The Scottish Government has announced that more than £3.25 million has been issued in disability payments to over 3,000 children and young people since Child Disability Payment launched in November 2021.
It is estimated that as of March 31, 2022 a total of 3,050 people under the age of 16 were in receipt of the payment which provides support towards the extra costs that a disabled child may have due to a long-term illness, mental or physical health condition.
The payment replaced Disability Living Allowance for Children in Scotland at the end of November, following a successful pilot launch in three council areas in July. The total number receiving payments also includes 555 people who have had their Disability Living Allowance for Children payment transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Almost three quarters (74%) of applications for the new benefit have been made online.
Commenting on the figures, Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said: “Social security is a shared investment in building a fairer Scotland and we encourage those who are eligible for support to apply.
“It is excellent to see that Child Disability Payment is already making a difference to the lives of thousands of children and young people, and their families.
“Families who find themselves in need of support can access this help in a way that suits them best. For the first time anywhere in the UK, we have an online application facility for applying for our disability benefits , and the high number of people choosing to use this demonstrates that we have been responsive to the way people want to access social security.”
He added: “We are determined to ensure there is a seamless process for all recipients whose payments are moving from DWP to Social Security Scotland, and we will continue to transfer cases in a safe and secure manner. Importantly, the process is automatic - people do not need to reapply and they will be kept informed at all times.”
Mark Ballard, Head of Policy for the National Deaf Children’s Society Scotland, said: “It’s been very important to have such positive and productive discussions with Social Security Scotland around our shared goal of making the new Child Disability Payment work for deaf children.
“Social Security Scotland has consistently taken on board our feedback, which is based on both the lived experience of the families we work with and our own specialist knowledge.
“We look forward to continuing to work with them to develop and enhance Scottish benefits for deaf children and their families.”
Who should apply for Child Disability Payment
Child Disability Payment provides support for the extra costs that a disabled child may have.
You can apply for Child Disability Payment for a disabled child under 16 - the disability can be mental or physical.
You can also apply for Child Disability Payment if the disabled child does not have a diagnosis.
In such cases, you can tell Social Security Scotland about:
- how they are affected
- any symptoms they may have
Social Security Scotland will pay Child Disability Payment until the child is 18. They can sometimes continue making payments after the child is 18.
This can happen when the young person:
- is terminally ill
- has moved from Disability Living Allowance for Children to Child Disability Payment
- is waiting for a decision on their Adult Disability Payment application
- has moved to Scotland from another part of the UK and is now getting Child Disability Payment
Payment components and rates
Child Disability Payment is tax-free and made up of two components:
- Care
- Mobility
Children:
- 3 months old or over may qualify for the care component
- 3 years old or over may qualify for the mobility component
A child's care and mobility needs are not only about their physical ability.
They can include:
- emotional difficulties
- behavioural difficulties
- mental difficulties
- developmental difficulties
- learning difficulties
Care component
This has 3 different payment rates:
- Lowest - £24.45
- Middle - £61.85
- Highest - £92.40
Mobility component
There are 2 payment rates for the mobility component:
- Lower - £24.45
- Higher - £64.50
If you are considering making an application for Child Disability Payment, Social Security Scotland has provided sample questions you may be asked - find out more here.
Social Security Scotland advises that these are for reference only and should not be used to make an application.
Find out more about the benefit on mygov.scot here.
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