Benefits

WHERE TO START?

You can apply for Child Disability Payment (formerly Disability Living Allowance, DLA) for disabled children under 16, Social Security Scotland will pay Child Disability Payment until the child is 18. The payment has two different parts or components, the Care component and the Mobility component. There are three different rates for the care component and two for the mobility component, these are all dependant on your child’s needs. The care component is for children needing a lot of extra personal care, supervision or watching over because of their disability. It can be awarded from the age of 3 months (or from birth for the terminally ill). Which rate of care you receive depends on the amount of attention and/or supervision your child requires, day and/or night. They must have attention or supervision needs more than the normal requirements of a person of their age.

To qualify for the higher mobility rate your child must be aged 3 or over and unable to walk or have severe walking difficulties. The lower rate is paid for children 5 and over who can walk but needs extra guidance or supervision.

Keep a diary for a week before you attempt to complete the lengthy form, it will help you remember all the extra help your child needs over and above a child of the same age, day and night; e.g. any physiotherapy or speech therapy, extra washing, if you’re up during the night, how many times and for how long. Once your young person turns 18 they would apply for Adult Disability Payment (from Aug ’22), formerly Personal Independence Payment (PIP). If your child is awarded Child Disability Payment, it could mean that you’re entitled other benefits:

• Carers Allowance/Carers Credit

• Motability Scheme

• Universal Credit