is across a series of short stays. For young cancer patients, who often face repeated short hospital admissions throughout their treatment, this rule has an unfair impact and creates an unnecessary administrative burden on them and their families at an already difficult time. We’re ready to work with the Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland to support this review. 

We also welcome commitments to reduce decision-making waiting times. Our research shows that following diagnosis, young cancer patients in Scotland wait an average of six months before receiving their disability benefits; this has a significant impact on them and their families, as on average they face £700 in additional costs every month as a result of living with cancer. To deal with these additional costs, almost one in two use savings and three in five borrow money while they wait for the benefits they are entitled to. 

Whilst many recommendations will be progressed, we are disappointed that a decision on vital reforms has been deferred until after the 2026 Scottish Parliament Elections, when action could be taken now. This includes our call for children and young people with cancer to be eligible for disability benefits — ADP, or Child Disability Payment for those under 16 — from the point of diagnosis. The Scottish Government’s own response to the review acknowledges two routes to achieving this: (a) automatic entitlement for people with certain conditions, and (b) removing the three-month qualifying period. A decision on both has been pushed back until after May. 

Sonia Malik, Associate Director of Policy, Influencing and Voice at Young Lives vs Cancer, said: 

“The Scottish Government’s commitment to review the 28-day hospital rule is a real and meaningful step forward, and one Young Lives vs Cancer has continually advocated for. But we can’t ignore that further reforms, including looking at automatic eligibility for certain groups and removing the qualifying period, would make the biggest difference to young cancer patients  yet a decision on these has been pushed back until after the upcoming election.  

Every year, more than 300 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer in Scotland. The impact of a cancer diagnosis doesn’t wait, and neither should the financial support that they need and deserve. 

We urge every party standing in May to make a commitment to reforming disability benefits to ensure children and young people with cancer, and their families, can access the support they are entitled to from the moment of diagnosis.”