Delhi Disability Schemes for Children: A Parent Guide

In Delhi, the Department of Social Welfare is the nodal department for persons with disabilities. Its main cash benefit for children is the Financial Assistance to Persons with Special Needs scheme, popularly called the Delhi disability pension: Rs 2,500 a month for a child with 40% or more disability, a family income under Rs 1 lakh a year and at least five years of residence in Delhi.

As of November 2026, there is also a newer allowance of Rs 6,000 a month for persons with benchmark disabilities who have high support needs, free assistive devices under the Sugamya Sahayak scheme, and free DTC bus passes. You apply for the cash schemes online on the e-District portal or at your District Social Welfare Office.

How disability support works in Delhi

Each district has a District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO), who verifies, sanctions and pays the disability pension and the high support needs allowance. Applications go through the e-District Delhi portal, and Aadhaar is mandatory for filling the form.

Everything starts with a disability certificate. Under Section 2(r) of the RPwD Act 2016, a benchmark disability is at least 40% of a specified disability, as certified by the certifying authority. The Department publishes a district-wise list of hospitals authorised to issue certificates and UDID cards, with institutions such as IHBAS, AIIMS, Ram Manohar Lohia, Lok Nayak and Guru Teg Bahadur hospitals named for intellectual disability, mental illness and neurological conditions including cerebral palsy. Parts of that list look old, so check the hospital options shown on the UDID portal when you apply.

For UDID problems, the Department lists a state coordinator for the UDID project at the Disability Branch, Department of Social Welfare, 7th Floor, MSO Building, ITO, Delhi 110002 (udidgnctd@gmail.com).

Central schemes that apply in Delhi too

UDID card: apply on swavlambancard.gov.in; DEPwD lists the fee as nil. See our UDID guide.
ADIP aids and appliances: full subsidy for monthly family income up to Rs 22,500 and 50% for Rs 22,501 to Rs 30,000, via implementing agencies or the ARJUN portal (adip.depwd.gov.in). ALIMCO helpline: 1800 180 5129.
Scholarships on the National Scholarship Portal: pre-matric (Class 9 and 10) and post-matric (Class 11 onward) for students with 40% or more disability and family income up to Rs 2.5 lakh a year.
Niramaya health insurance from the National Trust: our Niramaya walkthrough.
Income tax deductions for parents: tax benefits for parents.
Railway concession for some disabilities: railway concession for children.

Delhi disability schemes for children at a glance

These details come from the Department of Social Welfare website, the Delhi Gazette and DTC, as of November 2026.

Scheme	Who it is for	What it gives	Where to apply
Financial Assistance to Persons with Special Needs (disability pension)	40% or more disability (including autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, mental illness, hearing and visual impairment, locomotor disability); family income under Rs 1 lakh a year; 5 years in Delhi	Rs 2,500 a month	e-District portal or District Social Welfare Office
Financial Assistance Scheme for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities having High Support Needs	Permanent benchmark disability certificate, assessment board score of 60 to 100, family income up to Rs 1 lakh, 5 years in Delhi	Rs 6,000 a month, on top of the disability pension	e-District portal, to the DSWO
Sugamya Sahayak scheme	Benchmark disability (40% or more) per certificate or UDID; family income up to Rs 8 lakh a year	Free devices such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, callipers, walkers, crutches and smartphones for visually impaired persons	District Social Welfare Office
DTC free bus pass	Persons with disabilities living in Delhi	Free travel on DTC and cluster buses, AC and non-AC; pass issued yearly	DTC pass section
Samagra Shiksha allowances	Children with disabilities in government, aided, MCD and NDMC schools	Allowances such as transport allowance, reader allowance and a stipend for girls	Through the school

The disability pension, in detail

The Department says the scheme exists partly to help families with the high cost of caring for a child with special needs. One version of the scheme page gives the age range as 0 to 59 years; another says it applies irrespective of age, with beneficiaries moved to the Old Age Assistance scheme at 60. Both agree on Rs 2,500 a month.

Other conditions on the page: an Aadhaar number, a single-operated bank account in Delhi linked to Aadhaar (relaxed for minors), and no other pension or financial assistance from the central or state government for the same purpose. Applications are normally decided within 45 days, and payment, if sanctioned, starts from the month after you applied.

The high support needs allowance

Notified in the Delhi Gazette on 15 September 2025 under Sections 24 and 38 of the RPwD Act, this allowance is meant for caregiver support, therapy, assistive aids and similar costs. The DSWO refers your application to a district assessment board within 10 days, the board has 90 days to assess, and sanction should follow within 15 days of the report. The board's decision is final, and grievances go to the Director, Social Welfare.

