A child must be aged between at least 13 weeks and 16 years old (CDP regs, reg. 4 (1)), to be entitled to CDP.

A child should be at least 13 weeks old to be entitled because the backwards test is 13 weeks.

Different rules apply if a child is terminally ill. Under Special Rules for Terminal Illness (SRTI), a child is eligible from birth.

An application can be made in advance of a child meeting either the:

• age criteria
• the backwards test.

Entitlement should begin on the date that the age criteria is met if the individual meets the other eligibility criteria, including the backwards test.

A case manager should not determine that the individual is not entitled to CDP in these cases.

The case manager should consider an application as submitted on the day that the age criteria is satisfied (CDP regs, reg. 24 (2)(a)(b)).

An application can be submitted for the mobility component for children in the 13 weeks before:

• their 3rd birthday for the higher rate (CDP regs, reg. 13 (1))
• their 5th birthday for the lower rate CDP regs, reg. 12 (1)).

This is called an advanced application.