Payments

When you'll get payments

If you make a successful application for the child, the earliest date that money may be paid from is the date you:

• submitted the first part of your application, if you applied online 
• phoned Social Security Scotland to apply, if you applied by phone and paper form

Child Disability Payment is normally paid every 4 weeks in arrears. It'll be paid into the account details you provided as part of your application.

If the child is terminally ill, Child Disability Payment is paid weekly in advance. Social Security Scotland can calculate payments from the day a doctor or registered nurse confirms the child is terminally ill, if this is earlier than the application date.

How long you'll get payments for

Social Security Scotland will pay Child Disability Payment until the young person is 18.

They can sometimes continue making payments after the child is 18. This can happen when the young person:

• is terminally ill
• has moved from Disability Living Allowance for children to Child Disability Payment
• is waiting for a decision on their Adult Disability Payment application
• has moved to Scotland from another part of the UK and is now getting Child Disability Payment

If you want to stop getting Child Disability Payment

You need to contact Social Security Scotland to ask them to end your Child Disability Payment. You’ll need to confirm this by completing a form. 

When the child turns 16 

Social Security Scotland will write to their parent, guardian or appointee. They’ll ask if the young person can:

• manage their own Child Disability Payment
• get any payments sent to them

If they can, Social Security Scotland will pay the young person when they turn 16. Some young people will not be able to manage their own payments. Instead, Social Security Scotland can name someone to manage the young person’s Child Disability Payment for them.

Adult Disability Payment

The young person can choose to apply for Adult Disability Payment 13 weeks before they turn 16. If the young person’s application is successful they’ll both:

• stop getting Child Disability Payment
• start getting Adult Disability Payment

If the young person is between 16 and 18 years old, they can choose whether to:

• stay on Child Disability Payment until they’re 18
• apply for Adult Disability Payment before they’re 18

If the young person moves to Adult Disability Payment: 

• with an Accessible Vehicles and Equipment lease, the lease will continue for same length of time
• they may lose some other benefits or services they were getting

They can get advice from their local Citizens Advice Bureau or their local council’s advice service.

Find out more about moving from Child Disability Payment to Adult Disability Payment.