More than £130 million has been distributed to thousands of
families with disabled children since the launch of a Scottish
Government benefit.
The latest official figures show the families of over 54,000
children and young people were receiving Child Disability Payment
in December last year.
Just over 13,000 of these are from new applications. More than
41,000 children and young people have had their award transferred
from Disability Living Allowance for children from the Department
for Work and Pensions (DWP) to Child Disability Payment.
Social Security Scotland are on course to have transferred the
awards of almost everyone still receiving Disability Living
Allowance (DLA) for Children in Scotland by Spring.
Child Disability Payment helps cover the extra costs of caring
for a disabled or terminally ill child or young person.
Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said:
“Child Disability Payment helps parents to support their children
and assists young people to live their lives to the fullest.
Therefore, it is welcome news that so far more than £130 million
in Child Disability Payments has been distributed to thousands of
families with disabled children, to help cover extra costs.
“New applications are increasing, and Social Security Scotland is
working to process these as quickly as they can, while seeking to
ensure that right decisions are made first time. We are only
being asked to look again at decisions in a very small proportion
of cases.
“The process of transferring people’s awards from the DWP’s DLA
for children to our Child Disability Payment is also continuing
at pace, and on course to be almost entirely complete in the
Spring.
“The Scottish social security system has been designed in
partnership with those who have experience of applying for
benefits previously. This has helped us to build a system that is
easier to access, and where people are treated with dignity,
fairness and respect.
“I urge anyone who thinks they, their child or someone they know
may be eligible for Scottish Government benefits to check and
apply.”
Jamee Killin, from Edinburgh, applied for Child Disability
Payment for her daughter who has ADHD. She said: “The process of
applying was straightforward and the staff were extremely
helpful. I have already recommended it to people and would urge
anyone who thinks they might be eligible to apply.”
