More than £3.25 million has been issued in disability payments to children and young people since Child Disability Payment launched, the Scottish Government has announced.
It is estimated that as of 31 March 2022 a total of 3,050 children and young people were in receipt of the payment.
The total number receiving payments includes 555 people who have had their Disability Living Allowance for children payment transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Figures for 26 July 2021 to 31 March 2022 include an initial pilot period where Child Disability Payment was only available in Dundee City, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles local authority areas. The benefit opened to people across Scotland in November 2021. Payments began in February for children and young people whose awards transferred from DWP.
Almost three quarters (74%) of applications were made online, with 16% by phone.
For people whose payments are moving from DWP to Social Security Scotland, cases are being transferred automatically and you do not need to reapply.
People receiving Child Disability Payment can get payments to cover care and mobility. Half (50%) of those applications were found to be entitled to both components, with 49% awarded care only and 1% mobility only
The care component has three rates, high, middle and low. In all, 40% of applicants were found to be entitled to the highest rate, 40% to the middle, and 20% to the lowest rate of the care component. Child Disability Payment provides money to help with the extra care and mobility costs children and young people with a disability may have, up to the age of 18.
Child Disability Payment replaces the UK Government’s Disability Living Allowance for children. Those already receiving Disability Living Allowance for children do not need to make a new application. The Government says your award will be “automatically transferred to the new system” in a “phased approach” which should be complete by Spring of 2023.