The scheme asks for a permanent certificate. Many young children are given temporary certificates with a review date, so check what yours says before applying.

Sugamya Sahayak devices

You cannot usually get the same item again within three years if any government scheme gave it to you, but the scheme waives this for fabricated appliances for children under 12, who outgrow them. Motorised tricycles need 80% or more disability and age 16 or above.

How to apply in Delhi, step by step

Get the certificate and UDID. Register on swavlambancard.gov.in and attend the assessment at the hospital you choose. Our disability certificate guide and certificate timeline tool explain the wait.
Gather proof of five years in Delhi. The Department accepts many documents, from ration cards and electricity bills to immunisation cards and medical records of treatment in Delhi.
Register on e-District with a citizen login, choose the disability pension, upload the documents and fill in the income self-declaration on the portal. Without Aadhaar the portal will not proceed.
Attend verification if the District Social Welfare Office calls you with originals.
If your child needs round-the-clock help, apply for the high support needs allowance on e-District too, and prepare for the assessment board.
For devices, contact your District Social Welfare Office about Sugamya Sahayak with the certificate or UDID, Aadhaar, residence proof and two photos.
For the bus pass, visit a DTC pass section. DTC's page lists a Delhi ration card, medical certificate and an identity card issued by the SDM, but that page is dated, so ask what they accept now.

Documents to keep ready

Disability certificate from a notified government hospital, or UDID card
Aadhaar of the child (and parent, for a minor's application)
Proof of age, such as a birth certificate from the MCD registrar or a hospital discharge slip from birth
Proof of at least five years' residence in Delhi
Bank account details (single account for the pension, relaxed for minors; single or joint for the high support needs allowance)
One or two passport-size photos
Income self-declaration (filled on the portal)

If you have no residence document at all, the Department's page allows witness statements from people such as your MLA, RWA office bearers, ASHA workers or a gazetted officer.

When an application gets stuck

Start with the District Social Welfare Officer of your district, in writing, quoting your e-District application number and the 45-day norm. For the high support needs allowance, the gazette names the Director, Social Welfare as the appellate authority.

If you disagree with the percentage on the certificate, Section 59 of the RPwD Act allows an appeal to the appellate authority designated by the state; ask the hospital for its details in writing. If a school, office or service denies your child's rights, complain to the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, 25-D Mata Sundari Road, near Guru Nanak Eye Centre, New Delhi 110002 (011 23216002, 03 or 04; comdis.delhi@nic.in). You can file in person, through a representative, by registered post or by email, with a copy of the disability certificate. Section 80 lets the State Commissioner inquire into deprivation of rights and take up corrective action.

Carely is a Bangalore team offering speech, occupational and behaviour therapy for children at home; if your family is in Bangalore, our services page explains how we work. Wherever you live, try our free disability benefits calculator to see which benefits your child may qualify for before you start the paperwork.

Guides for other states: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the Delhi disability pension?

As of November 2026, the Department of Social Welfare lists Rs 2,500 a month under the Financial Assistance to Persons with Special Needs scheme. Persons with benchmark disabilities who have high support needs can get a further Rs 6,000 a month under a separate scheme notified in September 2025, if the assessment board scores them 60 to 100.

Can a child get the disability pension in Delhi?

Yes. The scheme is described as applying from age 0, and the Department says one of its aims is to help families meet the cost of caring for children with special needs. The child needs 40% or more disability, the family income must be under Rs 1 lakh a year, and the family must have lived in Delhi for at least five years.

How do I apply for the Delhi disability pension online?

Register on the e-District Delhi portal with a citizen login and choose the disability pension scheme. Upload age proof, residence proof, the disability certificate, bank details and a photo, and fill the income declaration. You can also apply through your District Social Welfare Office.

Which hospital issues disability certificates in Delhi?

The Department publishes a list of authorised hospitals by district and type of disability. For intellectual disability, mental illness and neurological conditions, the list includes IHBAS, AIIMS, RML, Lok Nayak, GB Pant and Guru Teg Bahadur among others. Confirm the current options on swavlambancard.gov.in when you apply.

Is bus travel free for disabled children in Delhi?

DTC lists free passes for persons with disabilities, issued on a yearly basis, and a 2016 Delhi Cabinet decision extended free travel to AC and non-AC DTC and cluster buses. Check the current documents at a DTC pass section.

We moved to Delhi recently. Can we apply?

The pension and the high support needs allowance both need five years of residence in Delhi. Your certificate from another state stays valid under Section 58(3) of the RPwD Act, so central schemes such as UDID-based benefits and NSP scholarships remain open to you.

Sources

By The Carely Team