Nine Scottish kids died waiting for cash from new disability benefit as delays spark fury

A disabled child died while waiting over a year to have their application for a new devolved benefit processed.Nine kids have tragically passed away as they waited for approval from Social Security Scotland on the vital Child Disability Payment.Labour MSP Paul O’Kane said: “These heartbreaking cases hammer home the importance of getting social security right.

It is simply harrowing that children have died while waiting for support they were entitled to.”SSS, the Dundee-based government agency, is in charge of a raft of benefits after social security became a shared power with Westminster.Some benefits remain with the DWP, while others covering children and disabled people are a matter for the devolved agency.Over 70,000 children and young people receive CDP, but we revealed last year that applicants were waiting months for approval.New figures show the heartbreaking cases where a child has died before approval was granted.One child applied in December 2021 but the benefits agency was notified of a death in March 2023 - a gap of over 400 days.Another application was made in June 2022, but the agency was informed of a death 249 days later while a decision was still being considered.Other gaps between application and notification of death include 199 days, 177, 102, 86, 73, 48 and four.O’Kane said: “The devolution of social security powers to Scotland was an opportunity to build a better system, with fairness, compassion and dignity at its heart – but it’s clear too many people are still being failed.”“No-one should have to spend the final months of their or their child’s life fighting against a system that is supposed to work for them.