Child Disability Payment in Scotland

Child Disability Payment (CDP) provides support for the extra costs of looking after a disabled child. It has replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children and young people living in Scotland.

Your child’s disability can be mental or physical and you can still apply even if your child does not have a formal diagnosis.

They can get Child Disability Payment until they turn 18.

Once your child turns 18, they will need to apply for Adult Disability Payment. This does not happen automatically. They can apply from when they are 15 (soon to turn 16) up to their 18th birthday. If they apply in time and their application is successful, there will no gap in payments.

Any adult with parental responsibilities and rights can apply for Child Disability Payment on behalf of the child if the child:

• Is under 16
• Lives in Scotland

If your child gets Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

If your child already gets DLA, you do not need to apply for Child Disability Payment. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will keep paying DLA until your child is moved over to CDP. Social Security Scotland will send you a letter to let you know the transfer has started.

The transfer usually takes about three months to complete but there will be no gaps in payment.

Once the transfer is complete, you’ll get another letter confirming:

• The transfer is complete
• The date your CDP award starts
• When your first payment will be made

If you’re under 16 and applying for yourself

If you’re under 16 and want to apply for Child Disability Payment yourself, Social Security Scotland will look at your application and your situation to decide whether you can manage your own benefit. They may need to ask you more questions or speak to people who know you.

Child Disability Payment is a tax-free benefit and has two parts (called components). These are:

• Care component
• Mobility component

Children aged three months to under three years may qualify for the care component only. Children aged three years and older may qualify for both the care and mobility components, depending on their needs.

Care component

The care component has three rates:

• Lowest
• Middle
• Highest

The rate your child gets depends on how much support they need with daily care and staying safe. The criteria is:

Lowest

• Needs attention for a significant part of the day, because of their bodily functions, due to a physical or mental disability
• 16 or older and unable to prepare a cooked main meal for themselves because of a mental or physical disability

Middle

• Needs frequent attention during the day, and long or repeated attention at night, because of their bodily functions, due to a physical or mental disability
• Needs continual supervision during the day, and another person to be awake for a long period or at frequent intervals at night, to avoid substantial danger to themselves or others
• Has renal dialysis treatment, during the day and at night, at least twice a week

Highest

• Needs frequent attention during the day, and long or repeated attention at night, because of their bodily functions, due to a physical or mental disability
• Needs continual supervision during the day, and another person to be awake for a long period or at frequent intervals at night, to avoid substantial danger to themselves or others
• Has renal dialysis treatment, during the day and at night, at least twice a week
• Is terminally ill – has an illness that will get worse over time and is expected to shorten their life

Mobility component

The mobility component has two rates:

• Lower
• Higher

A child will get the lower rate if they:

• Are five or over
• Can walk, with or without equipment, but need help or supervision most of the time to move around outdoors

A child will get the higher rate if they are three and over and have one or more of the following:

• Cannot walk, or are unable to move around outdoors due to their disability
• Has a severe visual disability, or are blind and deaf
• Has a severe mental health disability
• Has severe behavioural difficulties, due to a mental health disability, and needs supervision during the day and night to avoid substantial danger to themselves or others
• Would experience serious deterioration in their health from the effort of walking
• Is terminally ill – has an illness that will get worse over time and is expected to shorten their life

For current rates for each component, visit mygov.scot.

You can apply online, or by phone and paper form. There are two parts to the application. Once you’ve done part one, you have six weeks to complete part two.

If you need help with your application, you can contact your local Citizens Advice or Social Security Scotland.

You can ask Social Security Scotland for more time to complete part two if you need it and you do not need to give a reason.

Applying online

To apply online, you’ll need to have or set up an account on Social Security Scotland called ‘myaccount’. This lets you save your application and come back to it. You still need to finish part two within the six-week deadline.

Applying by phone and paper form

You can call Social Security Scotland by phone to start an application. They’ll ask for some details about you and the child so they can start your application.

This is part one of the application. They’ll then send you an application to complete (part two) and return, using the prepaid envelope.

Completing part one

To complete part one, either by phone or online, you’ll need:

• Both your and the child’s date of birth and address
• The child’s Child Reference Number (if you know it)
• Your National Insurance Number
• Your bank or building society account details (for payments)

Completing part two

Part two asks about the child and what support they need, including:

• Any disabilities, conditions, and sensory issues they have
• What help, support, or care the child needs during the day and/or at night
• What support they need to safely move around
• Any treatment or therapies they get
• Equipment they use, or any adaptations made to their home
• Medication they take

Social Security Scotland only asks what they need to know to decide if the child can get Child Disability Payment, so you’ll only need to give detailed answers to the questions that are relevant to your child.

It will help you to complete part two if you have:

• Information about the child’s condition or symptoms, particularly if they do not have a diagnosis
• Any medical tests the child has had, and the results
• Contact details for a professional who can confirm the child’s conditions, disability or needs
• Contact details for anyone else who could give more information about the impact of the child’s condition or disability such as a family member, teacher or carer

Supporting information

In part two of the application, the supporting information you give should describe how the child’s disability or condition affects their daily life and what support they need.

Social Security Scotland uses supporting information to decide whether to award Child Disability Payment.

You’ll need to provide a document from a professional that confirms the child’s conditions, disability or needs. It does not need to include a diagnosis.

Usually these are copies of documents or letters you may already have at home, such as:

• A letter from your GP or specialist
• A prescription list
• Social care assessments
• Medical reports, notes or certificates

You should also give information that describes:

• What impact the disability or conditions have on the child’s life
• What support the child needs with everyday tasks or getting around

You can send supporting information:

• With your application – this is quickest
• Send it after your application if you’re waiting on information – within 28 days
• Ask Social Security Scotland to help get the supporting information for you

Once you have applied, Social Security Scotland may contact you if:

• You asked for help getting more supporting information
• They need more information about your answers
• Any information is missing or you were not able to give. For example, account details for your payments

If anything changes in the time from sending your application and getting a decision, you must tell Social Security Scotland. This includes:

• Any changes that affect the child’s disability or their care and mobility needs
• If the child moves house
• Updating your payment details

Social Security Scotland will send a letter with their decision, which is called a ‘notice of determination.’

The letter will give clear and accessible guidance and will explain the decision. It will also tell you what to do if you disagree with the decision.

You can challenge Social Security Scotland’s decision if you disagree with:

• The outcome of your application
• How much you’ve been awarded
• When payments should start

If your child’s circumstances have changed since your application, such as they require more care, you need to fill in a ‘change of circumstances’ form. You do not need to challenge the decision as Social Security Scotland will review your case once they receive the form.

There are two stages to challenge a decision:

• Stage 1 – re-determination
• Stage 2 – appeal

You must request a re-determination before you can appeal. If you apply for an appeal without a previous re-determination request, your request for an appeal will not be accepted.

For more information about the process and stages of challenging a decision, visit mygov.scot.

You can always contact us if you need support with your application or challenging a decision.

Author: Muscular Dystrophy UK
Last reviewed: June 2025
Next review due: June 2028