Child Disability Payment pays out more than £3m since launch

More than £3.25 million has been issued in disability payments to children and young people since Child Disability Payment launched.

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.

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.

“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.”

Background

• Most applications have been received from Glasgow City (14%), followed by North Lanarkshire (7%) and South Lanarkshire (6%)
• 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 as we will contact them ahead of their award being automatically transferred to the new system. This is happening in a phased approach and we aim to have the transfer process completed for everyone in receipt of Disability Living Allowance for children by spring 2023
• Following the successful introduction of case transfer from Disability Living Allowance for children awards to Child Disability Payment, we are increasing the number of people being transferred each month. Where we experience spikes in demand as we continue to roll out Adult Disability Payment and extend Scottish Child Payment the number of cases transferred may fluctuate
• Link to the statistics relating to this press release can be found here
• People can find out more and apply through mygov.scot or by calling 0800 182 2222.