More than 60,000 receive disability payment due to anxiety disorder

More than 60,000 people in Scotland receive Adult Disability Payment (ADP) due to anxiety disorder, with the Scottish Conservatives calling the figures “astonishing”.

The party obtained freedom of information data showing 60,409 people receiving ADP have anxiety disorder as their “primary disability code”, as of the end of October 2025.

ADP is the devolved benefit which replaced the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in Scotland.

The figures also showed 10,507 people receive ADP due to ADHD, 1,422 were in receipt due to OCD and 277 were in receipt due to “social phobias”.

A total of 197,055 people received ADP due to “mental and behavioural disorders”.

Conservative MSP Alexander Stewart said: “With the SNP’s benefits bill ballooning, hard-working Scots will be dismayed to see the astonishing number of payments made for conditions like anxiety, ADHD and OCD.

“While there will obviously be individuals who have valid reasons for claiming adult disability payment, the huge growth in these payments suggests many are benefiting from the SNP’s soft-touch benefits regime which fails to tackle unnecessary or fraudulent claims.

“Scots should not be paying the highest taxes in the United Kingdom simply to fund the SNP benefits bill, which is why our party will be bringing forward our plans this week outlining how we would ensure the social security system is fair and delivers value for taxpayers.

“Unlike the other parties at Holyrood, including Reform, we believe in getting a grip of a rising benefits bill and ending the SNP’s sicknote culture which is deeply damaging for Scotland’s economy.”

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This stigmatising rhetoric about mental health ignores that Adult Disability Payment supports disabled people with everyday tasks many of us take for granted, and the Scottish Government remains committed to protecting this vital support.

“The Scottish Government will unapologetically continue to deliver measures to reduce poverty and inequality.

“Social security is a human right, and we are clear that supporting eligible disabled people with mental health problems is the right thing to do.”