The Scottish Government has announced that almost £60 million has been distributed to thousands of families with disabled children in the first year of a new devolved disability benefit. The latest official figures from Social Security Scotland show the families of nearly 44,000 children and young people were receiving Child Disability Payment in September this year.
The benefit replaces Disability Living Allowance for Children, which is delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and helps cover the extra costs of caring for a child with a disability, long-term health condition or is terminally ill, up to the age of 18. People already receiving Disability Living Allowance for Children do not need to make a new application as Social Security Scotland will contact them ahead of their award being automatically transferred to the new system.
This is happening in a phased approach and is expected to be completed by spring 2023.
