Child Disability Payment pilot launches on 26 July

The new Child Disability Payment will be introduced initially in Dundee City, Perth and Kinross, and the Western Isles.

Child Disability Payment is a new support, delivered under the new Scottish social security system. It will replace Disability Living Allowance for Children, which is currently delivered through the Department for Work and Pensions. It provides extra money to help with the costs of caring for a child with a disability or long term health condition.

People can apply if they are a parent or main carer of a child who:

• is aged between 3 months and 16 years old
• has lived with a disability or long term health condition for 3 months or more and it is expected to continue for at least 6 months
• does not already receive Disability Living Allowance for children from Department for Work and Pensions.

The new Child Disability Payment will be launched initially as a pilot in three local authority areas. These areas are Dundee City, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles. The new benefit will be available across Scotland from autumn 2021.

This new support is there for families applying for disability assistance for the first time. Families who are currently getting Disability Living Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions don’t need to apply. Social Security Scotland will contact them in advance of when it is time to transfer over to Child Disability Payment and let them know when Social Security Scotland will start to make their payments. The amount they are paid, when they are paid and where they are paid to will all stay the same once they have transferred.

People in the three pilot areas can apply for Child Disability payment through mygov.scot (this link will take you away from our website) or by calling 0800 182 2222 from Monday 26 July.

Social Security Scotland have worked with people who will use this service to make sure it will meet their needs. It is hoped that the initial pilot will provide people a further chance to get people’s feedback.  Shirely-Anne Sommerville, Social Security Secretary, said that they “will continually invite input and adapt accordingly – this is key to making sure that we deliver the best possible service and  that we have a system that treats everyone with dignity, fairness and respect”.

Read more about Child Disability Payment via the Scottish Government website (this link will take you away from our website).

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