From the 22nd November 2021, Scottish Child Disability Payments (CDP) is replacing Child Disability Payments (Child DLA), for any child under the age of 18 who is resident in Scotland.
The new benefit is the latest that will be rolled out by the Scottish Social Security Agency (SSSA) and can be applied for any child who is under the age 16 years old and has either a physical or mental disability or is terminally ill.
Although the benefit can only be applied for a Child who is under the age of 16 years old, it can be paid to a child up to the age of 18.
For those Children already in receipt of the UK’s Child Disability Payment, they do not need to do anything as gradually over the next year, all existing recipients of Child DLA will be migrated over onto Child Disability Payments by the Scottish Social Security Agency. The process of migrating the first tranche of children over will begin from the 22nd November and will include those children who are 15 years and 6 months old and those who are terminally ill. This will ensure those children will not have to apply for Personal Independence Payments when they turn 16 years old, unless they wish to (although Personal Independence Payments will be replaced next year by Adult Disability Payments by the Scottish Social Security Agency).
What is the Child Disability Payments?
CDP will be a new benefit, modelled largely on the UK’s Child Disability Living Allowance, but it will be administered by the Scottish Social Security Agency rather than the Department of Works and Pensions.
It is a benefit that will be available for the parents or guardians of children with disabilities to apply for. These disabilities can be physical or mental and don’t necessarily have had to have been diagnosed yet. The application process for the benefit will not just look at the illness the child suffers from, but also the symptoms and how those symptoms impact of the child’s life. They will look at not just the physical effects of the disability, but also the emotional and psychological effects.
There will be two components to the new benefit. One of which will be for the care needs and the other will be for the mobility needs (although mobility will only be available for children over the age of 3).
Care Components
There will be three levels that the Care Component can be awarded at. These will be
- Low (£23.70 per week)
- Middle (£60 per week); and
- High (£89.60 per week).
Low-Rate Care
Low-rate Care is for any child who need attention from someone for a significant part of the day, in connection with their bodily functions, due to either a physical of mental illness; or
If they are 16 years or older, due to a physical or mental illness, needs help with preparing a cooked meal for themselves (although you can only apply for Child CDP when you are under 16 years old, it can be paid until your 18 years old, unlike the UK’s Child Disability Living Allowance, that is only payable until the Child is 16 years old).
Middle-Rate Care
Middle-rate care is payable when a child needs:
Frequent attention from someone during the day, or prolonged or repeated attention at night in connection with their bodily functions due to a physical or mental disability; or
Continual supervision during the day, or another person to be awake for a prolonged period or at frequent intervals to avoid substantial danger to themselves or others; or
They are receiving renal dialysis treatment during the day or night at least twice a week.
High-Rate Care
High-rate care is payable when a child needs:
- Frequent attention from someone during the day and prolonged or repeated attention at night in connection with their bodily functions due to a physical or mental disability; or
- Continual supervision during the day and another person to be awake for a prolonged period or at frequent intervals to avoid substantial danger to themselves or others; or
- They are receiving renal dialysis treatment during the day or night at least twice a week; or
- They are terminally ill.
Mobility Payments
There are two levels of mobility Payments that can be applied for any child over the age of 3. These are:
- Low-Rate Mobility (£23.70 per week); and
- High-Rate Mobility (£62.55 per week).
Low-Rate Mobility
This rate of the mobility component is paid if the child is 5 years or older and can walk without equipment, but most of the time need guidance or supervision from someone to move around outdoors.
High-Rate Mobility
This rate of mobility is for children over 3 years old, if the child:
- Cannot walk or is virtually unable to move around outdoors due to their disability; or
- Has a severe visual disability or is blind and deaf; or
- Has a severe mental health disability; or
- Has severe behavioural disabilities, due to a severe mental health disability, and needs supervision during the day and at night to avoid substantial danger to themselves or others; or
- Would suffer a serious deterioration in their health due to the exertion of walking; or
- Is terminally ill.
If a child qualifies for the High-rate mobility component you can apply to the Mobility Scheme for an accessible vehicle.
How do you Apply?
You can apply by visiting the Scottish Social Security Agency website, but evidence shows Children and their families will have a greater chance of being successful if they seek independent advice and assistance in making the application. This can be obtained for free advice agencies across Scotland.
