DLA for children vs Child Disability Payment
DWP (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) vs Social Security Scotland
The short answer
Apply based on where you live. Existing DLA-child recipients in Scotland are being transferred automatically to CDP in phases.
Child Disability Payment replaced DLA for children in Scotland. Both cover care and mobility components, both can start from 3 months old and run to age 16. The Scottish process removes most face-to-face assessments and uses a lighter-touch review cycle.
- England
- Wales
- Northern Ireland
Disability Living Allowance (children)
Administered by DWP. Applies in England, Wales, Northern Ireland.
DWP benefit for children under 16 in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland who need extra looking after or have mobility difficulties because of a disability.
- Scotland
Child Disability Payment
Administered by Social Security Scotland. Applies in Scotland.
Scotland's replacement for DLA for children, administered by Social Security Scotland, for under-16s with a disability or long-term health condition affecting daily care or mobility.
Rates side-by-side
| Rate | Amount | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Care component — highest rate | £114.60 | WEEKLY |
| Care component — lowest rate | £30.30 | WEEKLY |
| Care component — middle rate | £76.70 | WEEKLY |
| Mobility component — higher rate | £80 | WEEKLY |
| Mobility component — lower rate | £30.30 | WEEKLY |
| Rate | Amount | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Care component — highest rate | £114.60 | WEEKLY |
| Care component — lowest rate | £30.30 | WEEKLY |
| Care component — middle rate | £76.70 | WEEKLY |
| Mobility component — higher rate | £80 | WEEKLY |
| Mobility component — lower rate | £30.30 | WEEKLY |
Eligibility side-by-side
- AGEChild must be under 16. At 16 the claimant moves onto Personal Independence Payment. [GOV.UK]
- DISABILITYChild must need extra looking after, or have walking difficulties, because of a disability. [GOV.UK]
- DISABILITYNeeds must be significantly greater than other children the same age without a disability. [GOV.UK]
- OTHERDifficulties must have lasted at least 3 months and be expected to last at least 6 more months (6+6 test), except for children with a terminal illness. [GOV.UK]
- RESIDENCEChild must normally live in England or Wales when the claim is made (DLA-children has been replaced by Child Disability Payment in Scotland). [GOV.UK]
- RESIDENCEPast-presence test: under 6 months — lived in GB at least 13 weeks; 6 months to 3 years — 26 of the last 156 weeks; over 3 — 6 of the last 12 months. [GOV.UK]
- + 1 more rule on the detail page.
- AGEChild must be under 16 to apply [Scottish Government]
- AGECare component available from 3 months old [Scottish Government]
- AGEMobility component available from age 3 [Scottish Government]
- AGELower mobility rate requires child to be 5 or older [Scottish Government]
- DISABILITYChild must have a physical or mental disability [Scottish Government]
- DISABILITYA diagnosis is not required; the application describes the child's needs and symptoms [Scottish Government]
- + 1 more rule on the detail page.
Which one applies to you?
These benefits are paired: each person qualifies for one of the two depending on where they live. Run the triage tool for a nation-aware answer.